Distributed system for managing machine images on a plurality of distributed servers over a computer network, said system comprising: a service processor configured to generate installation instructions for building a machine image on a remote server, the machine image comprising at least one component, the installation instructions including instructions for the remote server to access over a network the at least one component from a source of the at least one component; the service processor transmitting to a plurality of distributed remote servers, over a computer network, the installation instructions for building the machine image; characterized by a reactive management processor coupled to the service processor, configured to access the source of the at least one component, to detect whether an update of the at least one component exists, and to notify the service processor of existence of the detected update; the service processor further configured to generate revised installation instructions for building a revised machine image on the remote server in response to the service processor receiving the notification of the update from the reactive management processor, the revised installation instructions including instructions for the remote server to access over the network the update of the at least one component from the source of the at least one component; and the service processor transmitting to the plurality of distributed remote servers, over the computer network, a global rebuild command and the revised installation instructions for rebuilding the revised machine image, wherein the global rebuild command is transmitted by the service processor in response to at least one of a change to the installation instructions, a change to an installed software component, a change to a library used, or a change to a base operating system patch status. a service processor configured to generate installation instructions for building a machine image on a remote server, the machine image comprising at least one component, the installation instructions including instructions for the remote server to access over a network the at least one component from a source of the at least one component; the service processor transmitting to a plurality of distributed remote servers, over a computer network, the installation instructions for building the machine image; characterized by a reactive management processor coupled to the service processor, configured to access the source of the at least one component, to detect whether an update of the at least one component exists, and to notify the service processor of existence of the detected update; the service processor further configured to generate revised installation instructions for building a revised machine image on the remote server in response to the service processor receiving the notification of the update from the reactive management processor, the revised installation instructions including instructions for the remote server to access over the network the update of the at least one component from the source of the at least one component; and the service processor transmitting to the plurality of distributed remote servers, over the computer network, a global rebuild command and the revised installation instructions for rebuilding the revised machine image, wherein the global rebuild command is transmitted by the service processor in response to at least one of a change to the installation instructions, a change to an installed software component, a change to a library used, or a change to a base operating system patch status.