1. An encoded representation of knowledge for use in programmatically detecting problems in deployments of a software application, the encoded representation comprising a plurality of rules each describing at least one of the problems, each rule configured to be used by a computer to generate a virtual circuit comprising: a plurality of atomic gates each configured to be used by a computer to test for the existence of one of a plurality of possible conditions of a deployment of the software application, and to produce an output bead if the condition exists within the deployment; and a plurality of operator gates each having one or more inputs, each of the inputs configured to receive output beads from one of the atomic gates or from another one of the operator gates, each operator gate configured to be used by a computer to test for a condition associated with received beads and to produce an output bead if the condition is met; wherein the rule is configured to be applied by a computer to automatically detect the existence of a problem within the deployment based on output beads generated from use of the operator gates, the rule being represented in computer storage.