Method and arrangements in an IP network

A system comprises a network resource manager comprising a resource utilization map adapted to manage network resources in an IP network, an application framework comprising means for receiving a request for a media distribution requiring a multicast distribution from a client in said IP network, and means for requesting network resources from a network resource manager for a Media Quick Start, to start the requested media distribution, the network resource manager comprises means for providing the application framework with feedback information relating to network resource availability from the network resource manager, and the application framework comprises means for receiving said feedback information and means for allowing the Media Quick start or to use another behavior to start the requested media distribution based on the received feedback information, wherein said another behavior is to use the feedback information provided by the network resource manager to signal to a client that a Media Quick Start unicast stream for the requested media is not available due to resource shortage in the IP network but the client is still allowed to subscribe to a multicast version of the media.

An Application-Specific Integrated Circuit for starting a multicast media distribution in an IP network, wherein the Integrated Circuit comprises means for receiving a request for a media distribution requiring a multicast distribution from a client in said IP network, means for requesting network resources from a network resource manager for a Media Quick Start, to start the requested media distribution, means for receiving feedback information relating to network resource availability from the network resource manager, and means for allowing the Media Quick start or to use another behavior to start the requested media distribution based on the received feedback information, wherein said another behavior is to use the feedback information provided by the resource manager to signal to the client that a Media Quick Start unicast stream for the requested media distribution is not available due to resource shortage in the IP network but the client is still allowed to subscribe to the multicast distribution.