Multi-capability facilities monitoring and control intranet for facilities management system

A method for providing monitoring and control for facilities equipment distributed over multiple sites interconnected with a pre-existing standards-based network, the method comprising:

• providing multiple client devices and coupling each client device to a pre-existing standards-based network by a network interface;
• assigning one of the multiple client devices to each one of multiple facilities-type infrastructure devices, the multiple infrastructure devices being distributed over multiple sites interconnected by the pre-existing standards-based network, each client device being physically local to all of the infrastructure devices to which the client device is assigned;
• wherein each infrastructure device is capable of generating information and receiving instructions over a communication interface and each client device is configured for monitoring and controlling the infrastructure devices assigned the client device, each client device being coupled to each assigned infrastructure device by a communication link matching the communication interface of the corresponding assigned infrastructure device;
• and
• providing a server coupled to the client devices by the network, the server operational to provide alarm and viewing management services for the client devices, the server further providing initial setup parameters and continuing operating instructions to the client devices, wherein the server is operable to provide over the network, and the client devices are operable to receive and carry out, all rules required by the client devices for monitoring and automatically controlling in the event of a change in operating condition their respective assigned infrastructure devices.