Ok, so here is what I have found... it looks like there is possibly a package versioning discrepancy on the package server. In comparing to another working package, I saw that the "package version" was the same across log.xml, package.xml as well as the client policy xml.
However, here is what I found for the patch assessment package...
From Client Policy XML
- <SoftPkg Name="Patch Windows System Assessment Scan Tool Package" displayName="" Id="{6D417916-467C-46A7-A870-6D86D9345B61}" Version="7.1.0.0" InternalVersion="1316107514" Originator="NS" Destination="" CleanupAfter="-1" Priority="Low" StatusEventsEnabled="true">
- <PackageDescription>
- <![CDATA[ Patch Windows System Assessment Scan Tool Package
]]>
</PackageDescription>
From "log" XML
- <Download version="1313897341" status="valid" statusDescr="valid" transferBytes="2574733" packageSize="5316357">
<Session startTime="2011-08-21 14:58:59" endTime="2011-08-21 15:01:35" source="http://milaltirismp01.artisanpartners.com/Altiris/PackageShare/{6d417916-467c-46a7-a870-6d86d9345b61}" transferRate="160920" transferBytes="2574733" transferCache="2741624" result="0" />
</Download>
From "package" XML
<Package id="{6D417916-467C-46A7-A870-6D86D9345B61}" name="Patch Windows System Assessment Scan Tool Package" size="0" version="1313810934" remote="false" priority="Normal" status="valid" minspeed="0" enableMulticast="false"
From "snapshot" XML
- <Snapshot id="{6D417916-467C-46A7-A870-6D86D9345B61}" path="e:\Program Files\Altiris Agent\Package Delivery\{6D417916-467C-46A7-A870-6D86D9345B61}\cache" time="2011-08-20T22:29:01" version="1313897341">
I see several different "versions" for the same package throughout these four files... I imagine this could cause some issues with the package server not knowing that it is supposed to be updating. Even the example in the link you provided has the versions the same throughout. However, I'm not sure how to fix this. As far as I can tell, there is no way to initiate an update from the NS through the web interface since the package is locked down... how cany I make the package server force an update of the content for that specific package? I can see the problem right in front of me, but I am not sure what step to take next to make this package server realize that the content for this package is out of date.
By the way, thank you for your help thus far!