A system for facilitating communications between one or more enterprise-level modules and one or more control-level modules, the system comprising: a first bus that communicates with the one or more enterprise-level modules (18A to 18E; 111, 112, 113), wherein the first bus is an enterprise service bus, ESB, using Information Technology based protocols, the ESB providing one or more adapters (27A to 27F; 121, 122, 123) and bindings facilitating communications with the one or more enterprise-level modules; a second bus that communicates with the one or more control-level modules, wherein the second bus is an industrial control bus, ICB, employing a common industrial protocol, CIP; and a bridge in communication with both of the first and second buses, wherein the bridge facilitates establishment of one or more channels (36A, 36B) between the one or more enterprise-level modules and the one or more control-level modules; wherein the bridge has a three-layer transaction architecture that includes a transaction layer, an application object layer and a data transport layer, where the transaction layer and application object layer are in communication with one another by way of an intermediating application programming interface, API, and the application object layer and the data transport layer are in communication with one another by way of another intermediating API; wherein the application object layer is able to store information required for data delivery; wherein the transport layer comprises a receive manager and a transmit manager, the receive manager and the transmit manager being adapted to establish and maintain connections between a control module and the bridge; and wherein the transaction layer is adapted to analyze a message received by the bridge and to determine which of the adapters is suitable for enabling further communication of the message to the appropriate one of the enterprise-level module. a first bus that communicates with the one or more enterprise-level modules (18A to 18E; 111, 112, 113), wherein the first bus is an enterprise service bus, ESB, using Information Technology based protocols, the ESB providing one or more adapters (27A to 27F; 121, 122, 123) and bindings facilitating communications with the one or more enterprise-level modules; a second bus that communicates with the one or more control-level modules, wherein the second bus is an industrial control bus, ICB, employing a common industrial protocol, CIP; and a bridge in communication with both of the first and second buses, wherein the bridge facilitates establishment of one or more channels (36A, 36B) between the one or more enterprise-level modules and the one or more control-level modules; wherein the bridge has a three-layer transaction architecture that includes a transaction layer, an application object layer and a data transport layer, where the transaction layer and application object layer are in communication with one another by way of an intermediating application programming interface, API, and the application object layer and the data transport layer are in communication with one another by way of another intermediating API; wherein the application object layer is able to store information required for data delivery; wherein the transport layer comprises a receive manager and a transmit manager, the receive manager and the transmit manager being adapted to establish and maintain connections between a control module and the bridge; and wherein the transaction layer is adapted to analyze a message received by the bridge and to determine which of the adapters is suitable for enabling further communication of the message to the appropriate one of the enterprise-level module.