@classmethod
def protocolHandlerManager(cls):
    """
        Class method to get a reference to the protocol handler manager.
        
        @return reference to the protocol handler manager
        @rtype ProtocolHandlerManager
        """
    if cls._protocolHandlerManager is None:
        from .Network.ProtocolHandlerManager import ProtocolHandlerManager
        cls._protocolHandlerManager = ProtocolHandlerManager()
    return cls._protocolHandlerManager
