A networked node incorporating a data acquisition service, which is forwarding received process data to a process history database over a potentially slow and/or intermittent network connection, the data acquisition service comprising: a first network interface that receives incoming process data via a first network connection; a second network interface that transmits outgoing process data via a second network connection; and a store and forward functionality that receives the incoming process data and forwards the outgoing process data, the store and forward functionality comprising: an immediate transmission cache, a store and forward storage, a store control directing the incoming process data to the immediate transmission cache, wherein the store control enters, in response to detecting an entry condition including two user configurable activation threshold parameters that specify a cache fullness value and an upper limit on a time period that passes between when a data item is initially received by said data acquisition service and placed directly into said immediate transmission cache, an activated mode wherein incoming process data is directed to the store and forward storage instead of said immediate transmission cache, and a read control forwarding outgoing process data to the second network interface from the immediate transmission cache and store and forward storage, the read control comprising at least a first configurable parameter that constrains a rate at which data retrieved from the store and forward storage is forwarded via the second network interface. a first network interface that receives incoming process data via a first network connection; a second network interface that transmits outgoing process data via a second network connection; and a store and forward functionality that receives the incoming process data and forwards the outgoing process data, the store and forward functionality comprising: an immediate transmission cache, a store and forward storage, a store control directing the incoming process data to the immediate transmission cache, wherein the store control enters, in response to detecting an entry condition including two user configurable activation threshold parameters that specify a cache fullness value and an upper limit on a time period that passes between when a data item is initially received by said data acquisition service and placed directly into said immediate transmission cache, an activated mode wherein incoming process data is directed to the store and forward storage instead of said immediate transmission cache, and a read control forwarding outgoing process data to the second network interface from the immediate transmission cache and store and forward storage, the read control comprising at least a first configurable parameter that constrains a rate at which data retrieved from the store and forward storage is forwarded via the second network interface. an immediate transmission cache, a store and forward storage, a store control directing the incoming process data to the immediate transmission cache, wherein the store control enters, in response to detecting an entry condition including two user configurable activation threshold parameters that specify a cache fullness value and an upper limit on a time period that passes between when a data item is initially received by said data acquisition service and placed directly into said immediate transmission cache, an activated mode wherein incoming process data is directed to the store and forward storage instead of said immediate transmission cache, and a read control forwarding outgoing process data to the second network interface from the immediate transmission cache and store and forward storage, the read control comprising at least a first configurable parameter that constrains a rate at which data retrieved from the store and forward storage is forwarded via the second network interface.