Abstract: A method of inventorying software and/or hardware. The method may be practiced for example in a network computing environment including at least one client and at least one server. The method includes requesting a rule file from the server. The rule file is received from the server. Information is gathered about the software and/or hardware at the client based on rules in the rule file. The results of gathering information about the software and/or hardware at the client is sent to the server.

Abstract: An application programming interface (API) for administering the distribution of software updates on an update service node is presented. The API provides a plurality of interface calls through which an administrator can establish rules by which software updates available to the update service node are distributed.

Abstract: A method for controlling the update installation behavior of a computing device according to installation attributes is presented. When present, a mandatory installation attribute associated with a software update causes the installation process executed on the computing device to disallow a user to selectively not install the software update. A priority installation attribute causes the computing device to request a higher amount of network bandwidth for obtaining the software update's content for installation on the client computing device. A deadline installation attribute associated with the software update causes the computing device to permit a user to selectively not install the software update until an associated deadline passes, at which time the software update is installed without further user interaction.