Communications architecture for intelligent electronic devices

A method of monitoring presence of at least one intelligent electronic device (“IED”) in an electrical power management architecture, said method comprising:

• (a) coupling said at least one IED with a network, said at least one IED being characterized by said presence;
• (b) transmitting, autonomously, said presence of said at least one IED onto said network;
• (c) receiving said presence of said at least one IED at a presence server coupled with said network;
• and
• (d) monitoring said presence of said at least one IED.

An electrical power management architecture comprising:

• at least one intelligent electronic device (“IED”) coupled with a portion of an electrical power system and further coupled with an internal network;
• a firewall, said firewall operative to securely couple an external network with said internal network;
• and
• a network interface operative to couple said at least one IED with said internal network and facilitate a communications, initiated by said at least one IED, of first power management data through said firewall from said internal network to said external network.

An electrical power management architecture for managing an electrical power distribution system comprising:

• a network;
• at least one intelligent electronic device (“IED ”) coupled with a portion of said electrical power distribution system and further coupled with said network, each of said at least one IED operative to implement a power management function in conjunction with said portion of said electrical power distribution system, said power management function operative to respond to at least one power management command and generate power management data, each of said at least one IED comprising:
• a first network interface operative to couple said at least one IED with said network and facilitate autonomous transmission of said power management data and receipt of said at least one power management command over said network;
• and
• a security module coupled with said first network interface and operative to prevent unauthorized access to said power management data;
• said architecture further comprising:
• a power management application coupled with said network and operative to receive and process said power management data from said at least one IED and generate said at least one power management command to said at least one IED to implement said power management function.