Bandwith policy management in a self-corrected content delivery network

A network element configured to operate in association with a content delivery network, the network element comprising:

• one or more processors;
• a memory subsystem coupled to the one or more processors, the memory subsystem including a persistent memory;
• and
• a network pipe usage optimization module implemented in the persistent memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors for performing:
• obtaining at least one of a push pipe utilization report and a pull pipe utilization report from each distribution node of the content delivery network, wherein the distribution nodes are organized into multiple hierarchical levels, the push pipe utilization and pull pipe utilization reports indicating current consumption of push content and pull content via all outgoing distribution pipes from a distribution node to another downstream CDN node;
• determining new push pipe weights and new pull pipe weights for the outgoing distribution pipes associated with each distribution node of the content delivery network responsive to the push pipe and pull pipe utilization reports and a pre-provisioning push policy from a popularity policy management node with respect to a particular push content to be distributed via the CDN;
• simulating, using at least one of the new push pipe weights and new pull pipe weights, a network pipe utilization model associated with the content delivery network;
• and
• responsive to determining that the simulated network pipe utilization model yields an improved utilization of the content delivery network, distributing the new push pipe weights and new pull pipe weights to each distribution node in the content delivery network, wherein the new push pipe weights and new pull pipe weights operate to apportion bandwidth of each outgoing distribution pipe from a distribution node to another downstream CDN node.