Survivable software distribution and maintenance

This thesis describes a software distribution and maintenance system that reduces administration costs while increasing survivability. Contributions include design, implementation, and analysis. The system applies automation wherever possible and takes maximum advantages of economies of scale. The implementation extends an existing replication tool to provide multiplatform support, user assisted cache management, and support for middlemen in the distribution system. Middlemen relieve both system administrators and end users of administration and maintenance tasks. This arrangement leads to higher survivability, lower operating costs, and allows new value added services in software maintenance. Thesis Supervisor: Clifford Weinstein Title: Group Leader Thesis Supervisor: Thomas M. Parks Title: Technical Staff