Automated mapping of multi-tier applications in a distributed system

An application mapping procedure obtains and aggregates application mapping information from a plurality of machines in a distributed system. A first layer of application mapping information is generated, identifying application entry points, each comprising a machine and a process executed by the identified machine. An application map is initialized with the first layer of application mapping information. A plurality of iterations of a predefined map gathering operation are performed, each iteration adding a layer of application mapping information to the application map, thereby producing an application map of the distributed processing of one or more respective applications. Each iteration sends queries, via one or more linear communication orbits, to machines in the distributed system, and obtains from the machines information identifying entities that have participated in predefined communications with entities identified in a most recently generated or added layer of application mapping information.