Abstract: In a method of operating a data network comprising a plurality of interconnected nodes (30) each of which is operable to perform one or more services upon receiving a suitable request for a service, one or more user devices (10) connected to the network can issue requests (12, 14) for a service to be carried out by a node or nodes within the network.

Abstract: A system for distributed process management uses a plurality of units of software installed on a computing platform. Further software controls operation of the plurality of units in use. Each unit of software communicates with other units of software, and at least some of the units of software further provides one or more elements of a software process.

Abstract: In a method of operating a data network comprising a plurality of interconnected nodes (30) each of which is operable to perform one or more services upon receiving a suitable request for a service, one or more user devices (10) connected to the network can issue requests (12,14) for a service to be carried out by a node or nodes within the network. The method comprises: operating a virtual mechanism (50) in which a plurality of different types of elements (61,65,66,67) are represented, each element obeying a set of rules associated with the respective type of the element, the respective set of rules specifying how the element behaves, wherein each element has a location property which may be correlated to one or more nodes or node locations, the method further comprising analysing the virtual mechanism (50) and selecting one or more services to be offered by each node (30) in the network based on the analysis of the virtual mechanism.

Abstract: A system for distributed process management comprising a plurality of units of software for installation on computing platform, and further software for controlling the operation of the plurality of units in use of the system,