1. In a computer network or standalone computer, a method of measuring usage of a virtual machine that supports a software platform independent of the type of operating system used, the method comprising: componentizing a computer application into a plurality of units of work processable by the virtual machine independent of the type of operating system used, each of the units of work being based on an abstract runtime unit of work, the computer application being a software or integration application associated with the software platform; receiving a request from a client to perform the computer application, in response to the request from the client, operating the computer application through the virtual machine, the virtual machine performing the following as the computer application is operating: intercepting a request from the computer application to perform an application component, the application component being equivalent to one or more of the units of work; and in response to the intercepted request, performing the equivalent one or more units of work instead of the application component; and determining a total usage value based on the one or more performed units of work to reflect a fundamentally non-time based and operating system independent amount of usage of the virtual machine.