What does the Studio 5000 software require to communicate with a connected PLC?

The correct choice is a communications driver. Studio 5000 software, which is used for programming Rockwell Automation's Allen-Bradley programmable logic controllers (PLCs), relies on a communications driver to enable the software to communicate effectively with the PLC. The communications driver facilitates the exchange of data and instructions between the Studio 5000 environment and the hardware of the PLC, ensuring that commands issued from the software can be executed by the PLC and feedback can be received back into the software.

While other components play significant roles in the operation and management of PLCs, they do not serve the specific purpose of enabling communication between the Studio 5000 software and the PLC. A device manager, for example, is typically used for managing device configurations but is not responsible for handling communication protocols or data transfer. A configuration file generally contains settings or parameters that tell the software how to operate but does not perform any communication functions. Similarly, a network interface is necessary for establishing hardware connectivity but without the communications driver, the software would still lack the protocol needed to facilitate effective communication.