An automation control apparatus, said apparatus comprising a multi-role automation host, said multi-role automation host having connectivity for communicating with a first user device (116a, 118a), said first user device having a set of commands to which said multi-role automation host is responsive; said multi-role automation host including an automation bridge, said automation bridge communicating bidirectionally with one or more devices including a first automation hub using a predetermined control protocol, said automation bridge converting control protocol messages received from said first automation hub to an appropriate form for processing by said multi-role automation host, said multi-role automation host operating in a first role in which said multi-role automation host directly controls one or more profiled devices (108a, 108b), each of said one or more profiled devices having an associated profile which is accessible by said multi-role automation host, each said associated profile including information which describes a set of device commands to which said associated profiled device is responsive; said multi-role automation host operating in a second role in which said multi-role automation host, through said automation bridge, directly controls a first set of one or more devices each of which is certified compliant with said predetermined control protocol, and, through said automation bridge, indirectly controls through said first automation hub a second set (114b, 114c) of one or more devices each of which is certified compliant with said predetermined control protocol; and a second user device (116b, 118b) having a set of commands (312, 400) to which said first automation hub is responsive, said second user device in conjunction with said first automation hub and said multi-role automation host effectively controlling at least one of said one or more profiled devices. said multi-role automation host including an automation bridge, said automation bridge communicating bidirectionally with one or more devices including a first automation hub using a predetermined control protocol, said automation bridge converting control protocol messages received from said first automation hub to an appropriate form for processing by said multi-role automation host, said multi-role automation host operating in a first role in which said multi-role automation host directly controls one or more profiled devices (108a, 108b), each of said one or more profiled devices having an associated profile which is accessible by said multi-role automation host, each said associated profile including information which describes a set of device commands to which said associated profiled device is responsive; said multi-role automation host operating in a second role in which said multi-role automation host, through said automation bridge, directly controls a first set of one or more devices each of which is certified compliant with said predetermined control protocol, and, through said automation bridge, indirectly controls through said first automation hub a second set (114b, 114c) of one or more devices each of which is certified compliant with said predetermined control protocol; and a second user device (116b, 118b) having a set of commands (312, 400) to which said first automation hub is responsive, said second user device in conjunction with said first automation hub and said multi-role automation host effectively controlling at least one of said one or more profiled devices.