establishing an operating multicast tree comprising a first set of nodes and components, the first set of nodes and components of the operating multicast tree operable to process an operating data stream to facilitate delivery of one or more channels to one or more endpoints;

proactively establishing a redundant multicast tree comprising a second set of nodes and components, the second set of nodes and components:

comprising at least one node or at least one component that is redundant of a corresponding node or component in the first set of nodes and components of the operating multicast tree, and that is not in the first set of nodes and components of the operating multicast tree; and

operable to process a redundant data stream; and

the IPTV network comprises a delivery server (D-Server) that comprises the one or more buffers, the one or more buffers comprising a first buffer and a second buffer; and

buffering the operating data stream in the first buffer;

buffering the redundant data stream in the second buffer;

detecting the occurrence of the lost packet in the operating data stream by receiving from a particular endpoint a request for the lost packet, the lost packet being associated with a particular channel;

determining whether the redundant data stream buffered in the second buffer comprises data for the particular channel associated with the lost packet; and

if it is determined that the redundant data stream buffered in the second buffer comprises data for the particular channel associated with the lost packet:

retrieving, from the redundant data stream buffered in the second buffer, a packet that corresponds to the lost packet; and

providing the packet retrieved from the redundant data stream buffered in the second buffer to the particular endpoint.