System management using real time collaboration

The present invention provides a method of improving the response time to IT problems and ensuring that some will respond to a problem. In one embodiment, a management system uses a monitoring system to detect problem conditions with a managed device. When such an event occurs, the managed device sends a message containing a description of the alert to an intelligent agent. In response, the intelligent agent selects an administrator who is both qualified and available to respond to the alert, and then sends an instant message containing the description of the alert to the selected administrator. The administrator may accept responsibility for the alert by sending an instant message acknowledgement back to the intelligent agent. If the intelligent agent does not receive an acknowledgement, it automatically finds another administrator to respond to the alert.