--- modules/update/update.compare.inc	2008-01-21 13:59:47.000000000 -0500
+++ modules/update/update.compare.new.inc	2008-01-21 14:32:19.000000000 -0500
@@ -21,11 +21,17 @@
  *
  */
 function update_get_projects() {
-  static $projects = array();
-  if (empty($projects)) {
-    _update_process_info_list($projects, module_rebuild_cache(), 'module');
-    _update_process_info_list($projects, system_theme_data(), 'theme');
-  }
+  // Retrieve the projects from cache, if present.
+  $projects = update_project_cache('update_project_projects');
+  // If $projects is empty, then the cache must be rebuilt.
+  // Otherwise, just return the cached data and skip the rest of the function.
+  if (!empty($projects)) {
+    return $projects;
+  }  
+  _update_process_info_list($projects, module_rebuild_cache(), 'module');
+  _update_process_info_list($projects, system_theme_data(), 'theme');
+  // Set the projects array into the cache table.
+  cache_set('update_project_projects', $projects, 'cache_update', time() + 3600);  
   return $projects;
 }
 
@@ -233,6 +239,13 @@ function update_process_project_info(&$p
  * @see update_process_project_info()
  */
 function update_calculate_project_data($available) {
+  // Retrieve the projects from cache, if present.
+  $projects = update_project_cache('update_project_data');
+  // If $projects is empty, then the cache must be rebuilt.
+  // Otherwise, just return the cached data and skip the rest of the function.
+  if (!empty($projects)) {
+    return $projects;
+  }  
   $projects = update_get_projects();
   update_process_project_info($projects);
   foreach ($projects as $project => $project_info) {
@@ -543,5 +556,38 @@ function update_calculate_project_data($
   // contrib module to provide fine-grained settings to ignore specific
   // projects or releases).
   drupal_alter('update_status', $projects);
+
+  // Set the projects array into the cache table.
+  cache_set('update_project_data', $projects, 'cache_update', time() + 3600);
+
+  return $projects;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Store the project data in the cache table and empty
+ * the cache when necessary.
+ * @param $cid
+ * The class of data to return from the cache.  Valid options are
+ * 'update_project_data' and 'update_project_projects'.
+ * @return
+ * The $projects array generated by update_calculate_project_data() 
+ * and stored in the {cache_update} table. Returns an empty array
+ * when the cache is cleared.
+ */
+function update_project_cache($cid) {
+  $projects = array();
+  // In some cases, we must clear the cache.  Rather than do so on a time
+  // basis, we check for specific paths.
+  $q = $_GET['q'];
+  $paths = array('admin/build/modules', 'admin/build/themes', 'admin/reports', 'admin/reports/updates', 'admin/reports/status', 'admin/reports/updates/check');
+  if (in_array($q, $paths)) {
+    cache_clear_all($cid, 'cache_update');
+  }
+  else {
+    $cache = cache_get($cid, 'cache_update');
+    if (!empty($cache->data)) {
+      $projects = $cache->data;
+    }  
+  }  
   return $projects;
 }