Transport protocol for anticipatory content

A server system for multicasting to a plurality of user systems via a shared forward link, the server system comprising:

• a server optimizer configured to receive data blocks of a content object from a content source, wherein the content object is requested by a first user system of the plurality of user systems and not by a second user system;
• and
• a multicaster module, communicatively coupled with the server optimizer and configured to multicast the data blocks of the content object to the first user system and the second user system in a multicast communication over the shared forward link, wherein the second user system caches fewer than all of the data blocks of the content object in client storage of the second user system, and wherein the fewer than all of the data blocks of the content object in client storage of the second user system are cached such that the content object is inaccessible to the second user system;
• wherein the server optimizer is further configured to receive a request subsequent to the multicasting from the second user system for missing data blocks of the content object not cached by the second user system, wherein the multicaster module is operative to communicate at least one index to the second user system in response to the request, and wherein the at least one index facilitates recreation of at least a portion of the content object using the fewer than all of the data blocks of the content object in client storage of the second user system.

A computing device comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processor configured to execute processor-executable program code stored in memory, the processor-executable program code configured to cause the processor to:
• receive data blocks of a content object, wherein the content object is requested by a first user system of a plurality of user systems and not by a second user system;
• multicast the data blocks of the content object to the first user system and the second user system in a multicast communication over a shared forward link, wherein the second user system caches fewer than all of the data blocks of the content object in client storage of the second user system, and wherein the fewer than all of the data blocks of the content object in client storage of the second user system are cached such that the content object is inaccessible to the second user system;
• receive a request subsequent to the multicasting from the second user system for missing data blocks of the content object not cached by the second user system;
• and
• communicate at least one index to the second user system in response to the request, wherein the at least one index facilitates recreation of at least a portion of the content object using the fewer than all of the data blocks of the content object in client storage of the second user system.