1. In a network controller having a plurality of state machines receiving a plurality of inputs, effecting a plurality of predefined functions upon respective ones of the plurality of inputs, and producing a plurality of states thereby, an alert supervisory bus controller comprising: at least one processor operably coupled with the plurality of state machines and disposed to monitor the plurality of states; and a rules-checker disposed to operate with the at least one processor, the rules checker evaluating the plurality of states and identifying an alert supervisory state, the at least one processor producing an predefined alert supervisory output responsive to the alert supervisory state.