A computer-implemented method for distributing product updates from a configuration device to one or more handheld medical devices , comprising the following steps which are executed by the configuration device : - receiving a request to download a product update to a requesting medical device . - retrieving a dependency that must be met before the product update can be downloaded to the requesting medical device , where the dependency specifics a product identifier and version of software entities included in software that resides on a peer device which is interoperable with the requesting medical device , - receiving a listing of peer devices from the requesting medical device , such that each peer device in the listing of peer devices is distinct from and interoperable with the requesting medical device , wherein the listing includes an enumeration of software entities included in the software residing on each peer device in the listing including a product identifier and version of each software entity, - for each peer device in the listing of peer devices, determining the software entities residing on a given peer device from the listing of peer devices, - comparing the product identifier for each of the software entities residing on each peer device in the listing of peer devices to the product identifier for each of the software entities specified by the dependency. - when the product identifier for a software entity in the listing matches the product identifier for a software entity specified by the dependency, comparing the version of the software entity specified by the dependency to the version of the corresponding software entity residing on each peer device in the listing of peer devices, and - distributing the product update to the requesting medical device when the software residing on each peer device in the listing of peer devices has a version as recent as the version of software specified by the dependency. - receiving a request to download a product update to a requesting medical device . - retrieving a dependency that must be met before the product update can be downloaded to the requesting medical device , where the dependency specifics a product identifier and version of software entities included in software that resides on a peer device which is interoperable with the requesting medical device , - receiving a listing of peer devices from the requesting medical device , such that each peer device in the listing of peer devices is distinct from and interoperable with the requesting medical device , wherein the listing includes an enumeration of software entities included in the software residing on each peer device in the listing including a product identifier and version of each software entity, - for each peer device in the listing of peer devices, determining the software entities residing on a given peer device from the listing of peer devices, - comparing the product identifier for each of the software entities residing on each peer device in the listing of peer devices to the product identifier for each of the software entities specified by the dependency. - when the product identifier for a software entity in the listing matches the product identifier for a software entity specified by the dependency, comparing the version of the software entity specified by the dependency to the version of the corresponding software entity residing on each peer device in the listing of peer devices, and - distributing the product update to the requesting medical device when the software residing on each peer device in the listing of peer devices has a version as recent as the version of software specified by the dependency. <EOS>