1. An apparatus comprising: a plurality of networked server computers automatically configured into a hierarchical architecture of subgroups configured to cooperate to perform a common processing task; a lead server computer of each subgroup for monitoring and managing operations of the other server computers of the subgroup; a catalog server computer of the plurality of networked server computers in communication with and configured to manage each lead server computer; and program code executable by one of the plurality of networked server computers for automatically configuring the networked server computers into the hierarchical architecture.