OPC Connection Problems inc PCCC and Stale Tags

We are currently using V7.8.2 and on server reboots we can end up with 15+ Micrologix’s connecting as PCCC. I know there has been talk on the forum regarding this but no solution. Along with this problem we also often get integer/float tags reading from SLC 504’s that refuse to connect even though the CPU shows as connected and Booleans from the same CPU are healthy. We have around 140 PLC’s connected to the server.

Is the solution to go down the Kepware route at a lot more cost and effort as this unreliability is becoming unacceptable for a new project that involves control and not just data collection etc.