MindConnect Async API¶

Idea¶

The MindConnect Async API provides topics and message structures to ingest data securely and reliably into Industrial IoT using MindConnect MQTT. The async APIs can be used for several purposes such as defining and initializing the models (Asset Modeler Async API Service), exchanging time series data, sending events and so on. For further information about the MindConnect Async API, refer to the MindConnect Async API specification.

Access¶

For accessing these APIs, you need to upload your CA Certificate. For more information, refer Managing CA Certificates.

The agent platforms using this API must support MQTT.

Basics¶

Time Series Data Model¶

Create the asset model and instantiate it before accessing this API, or else no data will be available on IoT Timeseries. For more information, refer to Asset Modeler Async API Service.

Data Upload¶

MindConnect Async APIs allows the agents to asynchronously upload the device data. The data can be of type:

• Time Series Data
• File
• Events

For instructions refer to Sending Data from MindConnect MQTT Agent.

Standard Data Types¶

The MindConnect Service uses standard data types, which allows to automatic processing of data without additional configuration or coding. This means:

• The API defines how standard data types are transmitted, for example, how metadata and production data need to be formatted as MQTT messages.

• Standard data types are automatically parsed and the information is stored to (virtual) assets.

• For each of the standard data types, there is a pre-configured mass data storage available.

• Data of standard types can be accessed and queried in a standardized way by applications and analytical tools.

The following standard data types for production data are supported:

• Time Series
  Time Series are data point values that change constantly over time, for example, values from analog sensors like a temperature sensor. This also applies to any other measured values that have an associated timestamp.
• Events
  Events are based on machine events, for example, emergency stops or machine failures. However, this mechanism can also be used to upload custom notifications, for example, if you do on-site threshold monitoring and want to report a broken threshold.
• Files
  Files of up to 75 kB can be uploaded per publish request. The files are attached to the corresponding (virtual) asset, for example, device log files or complex sensor structures. Files that are uploaded can be referenced by the parent (virtual) asset. The content of these files is not parsed. It requires custom applications or analytical tools to interpret and visualize the data.

Features¶

The MindConnect Service exposes its Async API to agents for realizing the following tasks:

• Upload time series
• Upload files
• Upload events

Limitations¶

• There are frequency limits per environment and per client for published and received messages.

• The number of samplings in a message is limited.

• The time series data and event payload for every publish request is limited to 128 KB.

• Files of up to 75 KB can be uploaded per publish request.

Related Links¶

• Asset Modeler Async API Service

• Sending Data from MindConnect MQTT Agent

• Event Management API Service

• Managing CA Certificates

• MindConnect MQTT Broker