The invention provides in some aspects a digital data processor executing management software that controls overall operation of the device, including, installation, configuration, updating, and/or other modifications of its software, hardware and configuration files and other “assets.” The management software validates changes to those assets (e.g., software updates and configuration file edits) requested by system administrators and others and can propagate related changes to other assets. As a result, it keeps the digital data processor in a consistent, working state, avoiding operational interruption that might otherwise result from corruption of assets (e.g., lost files) and/or attempts to install inconsistent assets. The management software can serve as an agent for one or more external digital data processing devices that are in communications coupling with the managed digital data processing device, which one or more external digital data processing devices mediate installation, configuration, updating, modification and/or use of the one or more assets.