In a distributed computing system including a nodes organized for collective operations: initiating, by a root node through an active message to all other nodes, a collective operation, the active message including an instruction to each node to store operating parameter data in each node's send buffer; and, responsive to the active message: storing, by each node, the node's operating parameter data in the node's send buffer and returning, by the node, the operating parameter data as a result of the collective operation.