METHOD AND APPARATUS TO FACILITATE REMOTE SOFTWARE MANAGEMENT BY APPLYING NETWORK ADDRESS-SORTING RULES ON A HIERARCHICAL DIRECTORY STRUCTURE

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system to facilitate software management by applying network address-sorting rules on a hierarchical directory structure. The system operates by creating a hierarchical directory structure that reflects the logical coupling among computers within an enterprise. This hierarchical directory structure is sorted based on network addresses of the constituent computers of the enterprise. The system establishes a software policy at the root level of the hierarchical directory structure. Individual computers within the enterprise inherit the software policy from the root level of the hierarchical directory structure.