1. A system, comprising: a set of two or more hardware scheduler verticals adapted to receive requests for work to be performed by one or more of a plurality of machines; a memory storing information regarding a state of each of the plurality of machines; and a processor for use in updating the information; wherein the scheduler verticals are adapted to retrieve copies of the information, schedule events other than disruptions to be performed by any of the plurality of machines, and submit updates to reflect the scheduled events in the information; and wherein if multiple scheduler verticals schedule conflicting events for a given machine, an update transaction submitted by one of such scheduler verticals is committed and the remaining scheduled events are rejected.