When studying distribution systems from an abstract standpoint and truly understands the maximum efficiency you need to take a look at what nature teaches us with her hundreds of millions of years of evolution. Consider the distribution of trade amongst nations or the flow of money and how this resembles blood flow system in complex organisms and species. Think of the computer use of bandwidth and the flows of information. Look at the railroads, water pipelines and trucking industry for instance. In any trade route system or TRS you need to be sure that you get there in a expeditious manner.

Consider if you will an Internet Virus and how that works its way into a distribution system. Basically like getting on the on-ramp of a major highway. The virus uses the most efficient route, which is already set up. And thus utilizes all at its disposal, like a real virus in the blood stream;

http://www.silkroad.com/papers/html/bomb/node8.html

The Human brain also moves information via chemically fired electro pulses in the brain. We see how the brain uses information and processes it for the visual part of the brain. So if you look at the Internet, a computer system, a biological system of the blood flow system or the brain, it all starts to look a whole lot like the interweaving transportation, communication and distribution systems of a modern civilization.

How about in ancient times or periods before modern civilizations and how the stations were set up along the trade routes in those ancient times, like Pony Express Route Stations and exactly like our current trucking terminal concept of 7-8 hours between depots and tractor switch off relays, as this is the amount of travel plus or minus re-fueling that a driver can safely travel. Is this all that much different from the future systems being designed today with packets and relays of smart dust and nodes or motes? Is that so much different than the ideas of the homing pigeons and organic delivery systems using water ways or smoke signals to alert the next inline user?

How about the ancient Silk Roads used for trade between mountainous terrains of Europe, Middle East and China, like the crevasses of the brain, how many possible routes and different methods can secure and improve success of delivery? Whether we are discussing the electronic flow of money or they water pipelines under our feet, it makes sense to do what works. In case something goes wrong we have another method or way around the problem; consider the stroke victims reprogramming around the damaged part of the brain. How about the dilemma of first responders or getting goods to market without even in the event of a catastrophe, around blockages, roads which are out and downed power lines and trees like after Hurricane Katrina?

Preventing chaos and potato lines during times of crisis is not hard if you understand how things flow and what works best and then draw up a plan prior to such a negative potential eventuality. An over all plan without missing anything. A chess strategy, pre-figured with room to improvise and adapt? Like Playing Risk, but in advance of the game.

http://www.goddesschess.com/chessays/remus.html

http://www.parthe.net/_cwg1003/00000013.htm

You see Arthur C Clark's novels always talked of triple redundancies and you can bet that Gates and Allen also had this thought and let's also look at the many ways to open programs on windows. How handicap people can use a computer or how even a computer can be used by a chimpanzee to move something on the screen without anything but a thought?

When designing distribution systems with fail-safes, I urge all humans to expand you mind and look around you to see what works and why. Study and observe gridlock traffic, blocked gutters and clogged sinks. Think of how nature uses its tributaries to bring the water from storms back to the sea and when you are done with this, you will be thinking like me.