Patent ID: 7702763

Claim:
A management data distribution apparatus comprising: a control unit; a buffer memory element; at least one input port; a telecommunications output; said at least one input port being arranged to receive management data from a plurality of devices located within a network and to pass said management data to said control unit, said management data comprising status data of the devices to enable diagnostics of the devices, said control unit being arranged (i) to control output of said management data via said telecommunications output to a selected one of plural remote monitoring sites over a telecommunications network different from said network and (ii) to temporarily store management data arriving at said at least one input port in said buffer memory element when said telecommunications output is in use, wherein said control unit is arranged to selectively connect said telecommunications output, via the telecommunications network, to different remote monitoring sites based on the management data received from different said devices, respectively; and said telecommunications output is arranged to be operable at any one time to link said management data distribution apparatus to only one of said remote monitoring sites via said telecommunications network depending on the management data received from a corresponding one of said devices.