Network outage redundancy module

1. A hardware module located within a hardware solution device, the hardware solution device having device components that are configured to be controlled by a local workstation communicating with the device components over a local communications connection, the hardware module having integrated circuit components comprising:

a) local communications circuitry that communicates with the device components over the local communications connection;

b) network communications circuitry that communicates with a remote computer system over a computer network; and

c) web service circuitry programmed to:

i) communicate with the device components over the local communications connection using a first protocol that controls operation of the device components,

ii) communicate with the remote computer system using a web service interface over the computer network, and

iii) convert between the first protocol used by the device components and the web service interface to allow the remote computer system to operate the hardware solution device as if it were the local workstation communicating over the local communications connection using the first protocol.

2. The hardware module device of claim 1 , wherein the web service interface provides web browser-based controls for the remote computer system to drive the device components.

3. The hardware module of claim 1 , further comprising:

d) memory, and

e) network outage circuitry programmed to:

i) determine when network communications to the remote computer system are non-operational,

ii) when the network communications to the remote computer system are non-operational, store communications received from the device components on the memory,

iii) determine when the network communications to the remote computer system are operational, and

iv) when the network communications to the remote computer system are operational, transmit communications previously stored on the memory to the remote computer system.

4. The hardware module of claim 3 , wherein the local communications connection uses a connection protocol selected from a set consisting of the following connection protocols: serial, USB, mini-USB, SCSI, ATA, SATA, eSATA, Firewire, and FiberOptic.

5. The hardware module of claim 4 , wherein the hardware solution device is selected from a set of devices consisting of cash dispensers, cash recyclers, coin dispensers, and bill acceptors.

6. The hardware module of claim 3 , wherein the hardware solution device is selected from a set of devices consisting of cash dispensers, cash recyclers, coin dispensers, and bill acceptors.

7. A standalone communications device comprising:

a) a hardware package containing integrated circuit components for the standalone communications device;

b) a first communications interface within the hardware package that communicates with an external device, the external device being configured to be controlled by a local workstation communicating over the first communications interface;

c) a network communications interface within the hardware package that communicates with a remote computer system over a computer network; and

d) web service circuitry within the hardware package programmed to:

i) communicate with the external device over the first communications interface using a native communications protocol used by the external device;

ii) communicate with the remote computer system using a web service interface over the computer network, and

iii) convert between the native communications protocol and the web service interface to allow the remote computer system using the web service interface to operate the external device as if it were the local workstation communicating over the first communications interface using the native communications protocol.

8. The standalone communications device of claim 7 , wherein the web service interface provides web browser-based controls for the remote computer system to drive the device components.

9. The standalone communications device of claim 8 , further comprising:

e) memory, and

f) network outage circuitry programmed to:

i) determine when network communications to the remote computer system are non-operational,

ii) when the network communications to the remote computer system are non-operational, store communications received from the external device on the memory,

iii) determine when the network communications to the remote computer system are operational, and

iv) when the network communications to the remote computer system are operational, transmit communications previously stored on the memory to the remote computer system.