Routing architecture for content in a network

A distribution management device, comprising:

• a memory to store a plurality of instructions;
• and
• a processor configured to execute instructions in the memory to:
• receive a request for a content item from a requesting local device, wherein the distribution management device is at a first level of a content distribution architecture, the requesting local device is one of a plurality of local devices at a second level and each local device serves a plurality of sub devices at a third level;
• determine whether the requested content item is available from the distribution management device;
• send the requested content item to the requesting local device in response to determining that the requested content item is available;
• identify at least one of the other local devices that has the requested content item in response to determining that the requested content item is not available;
• determine a minimum routing cost local device for routing the requested content to the requesting local device based on the identified at least one other local device that has the requested content item;
• and
• send a request for the requested content to the minimum routing cost local device.

A computer-readable medium including instructions to be executed by a processor, the instructions including one or more instructions, when executed by the processor, for causing the processor to:

• receive a request for a content item from a requesting local device, wherein the request is received at a first level of a content distribution architecture, the requesting local device is one of a plurality of local devices at a second level and each local device serves a plurality of sub devices at a third level;
• determine whether the requested content item is available from the distribution management device;
• send the requested content item to the requesting local device in response to determining that the requested content item is available;
• identify at least one other local device that has the requested content item in response to determining that the requested content item is not available;
• determine a minimum routing cost local device for the requested content to the requesting local device based on the identified at least one other local device that has the requested content item;
• send a request for the requested content to the minimum routing cost local device;
• and
• determine that the requesting user device has received the requested content based on one of a receipt notification or a predetermined time without a non-receipt notification.