System and method for improved peer-to-peer software distribution

1. An information handling system for distributing software, the system comprising:

a distribution management system configured to provide a software packet, the software packet including the software and a smart contract, an execution of the smart contract being validated and recorded by a blockchain system; and

a plurality of target systems to receive the software, the target systems organized into a plurality of groups, each group including a first target system in a first tier and at least one second target system in a second tier;

wherein the distribution management system provides the software packet to each first target system, wherein each first target system executes the smart contract, provides a first indication to the distribution management system as to whether or not the software was successfully installed on the first target system, and if the software was successfully installed on the first target system, provides the software packet to its associated second target system, and wherein each second target system that receives the software packet executes the smart contract, and provides a second indication to the distribution management system as to whether the software was successfully installed on the second target system and

wherein the distribution management system further determines that a first indication indicates that the software packet was not successfully installed on a particular first target system, and places a particular second target system associated with the particular first target system on a blacklist, the blacklist preventing the particular second target system from receiving the software packet; and

wherein the distribution management system further determines a number of second indications that indicate that the software packet was not successfully installed on the second target systems is greater than a threshold, and suspends further distribution of the software packet when the number is greater than the threshold.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein, for each group of first and second target systems, the distribution management system is further configured to select the first target system and the associated second target system in each group based upon the first target system and the associated second target system in each group having a common configuration.

3. The information handling system of claim 2 , wherein the distribution management system is further configured to include a list of grouped first and second target systems within the smart contract.

4. The information handling system of claim 2 , wherein the distribution management system is further configured to provide a rule within the smart contract, wherein in executing the rule, each one of the information handling systems determines that it is in one of the first tier and the second tier.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein:

the plurality of target systems further includes third tier of third target systems, wherein at least one of the second target systems is grouped with at least one of the third target systems; and

at least one second target system executes the smart contract, and provides the software packet to at least one of the third target systems based upon the execution of the smart contract.

6. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein, for each group of first and second target systems, the distribution management system is further configured to select the first target system and the associated second target system in each group based upon the first target system and the associated second target system in each group being on a common subnetwork.

7. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein, for each group of first and second target systems, the distribution management system is further configured to select the first target system and the associated second target system in each group based upon the first target system and the associated second target system in each group having a common user base.

8. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein, for each group of first and second target systems, the distribution management system is further configured to select the first target system and the associated second target system in each group based upon the first target system and the associated second target system in each group having a common component.

9. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein, for each group of first and second target systems, the distribution management system is further configured to select the first target system and the associated second target system in each group based upon the associated second target system in each group having a common configuration, and wherein the associated first target system does not have the common configuration.

10. A method for distributing software, the method comprising:

providing, by a distribution management system of an information handling system configured to distribute software to a plurality of target systems, a software packet including the software and a smart contract, an execution of the smart contract being validated and recorded by a blockchain system, wherein the target systems are organized into a plurality of groups, each group including a first target system in a first tier and at least one second target system in a second tier;

receiving, by each first target system, the software packet;

executing, by each first target system, the smart contract;

validating, by the blockchain system, the execution of the smart contract by each first target system;

providing a first indication to the distribution management system as to whether the software was successfully installed on the first target system;

determining that a first indication indicates that the software packet was not successfully installed on a particular first target system;

placing a particular second target system associated with the particular first target system on a blacklist, the blacklist preventing the particular second target system from receiving the software packet;

providing, by each first target system that successfully executed the software packet, the software packet to the associated second target systems;

providing, by each second target system that received the software packet from its associated first target system, a second indication to the distribution management system as to whether the software was successfully installed on the second target system;

determining a number of second indications that indicate that the software packet was not successfully installed on the second target systems is greater than a threshold; and

suspending the further distribution of the software packet when the number is greater than the threshold.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

selecting, by the distribution management, the first target systems and the second target systems.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein, for each group of first and second target systems, the method further comprises:

selecting, by the distribution management system, the first target system and the associated second target system in each group based upon the first target system and the associated second target system in each group having a common configuration.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

including, by the distribution management system, a list of grouped first and second target systems within the smart contract.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

providing, by the distribution management system, a rule within the smart contract, wherein in executing the rule, each one of the information handling systems determines that it is in one of the first tier and the second tier.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

executing, by at least one second target system, the smart contract; and

providing the software packet to at least one third target system in a third tier of the plurality of target systems based upon the execution of the smart contract.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein, for each group of first and second target systems, the distribution management system is further configured to select the first target system and the associated second target system in each group based upon the first target system and the associated second target system in each group being on a common sub-network.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein, for each group of first and second target systems, the distribution management system is further configured to select the first target system and the associated second target system in each group based upon the first target system and the associated second target system in each group having a common user base.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein, for each group of first and second target systems, the distribution management system is further configured to select the first target system and the associated second target system in each group based upon the first target system and the associated second target system in each group having a common component.

19. The method of claim 10 , wherein, for each group of first and second target systems, the distribution management system is further configured to select the first target system and the associated second target system in each group based upon the associated second target system in each group having a common configuration, and wherein the associated first target system does not have the common configuration.

20. An information handling system for distributing software, the system comprising:

a blockchain system;

a distribution management system configured to provide a software packet, the software packet including the software and a smart contract, an execution of the smart contract being validated and recorded by the blockchain system; and

a plurality of target systems to receive the software, the target systems organized into a plurality of groups, each group including a first target system in a first tier and at least one second target system in a second tier;

wherein the distribution management system provides the software packet to each first target system, wherein each first target system executes the smart contract, provides a first indication to the distribution management system as to whether the software was successfully installed on the first target system, and if the software was successfully installed on the first target system, provides the software packet to its associated second target system, wherein each second target system that receives the software packet executes the smart contract, and provides a second indication to the distribution management system as to whether the software was successfully installed on the second target system, and wherein the smart contract includes a list of grouped first and second target systems;

wherein the distribution management system further determines that a first indication indicates that the software packet was not successfully installed on a particular first target system, and places a particular second target system associated with the particular first target system on a blacklist, the blacklist preventing the particular second target system from receiving the software packet; and

wherein the distribution management system further determines a number of second indications that indicate that the software packet was not successfully installed on the second target systems is greater than a threshold, and suspends further distribution of the software packet when the number is greater than the threshold.