Abstract: A method, and corresponding system, for controlling the generation and distribution of standardized patch descriptions. The method includes establishing a content model for patch descriptions defining acceptable data content and formatting of the patch descriptions. In one embodiment, the documents are XML documents and the content models are XML DTDs or XML schemas. The content model defines the elements, attributes, and entities that may be included in created description documents. The method continues with providing the content model to the patch generators and then receiving a patch description document from one of the generators, with the received document being created with and validated against the content model. The received patch description documents are stored, later searched on search terms based on the content model, and requested documents are delivered with a look and feel provided to the standardized patch description documents.