Abstract: A service creation apparatus may include an adapter communicatively coupled to a provider module by way of a uniform interface. The adapter may also be coupled to a tool via the tool's native interface. A system may include a processor coupled to a memory including the apparatus. A method for creating a service may include selecting a plurality of features provided by a native interface of a tool, collecting the plurality of features from the native interface to form a service having a uniform interface, and providing the service to a plurality of users using the uniform interface.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of managing the state of networked computers. A preferred state is specified, and selected networked computers to be maintained in the preferred state are defined. The networked computers are monitored for deviation from the preferred state, and are brought to the preferred state if they deviate by a mobile software agent that travels autonomously between the selected networked computers.

Abstract: A service creation apparatus may include an adapter communicatively coupled to a provider module by way of a uniform interface. The adapter may also be coupled to a tool via the tool's native interface. A system may include a processor coupled to a memory including the apparatus. A method for creating a service may include selecting a plurality of features provided by a native interface of a tool, collecting the plurality of features from the native interface to form a service having a uniform interface, and providing the service to a plurality of users using the uniform interface.

Abstract: A service management apparatus may include a services object manager (SOM), along with a portal server, a poller-scheduler, a domain information provider, and a memory, each communicatively coupleable to the SOM in one embodiment A service management system may include a service management apparatus communicatively coupleable to a domain data source. A method of managing a service may include activities such as discovering the service, receiving a subscription for the service, creating a subscribed service including customer-specific parameters associated with a subscribing customer and service-specific parameters associated with the service, activating the subscribed service, and publishing information associated with the subscribed service. In another embodiment, an article comprising a machine-accessible medium controls these activities.