A node is monitored using metadata gathered by an in-memory process. Metadata for the node is dynamically gathered using a process running in memory; and the gathered metadata is provided to a remote server for storage. The process comprises, for example, an in-memory microkernel executing on a boot node. The metadata comprises, for example, information about physical characteristics of the node, information about one or more software packages installed on the node and/or information about one or more of an operating system, a BIOS and firmware. The gathered metadata can be processed to update a finite state machine to indicate a state of the node and/or to detect a change in state of the node.