It was that time of year again, time to prove it at the ProveIt! Conference. I'll be honest, when we attended the premier of the conference last year, I was sceptic. Would this event be different from others and really focus on actually solving customer problems. I was proven wrong to doubt it. And this year it had already doubled in size, there was a definite buzz and excitement. ProveIt! is a User Community led event that we have enjoyed being a part of for the 2nd time this year. A lot of people are talking about the conversations they had at the event. My personal favorite line is from Dylan DuFresne: "The kind of stuff that only happens when people actually trust each other enough to be real." 

While Software Toolbox has been best known for connectivity solutions, we reintroduced ourselves at ProveIt! as a Full Stack Industrial AI company. Why bring AI expertise into a connectivity company? Glad you asked. Because Software Toolbox is undergoing a major transformation and is evolving to deliver connectivity + data platforms + AI readiness services + AI agents all at once. And because Industrial AI is no longer experimental. It is becoming a competitive differentiator. Yet many initiatives stall. Not because the value is unclear, but because the foundation is missing. In industrial environments, AI depends on trusted connectivity, real time data, and infrastructure that performs reliably at the factory and at the edge.

Industrial AI is no longer experimental. It is becoming a competitive differentiator. Yet many initiatives stall, not because the value is unclear, but because the foundation is missing. In industrial environments, AI depends on trusted connectivity, real time data, and infrastructure that performs reliably at the factory and at the edge.

If you've been following along with our latest blog posts, you've probably heard Kepware Edge mentioned alongside the newly released version 7 of TOP Server. The question you may have now is: where does this fit, and how does it apply to me? The goal of this post is to answer this with a brief description and practical overview of Kepware Edge plus some case studies of when it makes sense to use it further below.

By now, you’ve probably heard that TOP Server V7 has officially landed. Maybe you’ve seen the announcements or caught a quick overview along the way. But if you find yourself wondering, “Okay, but what does this release actually change for me?” you’re in the right place.

While V7 continues to reinforce the stability and reliability TOP Server is known for, this release also introduces several important enhancements aimed at strengthening enterprise deployments, simplifying user management, and modernizing system compatibility. Whether you’re operating on the latest infrastructure or maintaining long-standing environments, V7 delivers meaningful improvements that make deployment more flexible, secure, and future-ready.

Let’s take a closer look at what’s new.

While Halloween and this time of year offers a few good scares, our customers in manufacturing face year-round nightmares that are far less fun: connectivity issues that stop production and unreliable data collection that restricts their ability to make informed decisions.

When your SCADA system can't communicate with your PLCs, your MES is missing critical data, and your operators are working without visibility into what's actually happening on the production floor, you're dealing with the kind of problems that lead to unplanned downtime, missed targets, and lost productivity.

In this post, we'll run through how our TOP Server handles common connectivity challenges, cover some practical tips for getting the most out of your setup, and show you how using remote configuration tools can simplify management across multiple servers, which all enable you to focus on production instead of troubleshooting communication nightmares.

Welcome to the launch of Software Toolbox’s Summer of IoT blog series for 2025.

In the coming posts, we’ll explore how our solutions support the evolving world of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and more importantly, how they can help you advance your Industry 4.0 and digital transformation goals with practical, proven tools. We begin the series by exploring Unified Namespace (UNS), what it means, why it matters, and how Software Toolbox makes it practical for real-world industrial environments.

Unified Namespace, Real Results: Lessons and Tools that Deliver

In today’s fast-evolving industrial landscape, seamless connectivity and data integration are critical for operational success. At Software Toolbox, our solutions are designed to empower businesses by enabling UNS connectivity, bridging the gap between diverse systems and helping with efficiency, interoperability, and scalability.

Personally, as a presenter and attendee of ProveIt! 2025 and an attendee of 4.0 Solutions’ Edge Integration to UNS Workshop, I have had a lot of exposure to the topic of UNS this year. In this blog post, I will share not only what I have learned surrounding the topic, but how Software Toolbox’s solutions fit into the picture.

If you’ve ever had to dig into historical data, you know that being able to easily access and understand it is key for gaining insights and decision making. Without the right tools, retrieving and reporting on historical data can quickly turn into a nightmare – leaving you dreaming of a better option. In today’s age of digital transformation, Dream Report gives you easy access to accurate data, allowing you to maintain a competitive edge, make informed decisions, and leave your nightmares in the past. 

In this blog post and accompanying video, you’ll learn how to use TOP Server’s Local Historian Plug-In with Dream Report to quickly capture and visualize historical data—revealing hidden trends in just 8 minutes.

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.