A method of deploying, by a virtualised computing system comprising a virtual machine management server and an application management server, an application to a cloud computing environment comprising a plurality of virtual machines (140 1 -140 n) managed by the virtual machine management server, the application being executed using a plurality of the virtual machines (140 1 -140 n) including a first virtual machine (140 1), the method comprising: by the application management server in which the application is modeled prior to deployment: generating a unique application identifier (AppID1) which is an identifier for the application as a whole; generating a first unique virtual machine identifier (VMID1) for the first virtual machine wherein the first unique virtual machine identifier (VMID1) identifies the first virtual machine (140 1) as being a part of the application; sending instructions to the virtual machine management server to deploy the application; by the virtual machine management server: receiving the instructions to deploy the application; instantiating the first virtual machine (140 1) within the virtual machine management server; generating a second unique virtual machine identifier (VMID2) independently from the unique application identifier (AppID1) and the first unique virtual machine identifier (VMID1) when, responsive to a virtual machine instantiation request, the first virtual machine (140 1) is instantiated within the virtual machine management server; and creating an association among the unique application identifier (AppID1), the first unique virtual machine identifier (VMID1), and the second unique virtual machine identifier (VMID2) thereby creating an association between the application configured in the application management server and the first virtual machine (140 1) instantiated within the virtual machine management server; by the application management server: accessing the first virtual machine (140 1) by using the second unique virtual machine identifier (VMID2). by the application management server in which the application is modeled prior to deployment: generating a unique application identifier (AppID1) which is an identifier for the application as a whole; generating a first unique virtual machine identifier (VMID1) for the first virtual machine wherein the first unique virtual machine identifier (VMID1) identifies the first virtual machine (140 1) as being a part of the application; sending instructions to the virtual machine management server to deploy the application; generating a unique application identifier (AppID1) which is an identifier for the application as a whole; generating a first unique virtual machine identifier (VMID1) for the first virtual machine wherein the first unique virtual machine identifier (VMID1) identifies the first virtual machine (140 1) as being a part of the application; sending instructions to the virtual machine management server to deploy the application; by the virtual machine management server: receiving the instructions to deploy the application; instantiating the first virtual machine (140 1) within the virtual machine management server; generating a second unique virtual machine identifier (VMID2) independently from the unique application identifier (AppID1) and the first unique virtual machine identifier (VMID1) when, responsive to a virtual machine instantiation request, the first virtual machine (140 1) is instantiated within the virtual machine management server; and creating an association among the unique application identifier (AppID1), the first unique virtual machine identifier (VMID1), and the second unique virtual machine identifier (VMID2) thereby creating an association between the application configured in the application management server and the first virtual machine (140 1) instantiated within the virtual machine management server; receiving the instructions to deploy the application; instantiating the first virtual machine (140 1) within the virtual machine management server; generating a second unique virtual machine identifier (VMID2) independently from the unique application identifier (AppID1) and the first unique virtual machine identifier (VMID1) when, responsive to a virtual machine instantiation request, the first virtual machine (140 1) is instantiated within the virtual machine management server; and creating an association among the unique application identifier (AppID1), the first unique virtual machine identifier (VMID1), and the second unique virtual machine identifier (VMID2) thereby creating an association between the application configured in the application management server and the first virtual machine (140 1) instantiated within the virtual machine management server; by the application management server: accessing the first virtual machine (140 1) by using the second unique virtual machine identifier (VMID2).