An embodiment of monitoring resource usage in a computing environment begins with a first client registering a session with a monitoring entity. The session comprises an event type, a count, a start condition, an end condition, and a sample type. Next, a second client registers with the session. Upon occurrence of the start condition and until occurrence of the end condition or until interrupted, the monitoring entity iteratively initiates a counting of occurrences of the event type that continues until reaching the count and saves a sample according to the sample type upon reaching the count. The resource monitoring entity provides at least a portion of a plurality of samples to the first client.