Over the last several years, it has become a beloved tradition to start the new blog year with a review of the most popular content the team at Software Toolbox put together to build your automation software skills and empower your success. This is the 8th installment of this blog summary covering a wide variety of topics. But first things first: make sure you are subscribed to our blog. We publish new content at least once a week, and you have full control over the frequency of when you are notified.

Happy New Year and Happy Continued Learning!

Let's Talk!

Before we begin, let's hear it for our Software Toolbox colleagues who've been on the road to come talk with you! Not only within the US but we also travelled to multiple countries in Europe and Africa to find out more about your customers interests and issues and to talk about solutions to help achieve your goals. We also attended various university events to help educate the next generations of automation professionals. At 20+ Summits, Conferences, Open Houses, Webinars and Events we had conversations with over 1000 people!

Your Favorite Blogs

These are the top 5 most popular blogs of 2024. If another blog is your favorite, let us know!

• Modbus Offset vs. Addressing: Why Does It Matter?
• Why Are My Data Values Wrong? - Exploring Modbus TOP Server Settings
• Enabling Sustainability through all Levels of the Automation Pyramid
• Video Tutorial: Integrating Industrial Data with HiveMQ using OPC Router
• Cogent DataHub V11 Features to Be Excited About
  
  

The Blog Series of 2024

In addition to our regular technical and product updates, in 2024 we delivered to you - our readers - three separate themed blog series! And according to the stats, they were a big hit with you so we will continue these in 2025 and / or be adding new series.

Environmental Sustainability 

This series looked at how you can incorporate aspects of a circular economy to positively impact your work environment.

• Revolutionizing Sustainability with Circular Economy and OPC Standards
• Empowering Sustainability in and through the use of Cloud Data Centers
• Energy Efficiency Success Story: Cloudy with a Chance of Unified Data
• Enabling Sustainability through all Levels of the Automation Pyramid
  

The Summer of IoT

This series explored how our IoT solutions can help you achieve even greater success with your Industry 4.0 and Digital Transformation initiatives.

• Video Tutorial: Integrating Industrial Data with HiveMQ using OPC Router
• Expanding your IoT Impact with the TOP Server MQTT Client Driver
• Securing your MQTT Data Access in Cogent DataHub V11
• Put OPC UA PubSub, Companion Specs, and More to work with OPC Router
• Cogent DataHub V11 Feature Enhancements: User Experience
• OPC UA PubSub and MQTT with the OPC Data Client Development Toolkit

The Data Storage Deep Dive

This series explored the crucial role of data storage solutions and Historians in industrial automation. Over several weeks we looked into the Software Toolbox Solutions that can be utilized with Historians including DataHub, TOP Server, OmniServer, and OPC Router.

• Data Storage Deep Dive: Your Intro to Unlocking Historical Data
• Software Toolbox Helps You Fly Higher with Canary Historian
• Integrating Canary Historian with OPC Router via RESTful API

New Solutions and Product Improvements

In the last year, we regularly added product updates and new product releases to our Solutions Portfolio. Review what you might have missed here:

• DataHub V11- Version 11 of Cogent DataHub  has a better security model, provides an enhanced WebView HMI experience, and connects to a wider range of data historians, along with updates and enhancements for MQTT and the Cogent DataHub service for Microsoft Azure. Learn More about DataHub V11.
  
  
• OPC Server Remote Configuration Client - This new Software Toolbox solution allows you to manage all your TOP Server and KEPServerEX instances remotely, making configuration changes with ease via a secure and easy-to-use implementation. With the audit trail feature, enabled optionally by administrators, the OPC Server Remote Config will track and log all edits, providing a comprehensive record of user actions and modification history. Explore the benefits of the OPC Server Remote Config and how to use it. 
  
  
• OPC Router - Web management capabilities were introduced to OPC Router with the release of version 5. OPC Router also added PostgreSQL support, JSON transformation, and advanced features like MQTT topic browsing, cloud file access, and OpenTelemetry monitoring. Enhanced security, performance improvements for InfluxDB, and user role management further streamlined its scalability and interoperability. Learn More about OPC Router.
  

• EFM Exporter for Emerson FB Automation Platform - A NEW Software Toolbox developed solution for the oil & gas industry! The Emerson FB Automation Platform devices provide real-time data for HMI, SCADA & historians, which can be retrieved by the TOP Server or KEPServerEX DNP3 Drivers. Learn how to use it together with the TOP Server DNP3 protocol driver to extract EFM data.
  
  
• OmniServer - MQTT (Message Queueing Telemetry Transport) Client Plug-In added to Professional Edition Licensing, 10-day Emergency License Feature implemented, Visual Protocol Editor enhancements, and more! Learn More About OmniServer Improvements.

Popular Product Training Resources

Need to know more about Software Toolbox products in general? Here are some useful links! 

• TOP Server Training Videos
• Using the TOP Server Application Report
• OmniServer Training Videos
• DataHub Training Videos
• OPC Router Training Videos
• Using the OPC Router Application Report
• OPC Data Client Development Toolkit Basic Training
• LGH File Inspector Made Easy
• LGH File Inspector - Automating Queries

New White Papers

Throughout the year we create White Papers in which we examine selected topics to provide you with background information and expert knowledge. If there is a topic you require more information about, let
me know!

• How to Seamlessly Connect Your Process Data to
  Amazon IoT Core
• Leveraging Entra ID in Docker Containers for OPC Router
• Four Reasons to Use Tunneling for OPC Data Integration
• 25 Reasons to Choose Cogent DataHub for Tunneling Guide
• More White Papers, Guides & E-Books

Product Specific Resources

TOP Server

• Data Collection from DNP3 RTUs & Devices
• Data Collection from BACnet Controllers
• Using TOP Server's Advanced Tags Plug-In: Calculations & Data Bridging
• Flexible Control of Real-Time Device Polling Schedules
• Learn more about Top Server »

DataHub

• 3 Ways to Transform Database Writes Using DataHub
• DataHub Item Imports Made Easy
• Cogent DataHub V11 Security Enhancements Deep Dive
• Data Integration with AVEVA PI System and CONNECT Data Services
• How to Simplify OPC Server Redundancy with Cogent DataHub
• Learn more about DataHub »

OPC Router

• Reading from CONNECT Data Services with OPC Router
• Video Tutorial: Getting Started with OPC Router Project Development
• Reporting Downtime for your OPC Router Connections
• Video Tutorial: Integrating Industrial Data with HiveMQ using OPC Router
• IoT and You – Kicking off the Summer of IoT
• Put OPC UA PubSub, Companion Specs, and More to work with OPC Route
• Learn more about OPC Router »

OmniServer

• Streamline Your IoT Operations with the New OmniServer MQTT Plug-In
• Did You Know? How to Use Character Translations in OmniServer
• Video Tutorial: Publishing with OmniServer’s New MQTT Client Plug-In
• Enabling Sustainability through all Levels of the Automation Pyramid
• Revolutionizing Sustainability with Circular Economy and OPC Standards
• Learn more about OmniServer »

• 2024 Delivered 2 OPC Data Client Releases that provided, overall support for new operating systems, Python support on Linux operating systems, .NET 8 support, OPC UA Client-Server improvements and more! 
• OPC Data Client and NuGet: The What, Why, and How
• How OPC Data Client Simplifies Custom OPC Client Development Projects
• How to Develop Custom OPC Clients with Minimal Code
• How to Develop Custom OPC Clients with No Code

Security First

• 4 Ways to Address Security Challenges with DataHub Tunneling
• Security Learning Resources: Staying Safe in the World of IIoT
• DataHub V11: Enhancing Remote Config Access Security with MFA/TOTP
  

I hope you found this summary useful. If you do and want to keep informed about what is happening with and around software Toolbox in the future, make sure to subscribe to our blog. If you have questions, please let me know.