MQTT Broker Communication Server: BRK Series

System Architecture

MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) is a communication architecture developed by IBM for the Internet of Things (IoT). It is useful for mobile applications because of its small size, low power usage, minimized data packets, and efficient distribution of information to one or many receivers, especially in unstable networks. MQTT is implemented based on the publish/subscribe architecture. In its network, there is a server (Broker) responsible for the intermediary layer of information, and other devices can send information to the Broker by publishing a topic, or get information from the Broker by subscribing to a topic.

BRK Series is Sever of MQTT, can connect with large amount of ICP DAS modules with MQTT protocol: for example, the DL-300 series of data Logger sensors which can measure CO, CO2, Temperature, Humidity and Dew Point information. The communication mechanism that supports MQTT publishes the collected on-site environment parameters to the BRK Series, and can simply monitor the on-site environment from a long distance by subscribing to the BRK Series using a mobile device or SCADA software that supports MQTT Client. The Ethernet I/O modules of the MQ-7200M series can automatically publish the collected digital I/O values to the BRK Series through MQTT. The MQTT Client only needs to subscribe and publish to the BRK Series to monitor or change remotely DO status of the Ethernet I/O modules.

Features:

► Built-in database
Support MongoDB BRK-2841M can record the collected data into the built-in MongoDB without the added extra database.
Data Redundancy Two or more BRK-2841M consist of a redundancy group in which all databases are synchronized to achieve data redundancy.
Database Failover BRK-2841M in the same redundancy group will monitor each other to see if they are functioning properly, and in case of failure, the rest of the devices will take over to ensure that the database recording is not interrupted.

► Communication Redundancy Architecture – rapid setup

Redundancy System

► Information Security Protection – Multiple Mechanism

HTTPS

The built-in web server support HTTPS protocol which is authentication of accessed website to protects against man-in-the-middle attacks and ensure the privacy and integrity of exchanged data while it is in transit.

Management of Broker permissions

Allow/prohibit connection requests to the Broker from specific IP addresses, Client IDs, or Broker users, and perform the first stage of filtering from the connection to improve the stability and security of the Broker.

Management of Topic Publish/Subscribe

Allow/prohibit publish/subscribe to Topics, to normalize the publish/subscribe privileges of Topics by Clients who have passed the first stage of filtering, and to prevent important Topics from being modified with or read by others.

► MQTT Broker – Bridge and Cluster

Support MQTT Bridge

Under Bridge Mode allows multiple Brokers to communicate and transfer data.

Following introduce the features of Bridge Mode:

- Transfer data to specific Brokers according to predefined rules.

- Subscribe to specific Topics on the Bridge node and transfer or forward them to local or
remote Brokers after receiving the data.

Support MQTT Cluster

In Cluster Mode, two or more BRK-2841M work together to ensure the consistency and availability
of MQTT services, which is very important for enterprises that cannot afford downtime.

Available soon

Will be phased out

Phased out

IIoT MQTT Communication Server

Model

CPU

SDRAM

Flash

Non-Volatile Memory

microSD Card

Ethernet Port

USB
Port

BRK-2841M

Linux Kernel 4.1.15

Quad-core ARM CPU,
1.6 GHz/Core

DDR3
2 GB

8 GB

FRAM 64 KB
MRAM 128 KB

4 GB
(Max. 32 GB
microSDHC
or 2 TB microSDXC)

MQTT Broker Communication Server: BRK Series Applications

Bridge Architecture Application

Many corporations have large factories, ex: manufacturing, and some areas (ex: confidential data areas or clean rooms) require access control, which causes inconvenience in entering and exiting that takes longer when need troubleshoot. The corporations often take remote control systems to solve the problem. However, the remote control will expose the devices to the external network environment. As long as any device in the system has a data security vulnerability, the entire system may be attacked or even paralyzed.

ICP DAS provides BRK-2000 Series MQTT Bridge Architecture. Through the MQTT Bridge mechanism, only the Topics and permissions that are authorized to be transmitted will send to the Remote Broker in the Bridge Architecture. And the built-in MQTT connection authentication methods such as Account/Password, Client ID, Certificates, etc., to increase the security of the communication to protect data. When doing the remote control, the operations are only to the Remote Broker. The equipment network in the factory can separate from the external network. If the external network communication is abnormal, the internal factory system can still operate without external influence.

Redundancy Architecture Application

With the development of the Internet of Things, more companies widely use Machine-to-Machine communication to track on-site producing processes, machine operating conditions, report errors, and issue service alerts in real-time. Under the needs, how to protect data from natural disasters and man disasters that damage the system or data has always been the main topic.

ICP DAS provides the BRK Redundancy Architecture for a solution that uses two BRK-2000 Series, one BRK-2000 (Main Broker) provides the MQTT services, and the other is used as a standby backup (Backup Broker) monitor the Main Broker at any time. Once the Main Broker is abnormal (such as shutdown without warning), the standby Backup Broker will take over in time. The MQTT service will not be interrupted, the system manager will have more time to deal with the problem, and the entire system will continue work.

Cluster Architecture Application

The manufacturing industry often deploys sensors to collect the machine status of the production process, parameters, etc. to improve production efficiency, control quality, and reduce the production line shut down due to equipment failure. The sensors send these data to the control center to perform calculations and visualization so that the on-site person can instantly get the status of the production process. However, during the data collection process, the control center may not get the field devices data due to the failure of the network traffic.

To solve this problem, ICP DAS provides the BRK-2000 Series Cluster Architecture that uses two and more BRK-2000 to form a High Availability Cluster. The BRK devices in the Cluster share to do the MQTT services. Since the BRK devices in the Cluster can complete the same tasks, if one BRK fails, other BRK devices can continue to work, thus ensuring the nonstop of MQTT services. BRK-2000 has a built-in Load Balancer function, which allows connection services to be equally distributed in the Cluster, making full use of the processing capabilities of each Broker in the Cluster and improving the processing efficiency of tasks.

Plastic Injection Molding Machine Monitoring Applications

Due to labor costs increasing and manpower shortages in the manufacturing industry, how to digitize information is an important issue, companies have trouble integrating IT and OT staff because they have different perceptions, and eventually have to abandon the project. The difficulties, in this case, can be divided into the following items:

1. Hard to record Sensor value
2. Machine messages scattered
3. No Data Graphing

ICP DAS uses the U-7526M to convert analog signals into RESTful API / MQTT data to achieve the goal of "information digitization". Makes it more flexible for database and graphic software and makes it easier to control and record.

Advantages of ICP DAS:

1. Digitalization for recording
2. Centralized message

3. Data graphing