Patent ID: 8161478

Claim:
A method for managing a computing system having hardware and software components, the method comprising: arranging the hardware and software components of the computing system in a hierarchy of layers, comprising a lowest layer, a highest layer and one or more intermediate layers; launching two or more autonomic management elements, each running in a different component of the computing system, comprising configuring said two or more autonomic management elements as masters or slaves depending on their respective positions in the hierarchy of layers, wherein a master controls management responsibilities of a slave; negotiating a division of the management responsibilities between the two or more autonomic management elements, comprising: for an autonomic management element: determining a position of the layer in said hierarchy of layers occupied by a component in which the autonomic management element is running; negotiating the division of the management responsibilities as a master with regard to autonomic management elements running in the components occupying layers above the layer occupied by the component in which the autonomic management element is running, comprising: listening for a connection request from a slave for the autonomic management element; assuming management responsibilities regarding the component in which the autonomic management element is running before arrival of the connection request; communicating with the slave regarding the division of the management responsibilities after the arrival of the connection request; and managing the hardware and software components of the computing system by the two or more autonomic management elements according to the division of the management responsibilities.