Application Note: Data logging to MQTT broker (HiveMQ) – Beijer Electronics

Introduction

Data logging to MQTT broker allows you to log your machine data directly to a 3rd party MQTT broker instead of the CloudVPN Portal. As such, it's an alternative to the feature Historical data, where the machine data is logged to the CloudVPN Portal.

The MQTT broker can either be self-hosted or it can be run at an online service like Azure or Amazon Web Services (AWS). In this application note we will be focusing on the cloud based MQTT broker from HiveMQ Cloud. To learn more about this feature check out out article regarding it.

In this application note, we will be sending our data from a CloudVPN router to a HiveMQ Cloud broker and then subscribe from a MQTT Client (MQTT Explorer).

Overview

HiveMQ Cloud Broker
- Setting up HiveMQ MQTT Client Credential for CloudVPN Router
- Setting up HiveMQ MQTT Client Credential for MQTT Explorer
- Downlad CA Cert for HiveMQ
CloudVPN Portal
Connecting your MQTT Client on the laptop
- Download the MQTT Client, in our example we are using MQTT Explorer
- Setting and connecting the MQTT Client
Verifying the connection

HiveMQ Cloud Broker

One you have logged into you HiveMQ Cloud Broker, click on "manage cluster".

Next look for Access Management.

Create 2 new credentials, one of the new credential is for the MQTT Client that is on the laptop, the other is for CloudVPN Router. For the CloudVPN router's credential, it is a required that it matches the CloudVPN Public ID.

Field	Entry	Remarks
Client ID	Meaningful name / Router Public ID	ID for Router must match router's public ID
Password	Provide a complex password for security
Permission	Publish / Subscribe / Both	For this application note: CloudVPN - Publish Laptop Client - Subscribe

CloudVPN Portal

Getting the router's public ID

The MQTT Client ID in the MQTT broker (sometimes called Device ID) needs to be equal to the CloudVPN router's public ID. You can find the CloudVPN router's public ID in the URL by going to the device in the CloudVPN Portal Fleet Manager. For example: cloudvpn.acirroplus.com/fleet-manager/device-configurator/mxLCEyXfR5Lx/.....

Setting up of MQTT Broker (admin)

Go to Admin > MQTT and add a custom broker,

Field	Entry	Remarks
Name	Meaningful name for the broker
Host	URL for the MQTT broker eg. examplehere.s1.eu.hivemq.cloud	Can be found in Cluster Details in HiveMQ Cloud Console.
Port	MQTT Broker port, typically it is 8883	Can be found in Cluster Details in HiveMQ Cloud Console.
CA Cert	HiveMQ broker provider also provides a CA certificate you can upload it here.	Download the cert here.
Message Format	JSON / Sparkplug B	Choose what is applicable.

Add the Client next

Field	Entry	Remarks
Name	Meaningful name for the Client, eg name of the router you plan to connect it with.
Username	Username created in HiveMQ for the router, which is the Router's public ID.	Must match with router's public ID and entry in HiveMQ.
Password	Password entered in HiveMQ for the router.	Must match with entry in HiveMQ.
Certificate	Not used in this example
Key File	Not used in this example

Setting up of MQTT Broker (fleet-manager)

Once you are done setting it up in the Admin page, you need to move over the Fleet Manager > Devices and click on the device name you wish to apply the it to.

Once you have selected the router, select the existing Service (Data Source) that you wish to link to the HiveMQ broker.

Check the "Use custom broker" and select the MQTT Client you have connected and create a meaningful topic.

Connecting your MQTT Client on the laptop

Setting up the MQTT Client

Once you have download MQTT Explorer, launch the software and setup a new connection and enter the fields accordingly. Once you are done you can click on connect.

Field	Entry	Remarks
Name	Meaningful name for the connection.
Host	URL of the MQTT Broker	Can be found in the HiveMQ Console
Port	Port of the MQTT Broker, default Port: 8883	Can be found in the HiveMQ Console
Username	Client ID created for the MQTT Client in HiveMQ Access Management page
Password	Passwored entered for the MQTT Client in HiveMQ Access Management page

Verifying the connection

Once you have set everything up you can connect the MQTT Client on your laptop (MQTT Explorer). If everything is setup correctly you will be able to see the MQTT messages coming though.