An improved Internet delivery system for digitized photographs is described. The system embodies methodologies that speed the delivery of digitized images from photographic film scan centers to consumers across the Internet with high reliability. By delivering all the digital images to a more powerful centralized server infrastructure prior to the consumer's earliest opportunity to view them on-line, these images or pictures can be downloaded to a viewer of interest (e.g., user or family member) quickly enough to provide an appropriate Web response. Optimizations are also described that streamline the throughput with load balancing and provide virtually guaranteed uniform service with fail-over. In this manner, the system provides improved access, storage, and on-line availability of digital images.