IoT Gateway
Product Overview
The IoT Gateway is an advanced plug-in that extends the capabilities of the KEPServerEX connectivity platform. It presents RESTful web servers for integration with web services in MES and other systems, while seamlessly streaming real-time industrial data directly into device clouds and Big Data analytics platforms across the enterprise.
The IoT Gateway connects Operations with IT to support the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). This enables decision-makers to search, monitor, analyze, and visualize data for real-time insight into industrial operations-leading to increased system security, improved customer service, streamlined automation, and better decisions across the enterprise.
Enterprise and cloud-based solutions enable organizations to search, monitor, analyze, and visualize KEPServerEX-generated data coming from PACs, PLCs, RTUs, flow computers, OPC servers, and other industrial hardware and software. Kepware has partnered with Big Data and analytics providers to enable insight into the operations and conditions of industrial devices and systems.
Measurement, Verification, and Constant Commissioning: Ensure that devices in the field operate as intended.
Capacity Planning: Monitor data for risk of unplanned device or system downtime.
Root-Cause Analysis and Remote Troubleshooting: Gain a better understanding of the cause of a particular failure on a particular device and improve efficiency.
Anomaly and Outlier Detection: Identify outliers that may be an early indicator of issues in device production or deployment.
Safety, Security, and Compliance: Gain visibility into system performance or set points that could put machines or people at risk, and quickly develop and access reports for compliance purposes.
Cybersecurity: Improve security posture across industrial systems to mitigate emerging cybersecurity threats.
Resources
- Performance
- Protocols
- Available Languages
- Documents
- Release Notes
- Additional Tech Info
Performance
- Streams real-time data from KEPServerEX to mobile, Big Data, Enterprise Asset Management, analytics software, and IoT platforms
- Leverages the 150+ drivers within KEPServerEX to collect data from thousands of industrial sensors and machines, including PLCs, RTUs, PACs, DAQs, controllers, and more
- Provides four agents to stream data over the MQTT, HTTP/REST, and the ThingWorx AlwaysOn protocols
- Offers advanced message formatting for client agents to support multiple data modeling requirements, such as JSON, XML, CSV, and custom models
- Includes advanced features such as deadbanding, support for reading and writing data arrays, multiple simultaneous agents and application connections, Cross Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) restrictions, and CSV tag import and export
- Offers third-party and remote configuration for all agent types through the KEPServerEX Configuration API
Protocols
- MQTT Client
- RESTful Web Services Client
- RESTful Web Services Server
Available Languages
- English
Release Notes
6.3.273.0
9/27/2017
- Resolved issue where MQTT agents would not reconnect after a communication interruption.
6.2.506.0
6/11/2018
- Changed the start/stop behavior of the AutoReconnector to start following a disconnect.
6.2.429.0
6/8/2017
- Added a UI element to modify Rest client connection timeout.
6.1.601.0
4/4/2017
- The IoT Gateway is now accessible via the Configuration API.
- Fixed an issue where the MQTT client agent was not shutting down correctly, causing the service to fail on attempts to reconnect or reinitialize from the Configuration.
- Added generic support for client-side SSL/TLS certificates. Support has been verified with the following MQTT brokers:
- AWS IoT SSL/TLS
- Azure IoT Hub SSL/TLS
- Enhanced input validation and error handling for MQTT broker URLs. Prior to this update, a trailing "/" added to an MQTT URL in the IoT Gateway MQTT agent would not connect or produce a relevant event log message.
- Added support for explicit device reads to the Rest Server agent. This can be useful when the client is aware of when a data change should have occurred, as an alternative to polling for updates.
6.0.2206.0
6/11/2018
- Added property to allow modifying the REST Client connection timeout.
- Improved input validation for MQTT broker URLs.
- Fixed an issue that could cause undesired behavior when URI parsing failed.
- Added a check to allow percent-encoded octets to a hostname.
5.20.396.0
5/3/2016
- Added new agent type for publishing data to the ThingWorx platform. The ThingWorx binary protocol enhances configuration, performance, and secure communications.
- Updated the minimum JRE version to Java 7 (JRE 1.7 32 bit) to support new gateway functionality.
- Corrected an issue where the MQTT Agent could block all other agents if it did not connect on the initial attempt.
- Corrected an issue where "Bad&" quality updates were repeatedly sent to endpoints due to being interpreted as data changes.
- Fixed a defect where write requests would timeout if the device's Scan Mode was set to "Demand Poll Only."
- Fixed an issue where tag scan rate would revert to a default of 10ms if set higher than 32767.
- Fixed an issue where the REST Client Agent was sending an invalid Accept header, causing the connection to be rejected with an HTTP error 406.
- Expanded and corrected error handling on the MQTT engine to provide improved feedback.
- Added support for an advanced template to format data for improved control over the payload being sent from the REST Client and MQTT agents. In addition to JSON, XML and CSV can be generated using this template.
- Added support for writing to Array data types (with the exception of String Arrays).
- Added support for writes via MQTT agents. The MQTT agent can be configured to subscribe to a topic on the MQTT broker to allow other publishers to write to tags under that agent.
- Added support for users to enable or disable connections from Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) sources. This setting can be used when accessing the IoT Gateway REST Server agent from a custom web page.
5.19.467.0
10/20/2015
- New product that converts industrial data to IoT protocols including REST and MQTT.
COMMON FEATURES
- Offers customizable JSON data format to support most MQTT and REST applications
- Supports deadband to limit data throughput
- Supports tag import and export for quick project configuration and deployment
- Has a configurable Publish Rate
- Has a configurable data package size for single transactions
MQTT Client Agent Features
- Supports MQTT Version 3.1.1, including publish and subscription methods
- Supports advanced formatting for multiple data models (JSON, XML, CSV and custom)
- Supports MQTT security and data integrity features, including Transport Layer Security (TLS), certificate-based authentication, username/password authentication, Last Will and Testament, and Quality of Service message delivery
- Supports self-signed certificates from AWS IoT, enabling direct connection without a third-party intermediary
REST Client Agent Features
- Offers HTTP PUT or POST methods for publishing data to web servers
- Supports advanced formatting for multiple data models (JSON, XML, CSV, and custom)
- Supports HTTP security and data integrity features, including Secure Socket Layer (SSL), customizable HTTP header, server-side data receive confirmations, and Basic Authentication via username/password
REST Server Agent Features
- Provides intuitive drag-and-drop configuration, automatically creating tag URLs
- Supports HTTP GET and POST methods, enabling web clients to browse, read, and write to any tag available within KEPServerEX
- Supports HTTP security and data integrity features, including Cross Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) restrictions, Secure Socket Layer (SSL), and Basic Authentication via username and password
ThingWorx Agent Features
- Leverages Java SDK for a native AlwaysOn connection to the ThingWorx IoT Platform
- Groups tags in different ThingWorx Agents to gate server data and easily model assets in the ThingWorx IoT Platform
- Supports Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificates for enhanced security
What Is an Advanced Plug-In?
KEPServerEX is more than an OPC server—it's a connectivity platform for industrial automation and IoT. Simply download KEPServerEX, and then select from Kepware's library of more than 150 device drivers, client drivers, and advanced plug-ins to fit the communication requirements unique to your industrial control system.
An advanced plug-in extends the capabilities of the KEPServerEX connectivity platform. It provides enhanced server functionality, increasing the usefulness of data by transforming it beyond raw data in a device register.
Advanced plug-ins may be licensed individually or as part of suites, and can be licensed on demand as connectivity needs evolve.