Main Concepts
Open-source, Scalable, and Flexible
OIBus is a lightweight, open-source solution designed to simplify data collection in industrial environments. It seamlessly gathers data from diverse sources and transmits it to target applications—whether on-premises or in the cloud.
Originally developed to power OIAnalytics®, OIBus has been maintained by Optimistik since 2020 under the European Union Public Licence (EU-PL). As an open-source project, it offers unparalleled flexibility to address a wide range of use cases. Many solution providers have adopted OIBus to overcome data collection challenges and accelerate industrial digitization.
A Modular, Streaming Solution
OIBus is built with a modular architecture, consisting of three core components:
- South: Collects data from source systems.
- North: Caches and transmits data to target systems.
- Engine: Manages configuration, orchestration, and logging.
This modular design simplifies scalability by centralizing complexity in the Engine, making it easier to develop and integrate new North or South modules.
Advanced Capabilities
Supported Data Sources
OIBus supports a wide range of industrial and business data sources, and its open-source nature allows for continuous expansion:
- Industrial Systems: PLCs, supervisory systems, and historians using protocols like OPC UA™, OPC Classic™, TwinCAT® ADS, and Modbus.
- Business Systems: Access to databases (Oracle Database™, Microsoft SQL Server™, PostgreSQL, MySQL®, MariaDB™, SQLite™) and file retrieval (e.g., Excel, CSV).
- IoT Sensors: Integration with IoT messaging services (MQTT, APIs, etc.).
| Protocol/Type | Historian Capabilities | Direct Access | Typical Use Cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| OPC UA™ | Yes | Yes | PLCs, supervisory systems, historians |
| OPC Classic™ | Yes | Yes | Legacy industrial systems |
| TwinCAT® ADS | No | Yes | Beckhoff PLCs |
| Modbus | No | Yes | PLCs, sensors, devices |
| MQTT | Limited | Yes | IoT sensors, messaging services |
| REST API | Depends on the API | Depends on the API | Web services, cloud applications |
| SQL Databases | Yes | No | Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, etc. |
| File Retrieval, SFTP | No | Yes | Excel, CSV, logs |
Target Applications
OIBus transmits data to various destinations, including:
- SaaS Applications: OIAnalytics®, Amazon S3™, Azure Blob Storage™, REST APIs, and more.
- IoT Platforms: MQTT, APIs, and other IoT messaging services.
- Industrial Systems: OPC UA™ and Modbus.
Performance and Reliability
OIBus is engineered to handle high-volume data streams, with deployments ranging from 10 to 10,000 data points per second. Key features include:
- Reliable and secure communications (HTTPS, tunneling, proxy management).
- Store-and-forward functionality to ensure no data is lost.
- Data compression for optimized transmission.