MQTT Sparkplug B Configuration

Why Sparkplug B and not plain MQTT

MQTT on its own defines neither a data structure nor a standardized way of handling connection state. Sparkplug B adds explicit data types, sequence numbering (to detect lost messages) and a death certificate, so you know instantly when an Edge device disconnects — critical in an industrial setting, where a silently stalled reading is worse than a visible error.

Step 1: MQTT broker

iGromi OS ships with its own Sparkplug-aware MQTT broker on port 8883 (TLS). You can also point it at an existing corporate broker if your organization already runs one.

Step 2: Namespace structure

Sparkplug enforces a fixed topic hierarchy: spBv1.0/{group}/{message}/{node}/{device}. Use the group to represent the plant or area, and the node for each Bridge — that keeps the namespace legible as devices multiply.

Step 3: Birth and death certificates

1. On connecting, the device publishes NBIRTH with the full metadata of every tag (name, data type, numeric alias).
2. Subsequent NDATA messages send only the numeric alias and the value — not the full name — to save bandwidth over cellular or satellite links.
3. Configure the broker's Last Will and Testament (LWT) to point at the NDEATH topic, so an abrupt disconnection is published immediately instead of waiting for a long timeout.

Step 4: Verification in iGromi OS

Under Data Sources > MQTT/Sparkplug, the node should show as ONLINE as soon as the NBIRTH arrives. If it shows STALE, check that the device clock is synchronized (Sparkplug is sensitive to skewed timestamps).