After an exhaustive review of data communications solutions, ABB selected Kepware’s KEPServerEX as the best choice to handle the high demands of the groundbreaking project. With over 150 drivers and a single, consistent interface, KEPServerEX provides ABB with all the connectivity tools it requires in an easy-to-use package. In conjunction with ABB’s flagship 800xA Integrated Control and Safety System (ICSS), KEPServerEX allows ABB to add multiple OPC drivers within a single communications platform without worrying about learning new communications protocols or spending time understanding new applications. KEPServerEX includes a library of over 150 PLC, RTU, and other device-type drivers, as well as database and application-specific drivers. Of particular value to ABB was Kepware’s Modbus TCP/IP Ethernet Driver, which provides data exchange between OPC clients and Modbus protocol compliant controllers. In order to overcome the difficulties involved in the rapidly expanding infrastructure, ABB made extensive use of the ability to import and export KEPServerEX configuration information in an easy-to-understand XML format. By developing a tool that could create a full configuration XML file to match the configuration within the ICSS, updating the KEPServerEX configuration to the current ICSS configuration took mere minutes and was completely reliable. In addition, Kepware’s Advanced Tags Plug-In was essential for centralized data processing by the communications server, ensuring that all the data efficiently arrived where it should, when it should, and in the form it should.