A method for managing hardware assets, the method comprising the steps of: generating a packet (210, 220) comprising: a session identifier (214, 222) identifying a communicational session with at least one hardware asset, the communicational session directed to causing the at least one hardware asset to perform a requested function; a sequence number (215, 223) to provide for a transmission of data exceeding a single packet size, the sequence number having a first part that indicates if there are additional packets whose payloads are to be concatenated together to form a single communication, and a second part that indicates sequencing information by which those additional packets can be sequenced after receipt; a code comprising either a function code identifying the function requested to be performed by the at least one hardware asset, or a completion code identifying a status associated with a performance of the requested function by the at least one hardware device; and a payload (218, 226) comprising the at least the portion of the single communication; and transmitting the generated packet (210, 220) to another asset management component, the other asset management component executing at a different layer of management functionality of an asset management system than an asset management component performing the method. generating a packet (210, 220) comprising: a session identifier (214, 222) identifying a communicational session with at least one hardware asset, the communicational session directed to causing the at least one hardware asset to perform a requested function; a sequence number (215, 223) to provide for a transmission of data exceeding a single packet size, the sequence number having a first part that indicates if there are additional packets whose payloads are to be concatenated together to form a single communication, and a second part that indicates sequencing information by which those additional packets can be sequenced after receipt; a code comprising either a function code identifying the function requested to be performed by the at least one hardware asset, or a completion code identifying a status associated with a performance of the requested function by the at least one hardware device; and a payload (218, 226) comprising the at least the portion of the single communication; and a session identifier (214, 222) identifying a communicational session with at least one hardware asset, the communicational session directed to causing the at least one hardware asset to perform a requested function; a sequence number (215, 223) to provide for a transmission of data exceeding a single packet size, the sequence number having a first part that indicates if there are additional packets whose payloads are to be concatenated together to form a single communication, and a second part that indicates sequencing information by which those additional packets can be sequenced after receipt; a code comprising either a function code identifying the function requested to be performed by the at least one hardware asset, or a completion code identifying a status associated with a performance of the requested function by the at least one hardware device; and a payload (218, 226) comprising the at least the portion of the single communication; and transmitting the generated packet (210, 220) to another asset management component, the other asset management component executing at a different layer of management functionality of an asset management system than an asset management component performing the method.