| CPC G06F 9/5055 (2013.01) [G06F 8/61 (2013.01); G06F 9/45508 (2013.01); G06F 11/3604 (2013.01); G06F 2201/865 (2013.01); G06F 2209/508 (2013.01)] | 16 Claims |

|
1. A method of gaining an ability to perform a task in a monitoring agent operating in a host, comprising:
receiving, at the monitoring agent, a command instructing the monitoring agent to perform the task;
determining that the monitoring agent lacks ability to execute the command and perform said task;
imposing a search limit;
searching for capabilities sufficient to perform the task;
discovering a plurality of the capabilities sufficient to perform the task including a first capability and a second capability;
evaluating the plurality of capabilities to determine an optimal capability from among the plurality of capabilities to perform the task; and
selecting the first capability as the optimal capability from among the plurality of capabilities for performing the task;
obtaining the first capability for the monitoring agent; and
executing the command by the monitoring agent to perform said task using the first capability;
wherein the selection of the first capability as the optimal capability is based on a plurality of capability attributes of the first capability; and
wherein the plurality of capability attributes includes cost of the first capability, age of the first capability based on a revision number and revision date of the first capability, and memory requirements for the first capability.
|