A system and method is provided for managing resource groups in a computer system having automatic availability capability. In one embodiment, a method is provided which may be performed in a computer system comprising a plurality of resources, a monitor for monitoring at least some of the plurality of resources, and an agent to configure resource groups, each resource group specifying a group of resources to be monitored by the monitor. The method comprises: (A) in response to a request from a requestor, received by the agent, to configure at least a portion of a resource group, the request specifying at least one parameter of the at least a portion of the resource group, determining at least one characteristic of at least one of the plurality of resources that satisfies the at least one parameter; and (B) presenting to the requestor the at least one characteristic determined in (A) to satisfy the at least one parameter.