A disclosed gaming communication network provides an enhanced DCU that
provides redundant mediation between gaming machines on the gaming
communication network and a host server. The enhanced DCU provides a
first, primary transmission path and a second, redundant transmission
path between the gaming machines and the host server. In the event one
transmission path is disrupted, the other provides continuing
transmissions between the gaming communication network and the host
server. In the event both transmission paths are disrupted, the enhanced
DCU functions as a local interim server and stores data received from the
gaming machines on the gaming communication network until such time as
the data can be transmitted to the host server. In some embodiments, the
enhanced DCU acts as a local interim server to the gaming machines using
data mirrored from the host server prior to transmission disruption. In
some embodiments, the enhanced DCU functions as a download server and
stores data received from the host server and asynchronously transmits
the data to the gaming machines, so as to mitigate disruption of game
play. In some embodiments, the enhanced DCU may also function as a local
cache of information that is repeatedly accessed by the gaming machines
on the gaming communication network so as to reduce the transmission load
on the first and/or second transmission path. In some embodiments, the
enhanced DCU provides different network input connection ports to enable
utilization of the enhanced DCU with different network formats, such as
fiber optic cable, twisted pair cable, or wireless transmission media.