Layered multicast and fair bandwidth allocation and packet prioritization

A method comprising:

• receiving data from a source in a single stream;
• storing a sequence vector of a packet within the packet on an accessible storage device, wherein the sequence vector includes:
• a layer identifier indicating a relative location of the packet within a hierarchy of virtual layers, and
• a packet identifier of a most recently received packet in each virtual layer in the stream, the layer identifier further indicating an importance of the packet, wherein the importance of the packet reflects a priority of the packet and influences a probability that the packet is selected to be dropped;
• forwarding the data to multiple concurrent receivers over a packet switched network via a network interface;
• updating a reliable list of virtual layers based on the received data and the sequence vector of the packet;
• detecting, by a processor in communications with the accessible storage device, inadequate bandwidth to transmit the stream to a destination;
• and
• selecting a virtual layer of high priority packets from the hierarchy of virtual layers in the stream to forward to the destination based on the layer identifier and the reliable list.