diff --git a/src/org.eclipse.ice.viz.service/src/org/eclipse/ice/viz/service/connections/ConnectionClient.java b/src/org.eclipse.ice.viz.service/src/org/eclipse/ice/viz/service/connections/ConnectionClient.java
index 51891fc92..3fa65ebad 100644
--- a/src/org.eclipse.ice.viz.service/src/org/eclipse/ice/viz/service/connections/ConnectionClient.java
+++ b/src/org.eclipse.ice.viz.service/src/org/eclipse/ice/viz/service/connections/ConnectionClient.java
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ public abstract class ConnectionClient<T> implements IConnectionClient<T> {
 	 * org.eclipse.ice.viz.service.connections.IConnectionClient#setConnection
 	 * (org.eclipse.ice.viz.service.connections.IConnectionAdapter)
 	 */
-	public void setConnection(IConnectionAdapter<T> adapter) {
+	public void setConnectionAdapter(IConnectionAdapter<T> adapter) {
 		if (adapter != this.adapter) {
 			if (this.adapter != null) {
 				this.adapter.unregister(this);
diff --git a/src/org.eclipse.ice.viz.service/src/org/eclipse/ice/viz/service/connections/ConnectionManager.java b/src/org.eclipse.ice.viz.service/src/org/eclipse/ice/viz/service/connections/ConnectionManager.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bf950cf1a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/org.eclipse.ice.viz.service/src/org/eclipse/ice/viz/service/connections/ConnectionManager.java
@@ -0,0 +1,263 @@
+package org.eclipse.ice.viz.service.connections;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Set;
+
+import org.eclipse.ice.datastructures.form.Entry;
+import org.eclipse.ice.viz.service.preferences.CustomScopedPreferenceStore;
+import org.eclipse.ice.viz.service.preferences.TableComponentPreferenceAdapter;
+
+/**
+ * This is an implementation of the {@link IVizService} interface. It is
+ * specifically designed to handle multiple simultaneous connections--local or
+ * remote--that are used to render plots. It implements only the required
+ * methods to manage these connections, and works with {@link ConnectionTable}
+ * s and {@link ConnectionAdapter}s to help store the connection properties and
+ * interact with the underlying connections.
+ * 
+ * @author Jordan Deyton
+ *
+ */
+
+/**
+ * A {@code ConnectionManager} maps {@link IConnectionAdapter}s to
+ * {@link IConnectionClient}s. This class manages the following aspects of the
+ * connection-client lifecycle:
+ * <ul>
+ * <li>the set of connections, connecting and disconnecting them</li>
+ * <li>synchronizing the connections with what is specified in the preference
+ * store</li>
+ * <li>associating multiple clients with a single connection</li>
+ * </ul>
+ * 
+ * @author Jordan Deyton
+ *
+ * @param <T>
+ *            The type of the connection object.
+ */
+public abstract class ConnectionManager<T> {
+
+	// TODO Implement support for multiple connections rather than a single
+	// default connection.
+
+	/**
+	 * The table of connection properties. Its content is based on what is in
+	 * the preference store.
+	 */
+	private final ConnectionTable table;
+
+	/**
+	 * The default connection adapter. It interfaces with the underlying
+	 * connection utilities.
+	 */
+	private IConnectionAdapter<T> adapter;
+
+	/**
+	 * A list of connection clients associated with the default {@link #adapter}
+	 * .
+	 */
+	private final List<IConnectionClient<T>> clients;
+
+	/**
+	 * The default constructor. This should only be called by sub-classes.
+	 */
+	protected ConnectionManager() {
+
+		// Initialize the list of created plots.
+		clients = new ArrayList<IConnectionClient<T>>();
+
+		// Initialize the connection manager based on the stored preferences.
+		table = createConnectionTable();
+		TableComponentPreferenceAdapter tableAdapter;
+		tableAdapter = new TableComponentPreferenceAdapter();
+		tableAdapter.toTableComponent(
+				(CustomScopedPreferenceStore) getPreferenceStore(), table);
+
+		// Create the default adapter based on the current properties. Do not
+		// connect yet.
+		updateAdapter(false);
+
+		return;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Gets the preference store in which the connection properties for all
+	 * adapters are stored.
+	 * 
+	 * @return The preference store. This value should not be {@code null}.
+	 */
+	protected abstract CustomScopedPreferenceStore getPreferenceStore();
+
+	/**
+	 * Creates an empty, default {@link #table} of connection preferences.
+	 * 
+	 * @return A new table of connection properties. Its content is based on
+	 *         what is in the preference store.
+	 */
+	protected abstract ConnectionTable createConnectionTable();
+
+	/**
+	 * Creates a disconnected, default connection {@link #adapter}.
+	 * 
+	 * @return A new connection adapter.
+	 */
+	protected abstract IConnectionAdapter<T> createConnectionAdapter();
+
+	/**
+	 * Updates the default adapter based on the current preferences. If there is
+	 * no default connection configured in the preference page, then after this
+	 * call, the {@link #adapter} will be {@code null}.
+	 * 
+	 * @param connect
+	 *            Whether or not to attempt connecting to the default adapter if
+	 *            a change occurred.
+	 */
+	private void updateAdapter(boolean connect) {
+
+		// If the default connection exists, load it into an adapter.
+		String key = getDefaultConnectionKey();
+		if (key != null) {
+			// If the adapter does not exist, create it.
+			if (adapter == null) {
+				adapter = createConnectionAdapter();
+
+				// Notify the plots that the connection has been configured.
+				for (IConnectionClient<T> client : clients) {
+					client.setConnectionAdapter(adapter);
+				}
+			}
+			// Set the adapter's properties. If a change occurred and the method
+			// parameter says we need to attempt a connection, re-establish the
+			// adapter's connection.
+			List<Entry> row = table.getConnection(key);
+			if (adapter.setConnectionProperties(row) && connect) {
+				Thread thread = new Thread() {
+					@Override
+					public void run() {
+						// Disconnect, then immediately reconnect.
+						adapter.disconnect(true);
+						adapter.connect(false);
+					}
+				};
+				thread.start();
+			}
+		}
+		// Otherwise, if the adapter already exists, destroy it..
+		else if (adapter != null) {
+			ConnectionState state = adapter.getState();
+			// Disconnect if necessary.
+			if (state == ConnectionState.Connected) {
+				adapter.disconnect(false);
+			}
+			adapter = null;
+
+			// Notify the plots that the connection has been closed.
+			for (IConnectionClient<T> client : clients) {
+				client.setConnectionAdapter(adapter);
+			}
+		}
+
+		return;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * This method notifies the manager that the preferences have changed. Any
+	 * connections that have changed should be reset.
+	 */
+	protected void preferencesChanged(Map<String, String> changedKeys,
+			Set<String> addedKeys, Set<String> removedKeys) {
+
+		// Clear the old connection preferences.
+		for (int i = 0; i < table.numberOfRows(); i++) {
+			table.deleteRow(0);
+		}
+
+		// Update the connection preferences based on the stored preferences.
+		TableComponentPreferenceAdapter tableAdapter;
+		tableAdapter = new TableComponentPreferenceAdapter();
+		tableAdapter.toTableComponent(
+				(CustomScopedPreferenceStore) getPreferenceStore(), table);
+
+		// TODO When we have multiple connections, we will need to do the
+		// following, then send the new connection adapters to the plots.
+		// Remove all old connections.
+		// Update all existing connections.
+		// Add all new connections.
+
+		// Update the default adapter and connect if possible.
+		updateAdapter(true);
+
+		return;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Connects to the default {@link #adapter}. This operation does not block
+	 * the caller if the connection needs to be established.
+	 * 
+	 * @return True if the connection is established, false otherwise.
+	 */
+	public boolean connect() {
+		return (adapter != null ? adapter.connect(false) : false);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Disconnects from the default {@link #adapter}. This operation does not
+	 * block the caller if the connection needs to be closed.
+	 * 
+	 * @return True if the connection is disconnected, false otherwise.
+	 */
+	public boolean disconnect() {
+		return (adapter != null ? adapter.disconnect(false) : false);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Adds a new connection client to the default {@link #adapter}. This method
+	 * automatically sets the client's connection adapter.
+	 * 
+	 * @param client
+	 *            The client to add.
+	 * @return True if the added client was not null and was not already in the
+	 *         list, false otherwise (in which case nothing is added).
+	 */
+	public boolean addClient(IConnectionClient<T> client) {
+		boolean added = false;
+		if (client != null && !clients.contains(client)) {
+			clients.add(client);
+			client.setConnectionAdapter(adapter);
+			added = true;
+		}
+		return added;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Removes a connection client from the default {@link #adapter}. This
+	 * method automatically unsets the client's connection adapter.
+	 * 
+	 * @param client
+	 *            The client to remove.
+	 * @return True if the added client was not null and was already in the
+	 *         list, false otherwise (in which case nothing was removed).
+	 */
+	public boolean removeClient(IConnectionClient<T> client) {
+		boolean removed = clients.remove(client);
+		if (removed) {
+			client.setConnectionAdapter(null);
+		}
+		return removed;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Gets the key ("connection ID") associated with the default connection.
+	 * This can be set on the preference page.
+	 * 
+	 * @return The key for the default connection, or null if one is not set.
+	 */
+	private String getDefaultConnectionKey() {
+		int id = getPreferenceStore().getInt("defaultConnection");
+		List<String> connectionNames = table.getConnectionNames();
+		return (id < connectionNames.size() ? connectionNames.get(id) : null);
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/src/org.eclipse.ice.viz.service/src/org/eclipse/ice/viz/service/connections/IConnectionClient.java b/src/org.eclipse.ice.viz.service/src/org/eclipse/ice/viz/service/connections/IConnectionClient.java
index 52d0d78be..5ecc29c04 100644
--- a/src/org.eclipse.ice.viz.service/src/org/eclipse/ice/viz/service/connections/IConnectionClient.java
+++ b/src/org.eclipse.ice.viz.service/src/org/eclipse/ice/viz/service/connections/IConnectionClient.java
@@ -27,6 +27,6 @@ public interface IConnectionClient<T> extends IUpdateableListener {
 	 *            The new connection adapter. If {@code null}, the connection
 	 *            will be unset and the plot will be cleared.
 	 */
-	void setConnection(IConnectionAdapter<T> adapter);
+	void setConnectionAdapter(IConnectionAdapter<T> adapter);
 
 }