A computer implemented method to monitor the distribution of software to computers on a network is provided. The network has a data source, for example a systems management tool, which stores data relating to downloads of software. It is desirable for the purpose of operating the network economically to monitor the distribution of software to users. The systems management tool is accessed to determine the number of the computers on the network which have received a particular item of software. That number is compared with a threshold number which is small compared to the number of computers on the network. If the number is less than the threshold that is taken as an indication that the particular item of software has been distributed to the computers by a download as a result of one or more individual requests by users of the computers. Monitoring such indications can be used to estimate the cost of dealing with individual requests and that provides information for assisting a decision to provide a portal for making software available to users. Such an indication may be used to automatically make the software available on a portal to be downloaded by other users, if such a portal is provided.