A system manager for managing data collection devices, including a first and second data collection device (102a,b), in distributed computing systems, the system manager comprising: a gateway communicator adapted to send a first rule to the first data collection device in the distributed computing system, the first rule specifying a first operating mode and defining a first event of interest; obtain first data from the first data collection device while the first data collection device operating according to the first rule; a real-time analyzer adapted to monitor the first data collection device for the first event of interest to occur based on the first data; and a policy selector adapted to, in response to the real-time analyzer determining that the first event of interest has occurred based on the first data: select a second rule based on the first data to send to the first data collection device, the second rule specifying a second operating mode and defining a second event of interest for which the real-time analyzer is to monitor the first data collection device; and select a third rule to send to the second data collection device, the third rule specifying a third operating mode, wherein the first operating mode defines a first level of measurement quality to collect data, the second operating mode defines a second level of measurement quality to collect the data that is greater than the first level of measurement quality, and the third operating mode defines a third level of measurement quality to collect the data that is less than the first level of measurement quality. a gateway communicator adapted to send a first rule to the first data collection device in the distributed computing system, the first rule specifying a first operating mode and defining a first event of interest; obtain first data from the first data collection device while the first data collection device operating according to the first rule; a real-time analyzer adapted to monitor the first data collection device for the first event of interest to occur based on the first data; and a policy selector adapted to, in response to the real-time analyzer determining that the first event of interest has occurred based on the first data: select a second rule based on the first data to send to the first data collection device, the second rule specifying a second operating mode and defining a second event of interest for which the real-time analyzer is to monitor the first data collection device; and select a third rule to send to the second data collection device, the third rule specifying a third operating mode, wherein the first operating mode defines a first level of measurement quality to collect data, the second operating mode defines a second level of measurement quality to collect the data that is greater than the first level of measurement quality, and the third operating mode defines a third level of measurement quality to collect the data that is less than the first level of measurement quality. select a second rule based on the first data to send to the first data collection device, the second rule specifying a second operating mode and defining a second event of interest for which the real-time analyzer is to monitor the first data collection device; and select a third rule to send to the second data collection device, the third rule specifying a third operating mode, wherein the first operating mode defines a first level of measurement quality to collect data, the second operating mode defines a second level of measurement quality to collect the data that is greater than the first level of measurement quality, and the third operating mode defines a third level of measurement quality to collect the data that is less than the first level of measurement quality.