A distributed welding System, comprising: a welder (124, 126, 128); the distributed welding system characterized in that the welder is operatively coupled to a server and a network interface to enable a network architecture, the network architecture serving a network that communicates with at least one remote system (30, 140, 310, 806), wherein the remote System (30, 140, 310, 806) includes at least one remote interface to communicate with the network architecture, wherein the remote System (30, 140, 310, 806) accesses at least one HTTP socket to establish web communications with the welder (124, 126, 128) and loads at least one application from the welder (124, 126, 128), wherein the remote System (30, 140, 310, 806) executes the loaded at least one application and accesses at least one Welding Application socket via the at least one application to exchange information between the welder (124, 126, 128) and the remote system (30, 140, 310, 806), wherein the at least one application includes at least one of the following to interact with the distributed welding system: a weld configuration component that enables weld designers and engineers to upgrade or modify aspects of the welding systems from remote locations; wherein the weld configuration component transfers at least one of welding programs, welding firmware, and welding procedures to enable modifications of the welder (124,126,128); a weld monitoring component that receives weld system and weld control variables from the welder (124, 26, 128) and logs the variables in a database, wherein the weld monitoring component examines predetermined rules and policies to determine whether to notify another system or remote user, and a weld control component that facilitates controlling and/or coordinating one or more remote systems; wherein the weld control component monitors feedback from at least one weld monitoring component and issues control commands to the welder (124, 126, 128) and at least one other welder or welding network. a welder (124, 126, 128); the distributed welding system characterized in that the welder is operatively coupled to a server and a network interface to enable a network architecture, the network architecture serving a network that communicates with at least one remote system (30, 140, 310, 806), wherein the remote System (30, 140, 310, 806) includes at least one remote interface to communicate with the network architecture, wherein the remote System (30, 140, 310, 806) accesses at least one HTTP socket to establish web communications with the welder (124, 126, 128) and loads at least one application from the welder (124, 126, 128), wherein the remote System (30, 140, 310, 806) executes the loaded at least one application and accesses at least one Welding Application socket via the at least one application to exchange information between the welder (124, 126, 128) and the remote system (30, 140, 310, 806), wherein the at least one application includes at least one of the following to interact with the distributed welding system: a weld configuration component that enables weld designers and engineers to upgrade or modify aspects of the welding systems from remote locations; wherein the weld configuration component transfers at least one of welding programs, welding firmware, and welding procedures to enable modifications of the welder (124,126,128); a weld monitoring component that receives weld system and weld control variables from the welder (124, 26, 128) and logs the variables in a database, wherein the weld monitoring component examines predetermined rules and policies to determine whether to notify another system or remote user, and a weld control component that facilitates controlling and/or coordinating one or more remote systems; wherein the weld control component monitors feedback from at least one weld monitoring component and issues control commands to the welder (124, 126, 128) and at least one other welder or welding network. a weld configuration component that enables weld designers and engineers to upgrade or modify aspects of the welding systems from remote locations; wherein the weld configuration component transfers at least one of welding programs, welding firmware, and welding procedures to enable modifications of the welder (124,126,128); a weld monitoring component that receives weld system and weld control variables from the welder (124, 26, 128) and logs the variables in a database, wherein the weld monitoring component examines predetermined rules and policies to determine whether to notify another system or remote user, and a weld control component that facilitates controlling and/or coordinating one or more remote systems; wherein the weld control component monitors feedback from at least one weld monitoring component and issues control commands to the welder (124, 126, 128) and at least one other welder or welding network.