Patent ID: 8429642

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for updating software in a set of networked computers, said set of networked computers representing a plurality of computers coupled to communicate in a network, said plurality of computers including at least as first computer associated with a first IP address and haying first software, a second computer associated with a second IP address and having second software, a third computer associated with a third IP address and having third software, and a fourth computer associated with a fourth IP address and having fourth software, the computer-implemented method comprising: using said second computer and employing at least said first IP address, said second IP address, said third IP address, and said fourth IP address to determine a set of neighbor computers of said second computer, ascertaining, using said second computer, that said set of neighbor computers of said second computer includes at least said first computer and said third computer, but not said fourth computer, at least by determining that the value of said second IP address is closer to the value of said first IP address than to the value of said fourth IP address and that the value of said second IP address is closer to the value of said third IP address than to the value of said fourth IP address, wherein the value of said second IP address is between the value of said first IP address and the value of said third IP address; after said ascertaining, checking, using said second, computer, software status information of a first copy of an update package in said first computer to determine whether said update package is more up-to-date than said second software, said update package being related to said second software; after said checking, downloading, using said second computer, a second copy of said update package from said first computer to said second computer; and after said downloading, providing, using said second computer, a third copy of said update package from said second computer to said third computer.