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MQTT comparsion to OPC UA

Article No: KA-09267
Version: 1.0
Subject to change without notice
MQTT comparsion to OPC UA

Table of Contents

Navigating the Digital Landscape: A Comparative Analysis of MQTT and OPC UA for Industrial Applications

This report will be explaining in a short way which communication technology is the best for which use case. 

Let us take a look at MQTT first: 

MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport):

    • Functionality:
      • Based on the Publish-Subscribe model.
      • A broker acts as a central communication hub.
      • Clients connect to the broker and exchange data via topics.
      • Messages are forwarded to all subscribers of a specific topic.
    • Use Cases:
      • IIoT Applications: Ideal for sending data from remote locations over unreliable networks.
      • IoT Gateways: Aggregating and transmitting sensor data to the cloud.
    • Strengths:
      • Secure and reliable data transmission.
      • Efficient for distributed systems.

 
 
 

 

OPC UA (Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture):

    • Functionality:
      • Based on the traditional Server-Client architecture.
      • A passive server provides data to client applications.
      • Standardized services allow access to server data.
    • Use Cases:
      • Closed-loop process control in LAN: Suitable for real-time communication between machines in factory floors.
      • Integration and extension of SCADA systems.
    • Strengths:
      • Efficient for local networks.
      • Well-suited for SCADA systems.

 
 

 

Direct Comparison:

    • Property MQTT OPC UA
      Architecture Pub/Sub Client/Server
      Firewall Separation of network participants possible Direct connection of network participants not possible

Overall, OPC UA offers better performance with fast response times, making it suitable for high-speed applications. If you require substantial computational power or have limited resources, OPC UA is the right choice .

Please note that this is a simplified overview, and there are additional aspects to consider when making a selection. 
 
 
 

Hopefully you have know a better overview about this two communication technologies in the case you have a discussion with a customer the next time. 

 
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