1. A system for generating nodes for communication to a remote device over a communications link, the system comprising: node storage; and a task management component operatively connected to the storage and comprising a node generator that translates at least one of input specifications and/or response data into nodes configured to function independently of the state of the communication link to provide useful workflow and remote device control instructions even in the absence of reliable communication with the remote device; the node generator storing, in the node storage, nodes constituting a collection of managed objects or managed object representations effective to control aspects of the remote device, the nodes comprising an integrated definition of an application and associated data; the node generator configuring nodes to specify how and when they should be synchronized; the node generator configuring the nodes to control the processing of multiple data types; the node generator receiving a XML-based tasks description specification and converting the XML-based task description specification to one or more nodes constituting a collection of managed objects or managed object representations effective to control aspects of the at least one remote device.