| CPC H04N 21/65 (2013.01) | 14 Claims |

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1. A distribution system that includes a head end connected to a plurality of customer devices through a transmission network that includes a node that converts digital data to data suitable for said plurality of customer devices, where said node includes a processor, wherein said processor performs the following steps: (a) said node receiving a single image file including (i) kernel software, (ii) hardware configuration data, and (iii) application software; (b) said node parsing said image file that includes said (i) kernel software, said (ii) hardware configuration data, and (iii) said application software to determine portions of said image file that have been indicated by at least one flag as being modified from that which is currently installed on said node, and determine portions of said image file that have been indicated by said at least one flag as not being modified from that which is currently installed on said node; (c) said node installing at least portions of said image file on said node as indicated by said at least one flag as being modified and resetting portions of said node based upon said at least one flag as being modified; (d) said node not installing other portions of said image file on said node that have been indicated by said at least one flag as not being modified from that which is currently installed on said node where said node receives said other portions of said image file together with said image file; (e) wherein said node is configured to provide services to said plurality of customer devices independently of whether any other said node is configured to provide services to said plurality of customer devices; (f) wherein said installing at least a portion of said image file on said node results in a service interruption to said plurality of customer devices provided by said node.
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