Method and apparatus for monitoring software components

A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium including a computer readable program, where the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

• select a device and retrieve a device identifier for the device;
• determine a software component to be monitored on the device;
• create an instruction native to the device for determining management data for the software component on the device;
• and
• transmit a message comprising the device identifier and the instruction to the selected device.

Apparatus for collecting software version data from a networked computer and an associated hardware element, the apparatus comprising:

• a network connection for opening a connection to the computer;
• a processor operable if the software version data of software on the computer is required to issue a native command to the computer for providing the data;
• and
• the processor being further operable if the software version data of software on the associated device is required to issue a native command to the computer to cause the computer to interrogate the associated device and to retrieve the data.