# What is Kepware KEPServerEX? Drivers, OPC UA and alternatives > Source: https://netray.co/software/kepware-kepserverex > Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems. > Section: Manufacturing Software Encyclopedia ## Short answer Kepware KEPServerEX is an industrial connectivity server from PTC that talks to PLCs, controllers and devices through a large library of drivers and exposes their data to other software through standards such as OPC UA. Manufacturers use it as a common data layer between the plant floor and MES, historians, SCADA, IIoT platforms and analytics tools. ## Vendor PTC ## Category integration-data ## Aliases - KEPServerEX - KEPServer - ThingWorx Kepware Server - Kepware server ## Overview KEPServerEX sits between machines and the software that wants their data. On one side are drivers for many controller families and protocols, for example Modbus, Allen-Bradley, Siemens and Mitsubishi families, and others. On the other side it presents that data as tags through interfaces such as OPC UA and OPC DA, so client applications do not each need their own driver for every machine. Typical users are controls engineers, OT engineers and system integrators. They define channels, devices and tags in a configuration, then point HMI, SCADA, historian, MES or IIoT clients at the server. Because it is a single configurable service, it is often used to standardise how a plant with a mixed fleet of equipment exposes data, rather than writing custom connectors per machine. In a manufacturing stack it is plumbing, not an application. It does not replace an MES, historian or ERP. It supplies the machine-level signals those systems need, and optional components can push data onward over MQTT or REST or write to a database. The product is part of PTC's portfolio alongside ThingWorx, and the naming has varied over time, so check the vendor's current product names when buying. ## Best For - Plants with mixed PLC and controller brands that need one standard way to expose machine data - Integrators building OPC UA based connectivity between shop floor equipment and MES or SCADA - Teams feeding a historian, IIoT platform or cloud data lake from existing controllers - Companies that want machine data without replacing legacy equipment - Organisations standardising on PTC ThingWorx that need a device connectivity layer ## Modules ### Device drivers **Description:** A library of drivers for many PLC families and industrial protocols, licensed per driver or as a suite depending on the vendor's packaging. ### OPC UA and OPC DA server **Description:** Exposes configured tags to clients through OPC UA and classic OPC interfaces, with the security options of those standards. ### Tag and device configuration **Description:** Channel, device and tag model managed in the configuration tool, including tag groups, scaling and generated tags for some drivers. ### IoT Gateway **Description:** An optional component that publishes tag data to MQTT brokers or REST endpoints so IIoT and cloud systems can consume it. ### Data logger **Description:** An optional component that writes tag values to a relational database through ODBC for simple historical capture. ### Advanced tags **Description:** Derived and calculated tags, for example combining or transforming values before clients see them. ### Configuration API **Description:** A REST based interface for reading and changing server configuration programmatically, useful for repeatable deployments. ## Deployment Typically installed as a Windows service on a plant server, industrial PC or virtual machine close to the controllers. Cloud hosting of the server itself is possible on a VM, but latency and network segmentation usually keep it in the plant. ## Integrations ### OPC UA and OPC DA clients **Detail:** SCADA, HMI, historian and MES products commonly connect as OPC clients to read and write tags. ### MQTT and REST **Detail:** The IoT Gateway option can publish tag data to MQTT brokers and REST consumers for IIoT and cloud use. ### Relational databases **Detail:** The data logger option writes to databases through ODBC, which can feed reporting or a staging area for ERP and MES. ### PTC ThingWorx **Detail:** Commonly used as the connectivity layer under ThingWorx applications. ### Configuration API **Detail:** REST calls can create and modify channels, devices and tags for scripted rollouts across sites. ### ERP and MES indirectly **Detail:** ERP does not usually connect directly. A MES, historian or integration layer consumes the tags and posts production results to ERP. ## Strengths - Broad driver coverage reduces the number of connectivity tools a plant must support - Standards based exposure through OPC UA keeps client software vendor neutral - Configuration can be scripted, which helps repeatable multi-site rollouts - Mature product that integrators and controls engineers already know - Works with legacy equipment without changing controller programs ## Limitations - It is connectivity only, so context, modelling and analytics need other software - Windows centric deployment may not suit teams that want containerised edge stacks - Licensing is modular, so driver and option choices need careful scoping - Large tag counts and fast polling need performance testing against the controllers - Security depends on correct certificate, network and account configuration ## Alternatives - Litmus Edge - Ignition (Inductive Automation) - Matrikon OPC - Cogent DataHub - Siemens Insights Hub with MindConnect - Node-RED with OPC UA nodes ## Ai Opportunities - Generating channel, device and tag configurations from a PLC tag export instead of typing them by hand - Documenting a tag namespace in plain language so analysts can find the right signal - Spotting stale, flat-lined or noisy tags from logged values and flagging them for review - Answering questions about which machines publish which signals by reading the configuration export - Drafting integration mappings from machine tags to MES or ERP production reporting fields ## Selection Tips - List every controller model and firmware family first and confirm driver support for each - Decide whether OPC UA clients, MQTT consumers or both are needed before choosing options - Plan tag counts and scan rates and test load on the actual controllers - Design certificate management and network zones before exposing OPC UA beyond the cell - Check whether a SCADA platform you already own includes its own connectivity that is enough - Agree who owns the tag namespace so names stay consistent across plants ## Faq ### What does Kepware KEPServerEX do? **Answer:** It connects to PLCs and other industrial devices through drivers and exposes their data as tags to other software, mainly through OPC UA. This lets SCADA, MES, historians and IIoT platforms read machine data without each needing its own driver for every controller brand on the floor. ### Is KEPServerEX the same as ThingWorx? **Answer:** No. KEPServerEX is a connectivity server, while ThingWorx is an industrial IoT application platform. Both are PTC products and they are often used together, with Kepware gathering device data and ThingWorx modelling, visualising and building applications on it. Check PTC's current product naming before purchasing. ### Does KEPServerEX connect directly to ERP? **Answer:** Not usually. It provides machine signals. A MES, historian or integration layer typically turns those signals into production counts, downtime and quality events and posts them to the ERP. Direct ERP connections would need custom work and are rarely the cleanest design. ### Can KEPServerEX send data to MQTT or the cloud? **Answer:** Yes, through optional components such as the IoT Gateway, which can publish tag data to MQTT brokers or REST endpoints. Cloud platforms and edge gateways can then subscribe. Confirm the exact options and licensing with PTC for your version and architecture. ### What are common alternatives to KEPServerEX? **Answer:** Common alternatives include Litmus Edge, Ignition with its OPC UA module, Matrikon OPC servers and Cogent DataHub. The right choice depends on controller coverage, whether you want a full edge platform or just a driver layer, your operating system standards and existing SCADA investments. ## Search terms what is kepware kepserverex, kepserverex alternatives, kepserverex drivers, kepserverex opc ua, kepserverex mqtt, kepserverex rest api, kepware vs ignition, kepware vs litmus edge, thingworx kepware server, plc to mes connectivity --- Talk to an engineer: https://netray.co/contact?intent=erp_ai | Machine catalog: https://netray.co/agent/catalog.json