The Internet of Things (IoT) is growing exponentially and with it the need for efficient, reliable and resource-saving communication protocols. One such protocol that has proven extremely useful in recent years is MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport)). In this blog post, we would like to give you a comprehensive overview of MQTT, explain how it works and highlight the benefits for IoT applications.
Read the most important information about MQTT now!
What is MQTT?
MQTT is a message-based protocol developed by Andy Stanford-Clark from IBM and Arlen Nipper from Cirrus Link Solutions was developed in 1999. It was specially developed for the requirements of the IoT and is ideal for communication between devices with limited resources or in networks with low bandwidth.
How does MQTT work?
The MQTT protocol is based on a publisher-subscriber modelwhich consists of three main components:
In contrast to traditional client-server models, this publish-subscribe model decoupled communication, which increases scalability and flexibility. The connection between the devices is via so-called MQTT Topicswhich represent specific communication channels. MQTT also uses TCP as the transport protocolto ensure reliable transmission of messages.
Advantages of MQTT
The MQTT communication protocol has many advantages. Here is an overview of the most important ones:
Application examples
These advantages make MQTT particularly useful in various application areas. In buildings sensors and actuators can communicate with each other via MQTT, for example to Lighting, heating and security systems control. In industrial automation, especially in Industry 4.0, MQTT enables the Real-time monitoring and control of machines and production processes. In agriculture and environmental monitoring, sensors can use MQTT to collect data such as soil moisture, temperature and air quality to central systems.
Where is MQTT used with DEOS?
At DEOS, for example, the MQTT protocol is used between the OPENweb (building management software), the LoRa gateway, the OPEN GATE multi-gateway and the IoT platform.
Thanks to standardized interfaces such as MQTT, the pro.Building Suite enables the smooth import and export of data as well as direct communication with the system technology and existing third-party systems.
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Which devices can use MQTT?
MQTT is supported by a large number of devices and systems:
- IoT devices: Sensors, actuators, microcontrollers, etc.
- Industrial automation systems: PLC, SCADA systems
- Home automation: Smart home devices, intelligent lighting, thermostats
- Mobile devices and applications: Smartphones, tablets, mobile applications
- Server and cloud services: Amazon Web Services (AWS IoT), Microsoft Azure IoT Hub, Google Cloud IoT Core
- Development platforms and libraries: Paho, Mosquitto, HiveMQ, RabbitMQ etc.
Is MQTT free of charge?
The MQTT protocol itself is an open standard and can be used freely. There are several open source implementations of MQTT brokers and clients that are freely available, such as:
- Mosquitto: a widely used free open source MQTT broker (download available for Windows and iOS/Mac)
- Eclipse Paho: a collection of open source MQTT clients
How secure is MQTT? The Security of MQTT
MQTT itself has no built-in security mechanisms. The security of MQTT-based systems depends on the additionally implemented security protocols and measures from:
- Transport Layer Security (TLS): Use of TLS to encrypt communication between MQTT clients and brokers.
- Authentication: Implementation of mechanisms for user and device authentication.
- Access control: Use of access control lists to restrict access.
- Security monitoring: Use of monitoring and logging tools to detect and analyze security incidents.
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