For any large experiment with multiple sub-systems and their respective experts spread throughout the world, real-time and near-real-time information accessible to a wide audience is critical to efficiency and success. Large and varied amounts of information about the current and past state of facilities and detector systems are necessary, both for current running, and for eventual data analysis. As an example, the STAR Control Room's internal interactions and presentation of information to the external “offline” world will be described in brief. Conceptual network layout, types of information exchanged and methods of information dissemination will be presented. Focus will not be on the flow of physics data per se, but on the information about the status and control of the experimental systems in the course of acquiring the physics data.