Cogent DataHub is always expanding its wide range of flexible connectivity options between different data sources such as MQTT, OPC UA, OPC DA, ODBC, DDE and so much more. With the advent of IIoT and its increasing adoption across industries, connectivity to various traditionally non-IIOT data sources via MQTT is key.
If you're not familiar with the concept of a virtual or digital twin, it's the idea of virtual modeling a physical asset or system. Ultimately, the key motivators for creating digital twins is having the ability to accurately model and predict what will happen with the real-world physical equivalent of that digital twin. Digital twins are extremely beneficial towards predictive analytics used for pro-active maintenance and process optimization across industries.
In this next installment of our Cogent DataHub Virtual Training series, we will cover step-by-step how to easily connect and push data from OPC data sources to digital twins in the Azure IoT Hub including how to optionally do so through a network DMZ (DeMilitarized Zone) using an additional DataHub as a proxy server for even greater security.
Watch this video to learn how to securely pass data through an optional DMZ proxy server and up to digital twins in Azure IoT Hub using MQTT protocol. If you haven't already watched our training video on connecting your OPC data sources to Cogent DataHub, you can get caught up here.
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Just to summarize, in this video, I've shown you how to:
- Connect OPC data sources on your OT network to a DataHub proxy server in your network DMZ.
- Optional step adds additional layer of security as sometimes preferred and/or required preferred by some IT departments.
- Note: Assumes prior training on connecting OPC UA and OPC DA data sources to the source DataHub - click here to get caught up on that training.
- Use the Azure IoT Explorer to create the required path for DataHub and monitor MQTT traffic to confirm the connection is working.
- Using the Azure Portal, confirm the correct connection string from your defined IoT Hub in Azure which is needed to create the required patch for connecting DataHub.
- Request our guide on downloading and using the Azure IoT Explorer, by clicking here.
- Use MQTT to move OPC data into the Azure IoT Hub for use in digital twin and other big data applications.
This training specifically covers connecting OPC data in DataHub to Azure IoT Hub; however, data from any configured data domain in DataHub can be used (which applies to any data source DataHub can connect to).
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Ready to move your own data into the Azure IoT Hub using DataHub?
