A method of updating software, performed by respective machines in a linear communication orbit includes, at a local server executed by a respective machine, receiving, via the linear communication orbit, update metadata. At an update module executed by the respective machine, an update module evaluates software version information using the update metadata to determine a set of one or more updates to be applied to one or more software programs. A patch module sends, via the linear communication orbit, requests for one or more software update files corresponding to the set of one or more updates, and receives the one or more software update files corresponding to the set of one or more updates. The update module then updates the one or more of the software programs by applying the received one or more software update files to the one or more of the software programs.