1. In a computing environment, a system for providing system information to a client, comprising, a plurality of providers, each provider corresponding to a source of system information and including a provider access interface; a repository, the repository including data that identifies which of the providers provide system information that a client may request; and a manager that isolates the client from the providers, including an access interface that receives a client request for system information, the manager configured to: a) access the repository to determine a set of at least one provider that is needed to satisfy the request; b) communicate with each provider in the set via the provider access interface thereof to obtain the system information needed to satisfy the request; c) return data corresponding to the system information received to satisfy the client request.