Sparkplug is an open-source specification from the Eclipse Foundation that provides MQTT clients with a framework for integrating data from applications, sensors, devices, and gateways. MQTT is a messaging protocol for sensors and mobile devices, often used in IoT.
The Sparkplug specification was designed specifically for use in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) architectures.
“The demand for interoperability of industry systems has never been stronger. An open source protocol that provides operations with access to the data they need while balancing IT’s mandate for security will deliver the adoption of IIoT solutions. MQTT is the necessary protocol, Sparkplug is the needed specification, and the Eclipse Foundation is the perfect steward,” said Jeff Knepper, president of Flow Software, one of the members of the Sparkplug Working Group.
Earlier this month, the Eclipse Foundation announced that Sparkplug 3.0 was published as an international standard by the International Organization for Standardization and International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC).
“Sparkplug, as an international standard, is all about broadening the reach and audience of the specification. ISO/IEC International Standards offer guidance for safety features, quality measures, and interoperability. By becoming an ISO/IEC standard, Sparkplug benefits from global acceptance and accelerated adoption. It joins a globally recognized technical ecosystem. In particular, existing and future ISO/IEC standards will be able to refer to ISO/IEC 20237,” Frédéric Desbiens, program manager for IoT and edge computing at the Eclipse Foundation, wrote in a blog post.
