Patent ID: 7316016

Claim:
A computerized method of monitoring a system or network comprising a plurality of heterogeneous nodes, the method comprising: defining multiple rules, each of the rules identifying criteria for detecting when the plurality of heterogeneous nodes on the system or network deviate from an authoritative state; defining multiple logical groupings of one or more heterogeneous nodes, the logical groupings determining where the rules are applied; defining multiple monitoring tasks, each monitoring task comprising applying at least one of the rules to at least a subset of a logical grouping of heterogeneous nodes; executing the multiple monitoring tasks; and in response to detecting a heterogeneous node deviating from the authoritative state, applying a remediation response wherein the remediation response is capable of both updating the authoritative state of the heterogeneous node and restoring the authoritative state of the heterogeneous node; wherein the one or more monitoring tasks are scheduled for opportunistic execution at a future date by an available one of the heterogeneous nodes.