A system and method provide the creation and operation of remote real-time data monitoring and control systems. Such applications include a communications gateway coupled to real-time devices. The communications gateway transforms the real time data collected from disparate and non-interoperable systems in a single common data format. The communications gateway provides an object server with a list of the real-time devices to which the communications gateway is connected, and their attributes. The object server publishes this list. Subscribers can access this list, and request subscriptions to specific attributes of certain devices. The object server creates a data object corresponding to the requested information. A subscriber includes a service agent which accesses the object server. In addition, a subscriber may also comprise presentation cells, which provide a representation and mapping of data objects and hence underlying devices and systems, to allow a user to manage and control such systems. Subscribers including presentation cells may be personalized to function as personal agents. Such personal agents can be programmed to monitor and control certain subsystems, and to alert certain people when specific events occur in these subsystems.