1. A customer-configurable plant process observation portal server system for collecting plant process information, in accordance with a user designated set of plant information sources, the plant information sources comprising process control equipment, and for disseminating the information to users via network connections, the system comprising: a portal server comprising: an extensible information source registry for storing at least identification information corresponding to an extensible set of plant information sources accessed via the portal server; a portal server data interface, accessible via remote networked stations, providing user access to plant information associated with the set of designated plant information sources; a portal configuration utility enabling a user to at least designate a new plant information source via a configuration interface, the new plant information source thereafter being added to the extensible set of plant information sources; and a data access subsystem, interposed via network links between the portal server data interface and the extensible set of plant information sources, and wherein data from the extensible set of plant information sources is stored within the data access subsystem prior to forwarding to portal users via the portal server data interface.