7. A method for remotely managing an information network including a plurality of heterogeneous, remote devices of functionally diverse classes, each device providing raw information in one of a plurality of heterogeneous formats, wherein said format is specific to each device and to each device functional class, said method comprising the steps of: scheduling remote device polls with a protocol module located at a network management site and in communication with said remote devices to optimize remote device polling and minimize use of said information network; storing data obtained by said remote device polling, wherein said data are representative of events that occur at said remote devices with a values module located at said network management site as the events occur over time, said values module being operable to store, retrieve, and manipulate said raw information, said values module including a time stamp for recording a time of occurrence of said remote device events, processing time varying data from said stored remote device events, and for storing common groupings of said raw information; generating a data specification module with a nonprocedural builder module located at said network management site; storing information in said data specification module that specifies device content and behavior for each of said heterogeneous, functionally diverse, remote devices in the form of a device specific representation, wherein said representation appears to a user in the same format for each device within a device functional class even though each functional class may include a plurality of heterogeneous remote devices; reading information stored in said data specification module with an engine located at said network management site; generating said device specific representation for each of said remote devices with said engine; with said engine, controlling operation of said remote devices, enabling polls of said remote devices by said protocol module, processing said raw information in accordance with said information stored in said data specification module, processing said common groupings of said raw information stored in said values module from two or more of said remote devices to generate information characterizing inter-device performance therefrom, and generating poll results for each of said remote devices in the form of said device specific representations; and displaying said device specific representations of said remote devices as a user controlled virtual panel with a user interface module located at said network management site.
7. A method for remotely managing an information network including a plurality of heterogeneous, remote devices of functionally diverse classes, each device providing raw information in one of a plurality of heterogeneous formats, wherein said format is specific to each device and to each device functional class, said method comprising the steps of: scheduling remote device polls with a protocol module located at a network management site and in communication with said remote devices to optimize remote device polling and minimize use of said information network; storing data obtained by said remote device polling, wherein said data are representative of events that occur at said remote devices with a values module located at said network management site as the events occur over time, said values module being operable to store, retrieve, and manipulate said raw information, said values module including a time stamp for recording a time of occurrence of said remote device events, processing time varying data from said stored remote device events, and for storing common groupings of said raw information; generating a data specification module with a nonprocedural builder module located at said network management site; storing information in said data specification module that specifies device content and behavior for each of said heterogeneous, functionally diverse, remote devices in the form of a device specific representation, wherein said representation appears to a user in the same format for each device within a device functional class even though each functional class may include a plurality of heterogeneous remote devices; reading information stored in said data specification module with an engine located at said network management site; generating said device specific representation for each of said remote devices with said engine; with said engine, controlling operation of said remote devices, enabling polls of said remote devices by said protocol module, processing said raw information in accordance with said information stored in said data specification module, processing said common groupings of said raw information stored in said values module from two or more of said remote devices to generate information characterizing inter-device performance therefrom, and generating poll results for each of said remote devices in the form of said device specific representations; and displaying said device specific representations of said remote devices as a user controlled virtual panel with a user interface module located at said network management site. 11. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of: dynamically updating said representation with said engine to display current remote device information.