Software Toolbox Technical Blog

A leading UK retailer, serving millions of customers through an extensive store network, set out to modernize aging infrastructure in its high-throughput distribution centers. Burdened by legacy equipment and unsupported software systems, the organization needed a reliable way to bridge communication gaps without replacing critical machinery. 

By working with a UK-based system integrator who leveraged OmniServer and OPC Data Logger software applications from Software Toolbox, the retailer achieved real-time visibility, accurate data collection, and the ability to respond quickly to underperformance. The result: improved fulfillment quality, reduced freight waste, and smarter use of transport resources.

As the Industry 4.0 movement transforms industrial automation, engineers and system administrators are tasked with managing more devices, across more locations, and under tighter security policies. For those working with TOP Server or KEPServerEX, the need for secure and scalable configuration tools has never been more critical. 

The OPC Server Remote Configuration Client enables direct configuration of remote TOP Server or KEPServerEX instances from your local machine, eliminating the need for remote desktop sessions, cloud access, or additional agents. Running entirely within your network, it ensures secure user access through the server’s built-in User Manager and offers an optional SQL audit trail for tracking configuration changes such as user identity and value changes. 

In this blog, you’ll see how the OPC Server Remote Configuration Client streamlines server management and enhances efficiency in high-security environments, helping accelerate digital transformation throughout your operations. 

In the Industry 4.0 movement we are in today, companies going through the digital transformation process have to turn data into information and get it in the structures people want, how they want it and when they want it, to facilitate decisions that achieve the desired business results. Unifying data means accessing data where it lives, no matter the protocol required. MQTT is used extensively as a communication transport in many applications, and in this blog we'll show you an implementation.

In the oil and gas industry, data drives everything—from production optimization to regulatory compliance and remote asset management. But in an environment with geographically dispersed assets, legacy equipment, and too often limited network bandwidth, secure data exchange is far from simple. 

To stay competitive and compliant, oil and gas operators must bridge the gap between edge devices to control and enterprise systems—safely, reliably, and in real time.

Happy belated Earth Day! We hope you took the time on Tuesday to enjoy the great outdoors or made a plan to get outside this weekend. Perhaps you did neither and instead decided to put your reusable water bottle to use instead of grabbing another plastic bottle of water to drink from for the day. Whatever you did, we hope it made you happy because that’s part of what celebrating Earth Day is all about.

In this final post of our 2025 Environmental Sustainability blog series, we’re diving into how industries can make smarter, greener decisions using actionable RESTful web services. I know that may sound like a stretch to connect these things, but keep reading: I’m going to discuss the technology, the data sources that you can consume to impact your sustainability results, and how you can bring them together without writing any code.

While security and ease of project execution are often the focus when discussing remote configuration, they’re just the beginning. In this post for our 2025 Environmental Sustainability blog series, we’re highlighting the environmental benefits as well. Embracing remote configuration not only helps reduce emissions—it also enhances efficiency, sparks innovation, and supports long-term resilience for your business and the planet.

One of the most valuable lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic is that remote work can significantly reduce a company’s carbon emissions and overall environmental footprint. While individuals often concentrate on minimizing their direct emissions, businesses have the potential to drive far greater impact by addressing emissions at scale. True corporate sustainability requires a holistic approach—one that considers the full lifecycle of every product, process, and operation. Software Toolbox offers several secure remote configuration options to help you achieve sustainability goals—featuring solutions like OPC Server Remote Configuration Client, Cogent DataHub, and OPC Router.

When it comes to Earth Day, conversations often center on renewable energy and reducing raw materials—but true sustainability goes far beyond solar panels and recycling bins. One of the most overlooked yet powerful ways to shrink our environmental footprint is by reclaiming something we already have in abundance: waste heat.  

In this second installment of our 2025 Environmental Sustainability blog series, we’re diving into the surprisingly diverse world of heat reclamation—where compost piles, underground aquifers, industrial processes, and even your HVAC system can all become unexpected sources of clean, efficient energy.  

Curious about how this is so? Read on to discover the technologies that turn excess heat into big savings—for both the planet and your wallet.

How a Common Data Infrastructure is Helping Amcor Meet its Net Zero Goals

We are celebrating World Earth Day all month long and recognize that sustainability is not just about using eco-friendly materials — it is about making smarter choices in how we connect, operate, optimize, and innovate. To kick things off, this first blog of this year's Earth Day Series explores how Amcor, a global leader in the packaging industry, is leveraging TOP Server to drive efficiency, improve productivity, and help support its sustainability goals.