Content delivery routing with on-aircraft edge servers

A method for use in a communication system comprising a content delivery network having a network topology and comprising an edge tier of servers located on mobile platforms served by wireless communication links of the communication system and two or more terrestrial tiers of servers distributed geographically within the communication system, the method comprising:

• receiving, from a first device within a mobile platform served by a wireless communication link of the communication system, a first request for a media content item;
• streaming the media content item to the first device from a first terrestrial server based on the first request and the network topology of the content delivery network indicating the first terrestrial server as a source for the media content item;
• while the requested media content item is streamed to the first device, identifying an update to the network topology of the content delivery network, the update indicating a second terrestrial server as the source for the media content item;
• receiving a second request for the media content item from the first device;
• and
• streaming the media content item to the first device from the second terrestrial server based on the second request and the updated network topology.

A communication system, comprising:

• a content delivery network having a network topology and comprising an edge tier of servers located on mobile platforms served by wireless communication links of the communication system and two or more terrestrial tiers of servers distributed geographically within the communication system;
• a processor;
• memory in electronic communication with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the communication system to:
• receive, from a first device within a mobile platform served by a wireless communication link of the communication system, a first request for a media content item;
• stream the media content item to the first device from a first terrestrial server based on the first request and the network topology of the content delivery network indicating the first terrestrial server as a source for the media content item;
• while the requested media content item is streamed to the first device, identify an update to the network topology of the content delivery network, the update indicating a second terrestrial server as the source for the media content item;
• receive a second request for the media content item from the first device;
• and
• stream the media content item to the first device from the second terrestrial server based on the second request and the updated network topology.