Configuration selection for content delivery using server side information

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions, which when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to be operable for:

• receiving server side information for a request for playback of an instance of content, wherein the server side information is determined based on features that are based on historical playback of content by a plurality of client devices;
• mapping the server side information to a configuration for an adaptive bitrate algorithm;
• determining, by the adaptive bitrate algorithm, a profile from a plurality of profiles based on the configuration, wherein the configuration is compared to bitrates of profiles in the plurality of profiles to select the profile;
• and
• sending a request for a segment of the instance of content using the profile.

A method comprising:

• training a prediction network to map features from historical playback of content by a plurality of client devices to server side information;
• determining a training dataset from the features from historical playback of content;
• generating labels for the features;
• using the features and the labels to adjust parameters of the prediction network;
• receiving a request for playback of an instance of content from a client device;
• determining features for the request, wherein the features are based on historical playback of content;
• analyzing the features to map the features to server side information;
• and
• sending the server side information to the client device, wherein the client device uses the server side information to select a bitrate that is used to select a profile in a plurality of profiles for requesting a segment of the instance of content.