The DataHub Architecture
A Single Unified Data Set
The DataHub architecture provides a single, unified data set through which connected servers and clients can exchange data. Each application connects using its own protocol, such as OPC, MQTT, DHTP, Modbus, ODBC, etc. Whenever the DataHub receives a change to a data point value, it immediately updates the data set, and then forwards the new value to every application subscribed to that point, in that application’s own protocol. On a modern CPU, each DataHub instance can process up to 100,000 data point changes per second in this way.
This architecture enables the DataHub to simultaneously:
- Integrate data from multiple sources
- Redistribute data to multiple users
- Convert protocols in real time
- Support server-to-server connections
- Allow scripted interactions with raw data
- Support daisy chain connections for secure IoT
Benefits
- Quick and Complete Access to All Data: Every connected application has immediate access to all allowed data in the system.
- Flexible: You can create server-server bridges, build custom data domains with data from multiple sources, and manipulate or transform data with scripts as it passes through.
- Network-enabled: Any participant can be anywhere on the local network or the Internet.
- Protocol Appropriate: Each participant sees the data in its own protocol, independent of the data source protocol.
- Accessible: Data from any protocol is available to all DataHub integration features and utilities like Scripting, Redundancy, Security, and more.
- Protected: Connected applications are protected from irregular data sources. If a data source goes down, all clients have access to the last valid data until the source recovers.
Real-Time Protocol Conversions
This architecture enables real-time protocol conversion for DataHub products, including these:
| Conversion | Product | Conversion | Product | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OPC DA ↔ OPC UA | DataHub OPC Gateway | OPC ↔ Database | DataHub OPC Logger | |
| OPC ↔ MQTT | DataHub IoT Gateway | OPC A&E ↔ OPC DA | Add A&E | |
| OPC Server ↔ Server | DataHub OPC Bridge | Modbus ↔ OPC | Modbus OPC Server | |
| Custom ↔ Any | DataHub APIs | Modbus ↔ Database | DataHub Modbus Logger |
Data Organization
The unified data set is organized into sub-sets called data domains. Each application reads from and/or writes to points in one or more data domains. This architecture lets system administrators provide or restrict access to data points, on a per-domain basis.
