Delivering a Media File to a Client

An apparatus for delivering a media file from a content provider to a client over a communications network, comprising a processor, storage and a network interface, wherein said processor is configured to:

• receive, via said network interface, a request to begin streaming a media file stored by a content provider, wherein said media file has an ordered structure of data such that when said data is read sequentially and in order it firstly contains a file header, followed by media data, and finally a media index;
• identify said media file;
• extract said media index from said media file;
• and
• deliver, via said network interface, said media index to said client before commencing streaming of said file header and said media data.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with program instructions executable by a computer that, when executed by a computer, cause a computer to deliver a media file to a client by performing steps of:

• receiving a request from said client to begin streaming a media file, wherein said media file has an ordered structure of data such that when said data is read sequentially and in order it firstly contains a file header, followed by media data, and finally a media index;
• identifying said media file;
• extracting said media index from said media file;
• and
• delivering said media index to said client before commencing streaming of said file header and said media data.