Managing a home or a small office network

A system for managing a network comprising a plurality of devices, the system comprising:

• a. a plurality of agents corresponding to the plurality of devices, the plurality of agents managing the plurality of devices;
• b. a control device for controlling the network through the plurality of agents;
• c. a remote manager for controlling the network through the control device, from a remote location external to the network;
• and
• d. a storage registry for maintaining records about the network, the storage registry residing on at least one of the control device and the remote manager.

A method for managing a network comprising a plurality of devices, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. managing a plurality of devices through a plurality of agents;
• b. controlling the network by a control device through the plurality of agents;
• and
• c. controlling the network from a remote location external to the network by a remote manager connected to the control device.

A computer program product for managing a network, the network comprising a plurality of devices, the computer program product comprising:

• a. a machine-readable medium, the machine-readable medium comprising:
• i. one or more instructions for managing a plurality of devices through a plurality of agents;
• ii. one or more instructions for controlling the network by a control device through the plurality of agents;
• and
• iii. one or more instructions for controlling the network from a remote location external to the network by a remote manager connected to the control device.

An apparatus for managing a network, the network comprising a plurality of devices, the apparatus comprising:

• a. one or more processing systems, a processing system including a processor coupled to a display and user input device;
• and
• b. a machine-readable medium, the machine-readable medium including instruction for managing a network, the machine readable medium comprising:
• i. one or more instructions for managing a plurality of devices through a plurality of agents;
• ii. one or more instructions for controlling the network by a control device through the plurality of agents;
• and
• one or more instructions for controlling the network from a remote location external to the network by a remote manager connected to the control device.