System and method for monitoring and controlling server systems across a bandwidth constrained network

An apparatus for communicating with at least one system across a network comprising:

• a network manager configured for performing the steps of:
• defining at least one group of systems;
• determining a unique identifier for the at least one group of systems;
• and
• including with a communication to systems connected to the network, the determined unique identifier for at least one group of systems for which the communication is intended;
• wherein the communication is only accepted by a system confirming that the included unique identifier included with the communication identifies a group in which the system is a member.

A system for communicating with at least one server across a network comprising:

• at least one server connected to the network for receiving and forwarding communications;
• at least one group identifier unit for determining if a communication is intended for a respective server by determining if a unique identifier included with a communication received by the server identifies a group in which the server is a member;
• and
• a network manager configured for performing the steps of:
• defining at least one group of servers;
• determining a unique identifier for the at least one group of servers;
• and
• including with a communication to the at least one server connected to the network, the determined unique identifier for at least one group of servers for which the communication is intended;
• wherein a communication is only accepted by a server which is identified as a member of the intended group of servers.