A request for an information object at an address identified by a uniform resource locator (URL) is received; and the URL is mapped to a corresponding anycast address for the information object. Thereafter, the anycast address for the information object may be resolved to a unicast address for the information object, and the information object sent to the client. The request may be received at an information object repository that is topologically closer to the client than any other information object repository. This closest information object repository may be selected according to specified performance metrics, such as: average delay from the selected information object repository to a source of the request, average processing delay at the selected information object repository, reliability of a path from the selected information object repository, available bandwidth in said path, and loads on the selected information object repository.