1. A system for processing data, said system comprising: means for, in response to determining that a reconfiguration of a data processing system has occurred, surveying one or more system items to identify a change to said data processing system; means for generating one or more requests for status instructions for said one or more system items; means for compiling said one or more requests for status instructions into a collection instructions data structure; and means for, in response to determining that a status instruction is present in said collection instructions data structure for which no status data has been collected: determining a method of collection for said instruction; performing said collection according to said method to obtain said status data; and compiling said status data into a dump data structure.