Patent ID: 7130896

Claim:
A method for remote distribution/installation of computer programs from a source data processing system to at least one target data processing system based on at least two distribution/installation modes, comprising: checking if the at least one target data processing system is available; performing distribution/installation according to one of the at least two distribution/installation modes, if the at least one target data processing system is available; monitoring if the distribution/installation is successful; switching the distribution/installation mode if the distribution/installation is not successful, wherein the computer programs are transferred as packages which are identified in a package list; pre-specifying attempt numbers for retrying a push-mode distribution and a pull-mode distribution; retrieving a next package identified in the package list; and checking if the at least one target data processing system is available; if the at least one target data processing system is available then starting installation of the package on the target data processing system; otherwise, if at least one push-mode attempt is left, resuming and rescheduling a next push-mode distribution and, if no push-mode attempt is left, but at least one pull-mode attempt is left, resuming and rescheduling a next pull-mode distribution.