Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems for distribution of software updates are described. A file representing a difference between a first software stack and a second software stack and a task sequence may be received at a computer. The task sequence may represent instructions for installing the second software stack on the computer using the file and a stored image that represents the first software stack. The computer then may execute the task sequence to use the file and the stored image to install the second software stack on the computer. In one example, a second file representing a difference between the first software stack and a third software stack may be received by the computer, and the task sequence may include further instructions for installing the second software stack based on the first file, the second file, and the stored image.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems for software updates using delta patching are described. A first image representative of a first software stack and a second image representative of a second software stack may be combined into a compound image by a first computer. The first computer may compare the compound image and the first image to determine a difference between the compound image and the first image. The first computer may generate a file representative of the difference between the compound image and the first image, and data representative of the file representative of the difference between the compound image and the first image may be recorded to a computer-readable storage medium.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems for network enhanced controls of software updates received via a computer-readable medium are described. A first computer may load data representative of an image of a software stack from a removable computer-readable storage medium. A task sequence of instructions for installing the data representative of the image of the software stack at the first computer may be requested from the first computer to a second computer. The first computer may receive the task sequence, and may access the task sequence to retrieve the instructions for installing the data representative of the image at the first computer.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems are described for receiving, by a computer, data representing a plurality of manifests, each manifest identifying a different subset of a plurality of software components; generating, by the computer, and based on the manifests, a task sequence that indicates an order in which the plurality of software components are to be installed; and recording, by the computer, data representing the task sequence to a computer-readable medium

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems for distribution of software updates are described. A first software component and a task sequence may be received at a computer. The task sequence may include instructions for installing the first software component at the computer. The computer may store the first software component and the task sequence in a logically protected region of the computer. The computer then may execute the task sequence to install the first software component in a current software stack of the computer. The task sequence may include instructions for de-installing a software component from the software stack on the computer.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems for distribution of software updates are described. A first software component and a task sequence may be received at a computer. The task sequence may include instructions for installing the first software component at the computer. The computer may store the first software component and the task sequence in a computer-readable medium. The computer then may execute the task sequence to install, in the computer-readable medium, a software stack from an image of the software stack also stored in the compute-readable medium, and the first software component into the installed software stack. The task sequence may include instructions for de-installing a software component from the installed software stack.