Port 314 is officially assigned to Opalis Robot, an IT process automation system that pioneered event-driven orchestration in enterprise data centers. This port sits in the well-known range (0-1023) and represents a piece of automation history that Microsoft found valuable enough to acquire.
What Runs on Port 314
Opalis Robot was comprehensive IT automation software that combined system monitoring, event response, and job scheduling into a unified platform. Instead of administrators manually responding to alerts, Opalis Robot watched for events and triggered automated responses—proactively managing Windows, Linux, and Solaris environments.1
The software automated:
- Tape backup operations
- Windows NT service control
- File management tasks
- Database operations
- Messaging and notifications
- IT process workflows
Port 314 (both TCP and UDP) served as the communication channel for Opalis Robot's coordination and management functions.2
The Story Behind Opalis
Opalis Software was founded in 1999 in Mississauga, Canada. Before most people understood the need for data center automation, Opalis was building software that let computers watch other computers and respond intelligently.3
1997: OpalisRobot 3.0 shipped with the world's first drag-and-drop workflow design interface. At a time when most automation meant cron jobs and shell scripts, Opalis was building visual orchestration.4
Early 2000s: The company shifted focus from their original OpalisRobot product to IT Process Automation (ITPA), recognizing that data centers needed integration and orchestration capabilities across heterogeneous management systems. They secured venture capital funding—$8.15M in 2004, $8.50M in 2005—and rebuilt their architecture.5
2009: Microsoft acquired Opalis Software in December. The company had proven that runbook automation wasn't just useful—it was essential. Microsoft integrated Opalis into the System Center product line.6
2012: Opalis Integration Server became System Center Orchestrator when Microsoft System Center 2012 launched. By April 2013, the standalone Opalis product was sunset, but its DNA lives on in Microsoft's automation stack.7
The Innovation
Opalis approached automation differently: event-driven orchestration. Instead of scheduling tasks at fixed times (the traditional approach), Opalis Robot monitored for specific conditions and triggered responses when those conditions occurred. This was the precursor to modern DevOps automation—watching, detecting, responding.
They combined low-level task automation with the ability to integrate disparate tools, people, and processes. A SCOM alert could trigger a remediation workflow that spanned multiple systems, sent notifications to specific people, updated tickets, and logged everything—all without human intervention.8
This was revolutionary in the early 2000s. Data centers were full of siloed tools that didn't communicate. Opalis built the nervous system that connected them.
Why Microsoft Bought It
By 2009, Microsoft understood that enterprise customers needed automation to manage increasingly complex data centers. Opalis had a decade of development, a proven product, and customers who depended on it for critical operations.9
Rather than build similar capabilities from scratch, Microsoft acquired the company and integrated their technology into System Center. Today's Azure Automation and Logic Apps trace their lineage back to what Opalis pioneered on port 314.
Current Status
Port 314 remains officially assigned to opalis-robot in the IANA registry, with contact listed under Laurent Domenech.10 However, modern Microsoft automation tools (System Center Orchestrator, Azure Automation) have moved to different communication mechanisms.
You're unlikely to see legitimate traffic on port 314 today. The software that defined this port has evolved into cloud-native services that use HTTPS APIs instead of dedicated ports. But the registration remains—a small monument to a Canadian startup that taught data centers how to watch themselves.
Security Note
Because port 314 is rarely used for its original purpose, some historical malware samples have repurposed this port for command and control communications. If you see unexpected traffic on port 314, investigate it—legitimate Opalis Robot installations are rare in 2026.11
Checking Port 314
To see if anything is listening on port 314 on your system:
Linux/macOS:
Windows:
If you find something listening and you're not running legacy Opalis software, investigate what process is using the port.
Why This Port Matters
Port 314 represents the history of IT automation—the evolution from manual system administration to event-driven orchestration. Opalis saw what data centers needed before "DevOps" existed as a term. They built software that made computers responsible for watching computers.
Microsoft recognized the value and built an entire automation platform on their foundation. Every Azure Logic App, every automated remediation workflow, every orchestrated deployment carries a piece of what Opalis invented.
Port 314 might be quiet now, but it was once where the future of IT automation was being transmitted.
Related Ports
- Port 135: Microsoft RPC Endpoint Mapper (used by modern System Center components)
- Port 443: HTTPS (used by Azure Automation and modern orchestration APIs)
- Port 5985/5986: WinRM (used by PowerShell remoting and modern Windows automation)
Frequently Asked Questions
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