Optimizing communications

A device having code stored thereon that, when executed, performs a method comprising:

• evaluating a utility function for two or more end-user nodes to determine a quantitative measure of end-user benefit that would be derived by a respective end-user node if a data stream is consumed by the respective end-user node, the utility function being dependent on a route of the data stream to the two or more end-user nodes, and the utility function based at least in part on one or more properties corresponding to consumption of the data stream;
• determining an overall utility value based on respective evaluations of the utility function of the two or more end-user nodes for at least two different routes;
• selecting one of the at least two different routes based on the overall utility values of the at least two different routes;
• and
• routing the data stream to the two or more end-user nodes via the selected route.

A communication system for transmitting a data stream to two or more end-user nodes of a network, the communication system comprising:

• an optimizer and a transceiver operatively coupled to the optimizer, the optimizer configured to:
• evaluate a utility function for the two or more end-user nodes to determine a quantitative measure of end-user benefit that would be derived by a respective end-user node if the data stream is consumed by the respective end-user node, the utility function being dependent on a route of the data stream to the two or more end-user nodes, and the utility function based at least in part on one or more properties corresponding to consumption of the data stream;
• determine an overall utility value based on respective evaluations of the utility function of the two or more end-user nodes for at least two different routes;
• select one of the at least two different routes based on the overall utility values of the at least two different routes;
• and
• the transceiver configured to route the data stream to the two or more end user nodes via the selected route.