Introduction to the Sparkplug™ Driver

This driver is an extension driver. It provides additional application-specific functionality to the 'parent' driver with which it is associated. To interact successfully with devices using an extension driver, you need to:

• Install and run both the extension driver and its 'parent' driver (and, if applicable, its 'grandparent' driver)
• Ensure that the extension driver and its 'parent' driver (and, if applicable, its 'grandparent' driver) are licensed
  (some extension drivers are licensed separately to their 'parent' driver)
• Configure the required database items and settings on the 'parent 'driver (and, if applicable, the 'grandparent' driver)
• Configure the required database items and settings on this extension driver.
• Ensure that the database items (and any database items on which they depend) have valid, saved, configuration and are 'In Service'.

Intended Audience

This guide is primarily intended for engineers who are responsible for configuring Sparkplug driver items and features in the Geo SCADA Expert database.

The guide also contains information for operators and maintenance engineers.

Document Scope

This guide explains the configuration, features and database items that are specific to the Sparkplug driver in Geo SCADA Expert. The driver provides Geo SCADA Expert with the ability to communicate with MQTT brokers in order to retrieve and/or control data on Sparkplug Edge Nodes and Sparkplug devices.

Prerequisite Reading

This guide contains technical information that is intended for users that are sufficiently familiar with Geo SCADA Expert configuration and operation. Before reading this driver guide, ensure that you are familiar with:

• Geo SCADA Expert configuration practices, procedures, and the configuration of properties that are common to many database items. For more information, see the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Core Configuration, and the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Core Point Configuration.
• Driver structure, components, and configuration properties, pick actions, and status attributes that are common to many drivers. For more information, see the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Drivers.

• The database items and configuration that are specific to this extension driver's 'parent' driver, along with any pick actions, status attributes, and logging options that are specific to that 'parent' driver. (Unless stated otherwise, this extension driver supports the features and options that are supported by its 'parent' driver, in addition to the features and options that are described in this extension driver guide.)

Some sections of this guide are intended for operator-level users. These sections are intended for users that are familiar with the navigational and operational aspects of Geo SCADA Expert. Before reading the operational sections in this guide, ensure that you are familiar with:

• The Geo SCADA Expert user interfaces (ViewX and Virtual ViewX), the various types of display, their navigation and operation. For more information, see the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to ViewX and Virtual ViewX Clients.

WARNING

POTENTIAL SECURITY BREACH

We strongly recommend using network-connected Geo SCADA Expert drivers in a private network only (either physical or virtual). We recommend against using such drivers for communications over the public Internet. If the drivers are used over the public Internet, as a minimum those drivers should use TLS to help provide a secure connection over the network.

Failure to follow these instructions can result in death, serious injury, or equipment damage. The breach in system security could expose sensitive data and the leave the database vulnerable to unauthorized and potentially malicious use.

The Sparkplug driver is an MQTT extension driver. It provides Geo SCADA Expert with the ability to communicate with Sparkplug™ compliant MQTT brokers in order to retrieve and/or control data on Sparkplug Edge Nodes and Sparkplug devices. For such communications, Geo SCADA Expert needs to run both the MQTT driver and the Sparkplug extension driver (see Confirm that the Sparkplug™ Server Component is Installed).

Use this Geo SCADA Expert Guide to the Sparkplug Driver alongside the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to the MQTT Driver. As much of the information in the latter guide is assumed knowledge, we recommend that you read the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to the MQTT Driver before reading this driver guide.

Policy of Continuous Development

To maintain Geo SCADA Expert's position as a leading SCADA solution, we operate a policy of continuous development. Each new version of our product supports additional features and functionality to previous releases. To use the new drivers, features, or functionality involving database items, your system has to be running the latest version of Geo SCADA Expert software. Additionally, if you have upgraded from an earlier version of the product, you have to deactivate any Database Emulation that was activated during the upgrade process. You should only deactivate the Database Emulation once you have successfully completed the upgrade process on all of the servers and clients in your system (see Deactivate Database Emulation after a Successful Upgrade).