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FAQ

What is TBMQ?

TBMQ represents an open-source software product developed by ThingsBoard, designed to facilitate communication between MQTT clients. This particular product is freely available for both personal and commercial purposes, with the added flexibility of being deployable in any desired location. For individuals new to utilizing the broker, we suggest consulting the comprehensive resources, namely the what-is-tbmq and the getting started guide, in order to gain a thorough understanding of its functionality. Further details can be found on the dedicated page, providing a wealth of additional information.

How do I get started?

We recommend installing TBMQ locally on your laptop or PC using Docker and follow the getting started guide.

What can I do with TBMQ?

TBMQ enables seamless communication between MQTT clients, ensuring reliable data exchange. It provides robust support for MQTT versions 3.x and 5.0, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of clients. TBMQ enhances both functionality and scalability, making it suitable for IoT deployments of any size.

Where can I host TBMQ?

The hosting options for TBMQ are highly flexible, allowing you to choose from cloud-based environments, on-premises setups, or even running it locally on your personal laptop or PC. For initiating the setup process, we advise opting for the Docker installation, which offers a streamlined and efficient approach. If you’re interested in configuring a cluster setup, a comprehensive guide is available, specifically designed for Docker Compose setups.

What about security?

TBMQ ensures secure communication by supporting MQTT with SSL/TLS encryption, safeguarding data transmission. It also allows the creation of client credentials for authentication and authorization, bolstering system security. With MQTT 5, TBMQ offers enhanced authentication features, enabling more flexible and dynamic client authentication mechanisms. These measures provide robust protection against unauthorized access and strengthen overall security control in your IoT environment.

How many clients and messages per second can TBMQ support?

TBMQ boasts horizontal scalability, meaning it can be expanded seamlessly to accommodate growing demands. Each broker, or node, within the cluster possesses identical capabilities and handles a specific subset of the data. It’s worth noting that the actual performance of the system is contingent upon the specific usage scenario, with factors such as payload size and message rate playing crucial roles in determining the overall efficiency and throughput of the system. For a comprehensive understanding of the performance capabilities of TBMQ, we recommend referring to the dedicated performance test page.

Where does TBMQ store data?

TBMQ utilizes Kafka, Redis, and PostgreSQL for data storage. Kafka handles unprocessed PUBLISH messages, persistent messages for Application clients, and stores client sessions and subscriptions, ensuring seamless data flow across broker nodes. Redis is used for Device persistent clients, providing high-performance message storage and delivery. PostgreSQL stores essential metadata, including user credentials, MQTT client details, and system statistics, ensuring data reliability and integrity.

What license type does TBMQ use?

TBMQ is licensed under Apache 2.0 License. It is free for both personal and commercial usage, and you can deploy it anywhere.

How to get support?

You can use troubleshooting instructions and community resources or contact us and learn more about services we provide.