in a content delivery network comprising multiple depot servers positioned at different locations , and including clients respectively located closer to one of the depot servers than to others , a method distributes specified file content to respective clients . the method comprises initially uploading the specified content to a particular one of the depot servers , and generating a download plan for replicating the specified content at one or more other depot servers in successive stages , wherein each of the other depot servers is designated as a target depot server . each of a multiplicity of clients is notified , when the uploading of the specified content to the particular depot server has been completed , that the specified content is being made available for downloading at each target depot server . the method further includes operating a selected target depot server in one or more modes selected from a set of modes , to enable clients of the multiplicity to download the specified content from the selected target depot server . one of the modes comprises immediately serving the specified content to a given client from the selected target server , and another mode comprises notifying the given client of the amount of time remaining until the selected target server completes replicating the specified content .