CLUSTER SERVER APPARATUS

A cluster server apparatus operable to continuously carrying out data distribution to terminals even if among a plurality of cache servers of the cluster server apparatus cache server, while optimally distributing loads on the plurality of cache servers. A cluster control unit of the cluster server apparatus distributes requests from the terminals based on the load of each of the plurality of cache servers. A cache server among the plurality of cache servers distributes, requested data (streaming data) to a terminal if the requested data is stored in a streaming data storage unit of the cache server, while distributing data from a content server the requested data if it is not stored in the streaming data storage unit. The data distributed from the content server is redundantly stored in the respective streaming data storage units of two or more cache servers. One cache server detects the state of distribution of the other cache server that stores the same data as that stored in the one cache server. If the one cache server becomes unable to carry out distribution, the other cache server continues data distribution instead.