Software update management

One or more computer-readable media storing information for a computer to perform a process, the process comprising:

• displaying a user interface for authoring an update, where the user interface allows a user to define information that identifies the update and signature information by which a computer can be scanned to determine whether the update has been installed on the computer and/or whether the update is applicable to the computer;
• and
• receiving a command from the user to publish the update, and in response generating a portion of update metadata that includes the information that identifies the update and that includes the scan information.

One or more computer-readable media storing an update catalog, the update information comprising:

• catalog tags denoting that the update information is an update catalog and tagging information identifying the update catalog;
• and
• update tags and individual updates demarked by the update tags, where an individual update comprises information by which a computer can be scanned to determine whether the individual update is applicable to the computer and information identifying the update and a software program, product, or installation that corresponds to the individual update.