Abstract: A method is provided for monitoring computing devices by a monitoring server, where the computing devices send status messages to the monitoring server via a network communication link. The method includes receiving a first alert message at a monitoring console if a condition is detected by the monitoring server that is defined in an alert definition, and communicating the alert definition to an alert cache system. Based on the network failing, sending the status messages from the computing devices to the alert cache system, storing the status messages in the alert cache system until the network is back online, sending a second alert message from the alert cache system to the monitoring console, and sending the stored status messages to the monitoring server after the network communication link is back online.

Abstract: A software installation method comprising receiving an instruction to install a first software entity in a first computing environment, establishing a virtual computing environment in the first computing environment, and installing the software entity in the virtual computing environment, wherein the establishing and the installing are subject to a determination that a user is not privileged to install the first software entity in the first computing environment.