1. At a computer system, the computer system including an executive service and a repository that stores models, a method for processing a model-based command for a distributed application, the method comprising: an act of receiving a command request for a distributed application, the command request including a command reference to a command definition model defining a corresponding command, the command request also including a reference to model, the command request indicating that the corresponding command is to be implemented for the application model; an act of creating a command record for the received command request in the repository, the command record for storing information related to implementing the command request; an act of identifying a workflow model from the command definition model, the workflow model describing how to implement the received command request; an act of accessing the workflow model from the repository; an act of creating an instance of the workflow from the workflow model, the workflow instance having a command ID and including a set of pre-defined activities configured to interoperate to implement the command request; an act of storing a the command ID in the command record; an act of submitting the application reference to the workflow instance to initiate the workflow instance; and an act of recording information related to the behavior of the workflow instance within the command record as the workflow instance implements the command request for the application model.