Provided are systems, methods, and apparatuses for distributing code images via an update controller. In one or more examples, the systems, methods, and apparatuses include sending, via a serial interface, a hold command to hold a first node in a reset mode, the first node being connected to the update controller via the serial interface; writing, via the serial interface, a code image to a memory of the first node, the memory being connected to the serial interface; upon determining the code image is written to the memory, sending, via the serial interface, a release command to the first node to release the first node from the reset mode; and removing, via the serial interface, the code image from the memory of the first node upon detecting the first node is rebooted.