System and method for remote workstation monitoring within a distributed computing environment

A monitor system for use in a distributed computing environment having a plurality of workstations, including a local workstation and a remote workstation, interconnected by a network, said monitor system for monitoring said remote workstation from said local workstation, said monitor system comprising:

• communication means at each workstation of said plurality of workstations for communicating via said network with other workstations of said plurality of workstations;
• a diagnostic routine at said remote workstation for monitoring a configuration characteristic of said remote workstation and for providing based thereon a report file, said diagnostic routine being responsive to an execute command sent from said local workstation to said remote workstation via said communication means, said communication means being operable to initiate from said local workstation the execution of said diagnostic routine and to transfer said report file from said remote workstation to said local workstation;
• monitor means at said local workstation for automatically and periodically, in accordance with a diagnostics schedule, generating said execute command to be sent to said remote workstation via said communication means;
• and
• analysis means at said local workstation for analyzing the report file transferred from said remote workstation to said local workstation.