A fault tolerant system by which individual components of a server are monitored and controlled through independent, programmable microcontrollers interconnected through a microcontroller network. An external agent can control and monitor the microcontrollers by extending the interconnection network beyond the physical server. The extension to the interconnection network converts protocols between media, and directs the microcontrollers and the state managed by the microcontrollers. Intervention of the server operating system software is not required and is not utilized for the access and control operations. A remote interface board provides the interface between the microcontroller network and an external modem that communicates with a remote client computer. The remote interface board also provides for connection to a local client computer.