A method for controlling a hardcopy document output device, the method comprising the steps of: formulating at a client device a control request as a set of instructions or information for use at the hardcopy document output device, including encapsulating the control request as the set of instructions or information in a packet containing a unique identifier that associates the control request with the hardcopy document output device, the unique identifier comprising one of a media access ID, an IP address, a telephone number, a serial number of the polling device, a serial number of the hardcopy document output device associated with the polling device, or a vendor supplied identification; receiving, at a server for controlling a hardcopy document output device to perform a function other than printing, the control request encapsulated in the packet in a message with a message address of the server, wherein the server comprises any of a trusted or secure server, wherein the control request is sent from a client device to the server via a network; storing the packet having encapsulated the control request according to the unique identifier at the server; receiving a polling request corresponding to the unique identifier at the server, the polling request sent from a polling device associated with the hardcopy document device to the server via the network; communicating, using an interface of the polling device with the hardcopy document device, the stored control request in a message, which is created by the server, which includes the packet and which has an address corresponding to an address of the polling device, from the server to the polling device associated with the hardcopy document output device via the network in response to the received polling request; communicating the control request from the polling device to the document output device; and performing the function corresponding to the communicated control request at the hardcopy document output device; and wherein the polling device is located within a gateway firewall; the server is located outside the gateway firewall; and the hardcopy document output device is located within the gateway firewall. formulating at a client device a control request as a set of instructions or information for use at the hardcopy document output device, including encapsulating the control request as the set of instructions or information in a packet containing a unique identifier that associates the control request with the hardcopy document output device, the unique identifier comprising one of a media access ID, an IP address, a telephone number, a serial number of the polling device, a serial number of the hardcopy document output device associated with the polling device, or a vendor supplied identification; receiving, at a server for controlling a hardcopy document output device to perform a function other than printing, the control request encapsulated in the packet in a message with a message address of the server, wherein the server comprises any of a trusted or secure server, wherein the control request is sent from a client device to the server via a network; storing the packet having encapsulated the control request according to the unique identifier at the server; receiving a polling request corresponding to the unique identifier at the server, the polling request sent from a polling device associated with the hardcopy document device to the server via the network; communicating, using an interface of the polling device with the hardcopy document device, the stored control request in a message, which is created by the server, which includes the packet and which has an address corresponding to an address of the polling device, from the server to the polling device associated with the hardcopy document output device via the network in response to the received polling request; communicating the control request from the polling device to the document output device; and performing the function corresponding to the communicated control request at the hardcopy document output device; and wherein the polling device is located within a gateway firewall; the server is located outside the gateway firewall; and the hardcopy document output device is located within the gateway firewall.