CSWorks uses OPC DA 2.05 to access hardware from a variety of process control equipment vendors.

OPC (OLE for Process Control) is a series of specifications that became the de-facto standard in industrial automation. The first standard (originally called simply the OPC Specification and now called the Data Access Specification) resulted from the collaboration of a number of leading worldwide automation suppliers working in cooperation with Microsoft. Originally based on Microsoft's OLE COM (component object model) and DCOM (distributed component object model) technologies, the specification defined a standard set of objects, interfaces and methods for use in process control and manufacturing automation applications to facilitate interoperability. The COM/DCOM technologies provided the framework for software products to be developed. There are now hundreds of OPC Data Access servers and clients.

Visit OPC Foundation website to learn more about OPC.