A server determines a plurality of device templates that define a plurality of device attributes of a remote device connected to a gateway device. The server creates a virtual device from the plurality of device templates, wherein the virtual device is a virtual representation of the remote device. The server determines an attribute update for a first device attribute of the remote device. The server updates a second device attribute of the virtual device. The server generates an instruction for the gateway device to initiate the attribute update for the first device attribute. The server transmits the instruction to the gateway device, wherein the instruction causes the gateway device to generate a command for the remote device to perform the attribute update on the device attribute.