Case Study: ABB achieves secure real-time power plant data transfer with Cogent DataHub

Secure OPC tunnelling between power plants and company offices

ABB Energy Automation in Italy needed a secure way to bring real-time power plant data into corporate offices without exposing its network to DCOM-related security risks. Working with Cogent DataHub, ABB looked for a safer alternative to traditional OPC networking while continuing to use its OPC DA servers and control systems.

Cogent DataHub provided an OPC tunnelling solution that linked the plant and corporate networks through a single open firewall port using SSL-encrypted TCP and mirrored DataHub instances. ABB implemented the system in a few days at each plant, and both deployments have run 24/7 since installation with no security breaches, giving ABB a secure and reliable real-time data connection.

ABB

Michele Mannucci

Project Engineer