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The MQTT TagProvider provides access to standard MQTT data, as well as automatically parsing data using the SparkplugB specification. The MQTT TagProvider allows you to dynamically connect to MQTT brokers at Runtime. This enables the integration and visualization of data and other components of your application without the need to create local tags.

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Table of Contents

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Configuration

The software platform supports both MQTT Standard and MQTT SparkplugB protocols. MQTT Standard allows general message communication via publish/subscribe, quality of service levels, message retention, last-will messages, and secure connections. SparkplugB adds standardized data models, device birth and death messages, auto-discovery, network state monitoring, efficient binary payloads, and state retention, enhancing interoperability and network management in industrial IoT applications.

MQTT Standard

To set up MQTT as a TagProvider, navigate to Unified Namespace → TagProvider Connections and select the MQTT Message Queuing Telemetry Transport.

MQTT SparkplugB

To set up MQTT SpB as a TagProvider, navigate to Unified Namespace → TagProvider Connections and select the MQTT SparkplugB Protocol.

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Connection Parameters

Both options share the same configuration parameters.

Field	Description
Provider	Specifies the system the TagProvider will interface with. In this case, it interfaces with the MQTT Message Queuing Telemetry Transport.
Access Mode	Determines permissions for interacting with tags. Read allows data reading. Write permits data writing. ReadWrite enables both reading and writing.
Name	User-defined name for the TagProvider instance. Identifies the specific configuration in the system.
Description	Explains the TagProvider's purpose or the systems it interfaces with. Provides context for its usage.
ProtocolOptions	Defines specific communication settings for the connection to the device.
Connection	Defines connection settings for the MQTT broker, including broker URL, port, client ID, username, password, and security options.

The Test button verifies the connection settings to ensure successful communication with the specified broker.

MQTT Standard

To set up MQTT as a TagProvider, navigate to Unified Namespace → TagProvider Connections and select the MQTT Message Queuing Telemetry Transport.

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Field	Description
BrokerURL

Specifies

Sets the

URL

address of the MQTT broker, typically an IP or hostname.

Port

Sets

Specifies the port number used for

communication with

the MQTT

broker

connection.
ClientID	A unique identifier for the client connecting to the MQTT broker. This is a user-defined string, which can also include the following macros, intermixed with the text: _Guid_: Replaced by a dynamically generated Global Unique Identifier (GUID). _Solution_: Replaced by the name of the solution (without the path or file extension).
InitialBranch	Defines the starting branch or topic for tag subscriptions.
UserName	Specifies the username for authentication with the

MQTT

broker.

Password

Specifies

Sets the password for authentication with the

MQTT

broker.
X509Certificate	Specifies the path or content of an X.509 certificate for secure

communication with the MQTT broker

connections.

X509Certificate Password

CertificatePsw

Specifies

Defines the password for the provided X.509 certificate.

Network Security

Network Security options specify the security protocol (e.g., None, SSL, TLS) and encryption level for MQTT connection. Options include:

None: Applies no encryption or protocols, suitable for secure or isolated networks but poses risks in public settings.

TLS 1.0

SSL2: Implements an early security protocol that is now considered obsolete due to numerous vulnerabilities, including susceptibility to man-in-the-middle attacks and lack of protection against cipher block chaining attacks. Deprecated and should not be used.

SSL3: Offers an updated protocol but remains vulnerable to attacks such as POODLE. Lacks modern security features and should be avoided in favor of newer protocols like TLS 1.2 for secure communications.

TLS: Uses an early version of the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol with enhancements for security, now outdated and vulnerable to attacks.

TLS 1.1: Addresses initialization vector issues and includes protection against certain types of attacks but remains susceptible to modern cryptographic attacks with limited support for new standards.

TLS 1.2: Provides significant security upgrades, supporting modern cryptographic algorithms like AES-GCM and AEAD ciphers. Ensures data confidentiality and integrity with robust mechanisms for secure key exchange and message authentication. Recommended for secure network communications and widely supported across modern systems and applications.

TLS 1.3: Enhances security and performance by reducing handshake latency, eliminating outdated cryptographic algorithms, and enforcing forward secrecy. Supports modern cipher suites, improving overall security and efficiency in network communications.

SSL2: Implements an early security protocol that is now considered obsolete due to numerous vulnerabilities, including susceptibility to man-in-the-middle attacks and lack of protection against cipher block chaining attacks. Deprecated and should not be used.

SSL3: Offers an updated protocol but remains vulnerable to attacks such as POODLE. Lacks modern security features and should be avoided in favor of newer protocols like TLS 1.2 for secure communications.

WebSocked

Enables or disables WebSocket communication for the connection

WebSocket

Enables WebSocket protocol for communication with the MQTT broker

.

Collector ID

Specifies

Assigns an identifier for the data collector

ID for identifying the data source

handling the connection.

QoS

Defines the Quality of Service level for message delivery. Options include:

AtMostOnce: Ensures that each message is delivered at least once to the receiver. This level may result in duplicate messages but guarantees that no message is lost.

AtLeastOnce: Guarantees that a message is delivered at most once, meaning it might not be delivered at all. This level is suitable for scenarios where occasional message loss is acceptable but duplicate messages are not.

ExactlyOnce: Ensures that each message is delivered exactly once. This is the highest level of service, preventing both message loss and duplication, but it incurs the highest overhead.

KeepAlive (

sec.

s)

Sets

Defines the

keep-alive

interval in seconds for

maintaining the connection

sending keep-alive packets to the

MQTT

broker.
Report Out Of Range By Exception	Enables reporting of tag values that fall outside expected ranges.

MQTT SparkplugB

To set up MQTTSpB as a TagProvider, navigate to Unified Namespace → TagProvider Connections and select the MQTT SparkplugB Protocol.

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The Test button verifies the connection settings to ensure successful communication with the specified broker.

Field	Description
BrokerURL	Specifies the address of the MQTT broker, such as an IP or hostname.
Port	Defines the port number used to establish the MQTT connection.
ClientID	Assigns a unique identifier for the SparkplugB client connecting to the broker. This is a user-defined string, which can also include the following macros, intermixed with the text: _Guid_: Replaced by a dynamically generated Global Unique Identifier (GUID). _Solution_: Replaced by the name of the solution (without the path or file extension).
UserName	Specifies the username required for broker authentication.
Password	Sets the password required for broker authentication.
X509Certificate	Provides the path or content of an X.509 certificate for secure communication.
CertificatePsw	Specifies the password for the provided X.509 certificate.
NetworkSecurity	Network Security options specify the security protocol (e.g., None, SSL, TLS) and encryption level for MQTT connection. Options include: None: Applies no encryption or protocols, suitable for secure or isolated networks but poses risks in public settings. SSL2: Implements an early security protocol that is now considered obsolete due to numerous vulnerabilities, including susceptibility to man-in-the-middle attacks and lack of protection against cipher block chaining attacks. Deprecated and should not be used. SSL3: Offers an updated protocol but remains vulnerable to attacks such as POODLE. Lacks modern security features and should be avoided in favor of newer protocols like TLS 1.2 for secure communications. TLS: Uses an early version of the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol with enhancements for security, now outdated and vulnerable to attacks. TLS 1.1: Addresses initialization vector issues and includes protection against certain types of attacks but remains susceptible to modern cryptographic attacks with limited support for new standards. TLS 1.2: Provides significant security upgrades, supporting modern cryptographic algorithms like AES-GCM and AEAD ciphers. Ensures data confidentiality and integrity with robust mechanisms for secure key exchange and message authentication. Recommended for secure network communications and widely supported across modern systems and applications.
WebSocked	Enables or disables WebSocket communication for the SparkplugB connection.
Collector ID	Defines an identifier used to track the data collector.
QoS	Specifies the Quality of Service level for message delivery guarantees.
KeepAlive (s)	Defines the interval in seconds for sending keep-alive packets to the broker.
Report Out Of Range By Exception	Enables exception-based reporting for values that exceed expected ranges.
InitialBranch	Sets the initial branch or topic for SparkplugB tag subscriptions

only when data goes out of the expected range, reducing network traffic.

ConnectionString

Displays the full connection string used to connect to the MQTT broker. Provides a summary of all connection parameters

.

To view the tags imported from MQTT, go to Unified Namespace -> AssetNamespace → Asset Tree and create a folder.

Then, use the "Insert Link to Data from TagProvider" and select the MQTT you just added. You can link all the data to the folder on your Asset Tree or select a specific part of the application.