1. A system for controlling and carrying cut management functions over an assemblage of entities, wherein said entities interface within said assemblage for control of primary information handling functions and said entities further interface with said system to permit the carrying out of said management functions, said management functions including a function for retrieval of one or more attribute values from an entity, said attribute values identifying the state of operation of said entity, said system comprising: stored management modules carrying out said management functions by executing selected management-related commands, storage containing records of said attribute values, each record including an indication of an associated time, at least one said module storing rules identifying attribute values at one or more times corresponding to alarm conditions and comprising a rule generator for generating rules for storage and an alarm condition detector for retrieving attribute values from storage or said entities and detecting an alarm condition in response to the contents of said rules if retrieved attribute values correspond to an alarm condition.