Abstract: Disclosed is a system for use in remotely monitoring and controlling devices. The system provides bi-directional control and monitoring functions to allow devices that cannot currently be managed remotely to be monitored and controlled in near real-time from a remote location. Sensors embedded in or on the device, asset or process being monitored record operating and device status data. These sensors transmit device conditions to a communications device (referred to herein as a “communicator”) through a variety of industry-standard device control protocols. The communicator then evaluates the data and, if necessary, converts the data to a compressed protocol for transmission to a centralized gateway server. The compressed protocol has a structure tailored to the needs of monitoring remote devices. At the centralized gateway server, the compressed protocol is converted to an industry-standard device management protocol.