Methods and apparatus for content delivery notification and management

A method of providing notification in a content distribution network, the method comprising:

• receiving a request for delivery of content from an entity in communication with said network;
• evaluating at least one parameter related to available bandwidth of said network;
• when said evaluating indicates that said available bandwidth is limited to a value less than that needed to service the request, delaying the servicing of said request for content;
• and
• providing a notification based at least in part on said delaying.

Apparatus configured for delivery of content in a content distribution network, the apparatus comprising a computerized server apparatus in data communication with a plurality of client devices of the network, the server apparatus comprising at least one computer program configured to, when executed by a processing apparatus of the server apparatus:

• receive a request for content from client device, or a proxy thereof;
• evaluate available bandwidth in said network to fulfill said request for content;
• when said available bandwidth is insufficient to fulfill said request, issue a notification of delay to said client device;
• cause delivery of alternate content during at least a portion of said delay;
• and
• subsequently cause delivery of said requested content after sufficient bandwidth becomes available.

A method of providing contextually relevant secondary content, comprising:

• receiving a request for content delivery, said content having at least one context;
• determining that insufficient network capacity exists to service said request immediately;
• and
• generating a communication to a requesting entity indicating that delivery of at least a portion of said content will be delayed;
• wherein said communication comprises at least one secondary content element that is related to said content via at least said context.