Download the updated MQTT technical guide (form 2350) to better understand using MQTT in groov EPIC and groov RIO.

If you've been a long-time OptoBlog subscriber or have used Opto 22 groov products, you've heard about the MQTT technology included in groov EPIC and RIO.  We've even created a section of the website dedicated to MQTT Resources like white papers, videos, and technical articles to give you a better understanding of this popular protocol.

One of the resources worth referencing is the Getting Started with MQTT in groov Products technical guide.  This comprehensive, structured user's guide helps you make an educated decision about which of the MQTT clients and options in groov products are best suited for your application. The guide explains the features, differences, and configuration procedures of each. Plus, you'll find some additional resources to help you build out your MQTT network or make a pitch for using MQTT.

Just recently, the guide has been updated to include changes made to the groov Manage menu. You'll notice configuration for both MQTT and OPC UA have been moved to a new menu button called "Data Service." The guide features illustrations and more details about these recent updates.

Watch the first Opto 22 developer video of 2023 as host Terry Orchard explains Secure Shell access for both groov EPIC and RIO devices.

Welcome to the first of many new developer videos you'll see in 2023! Terry Orchard returns as your host to walk you through an important programming option for groov EPIC and groov RIO devices: Secure Shell  (SSH).

If you use C/C++, Python, Java, or other languages, you can use what you already know to build custom applications and run them on the groov EPIC processor or groov RIO edge I/O module through Secure Shell access.

The SSH protocol provides a secure remote login from one computer device to another. With strong authentication options (including passwords and public key authentication), plus strong encryption protection for communication security and integrity, SSH offers secure access for both users and automated processes. 

Follow along in this 12 minute video to learn how to get a Shell license, activate, and then install it on your groov devices.

Learn about the tools and technology trends industry experts expect to shape IIoT this year in the Industrial Ethernet Book.

Have you downloaded your copy of the January/February issue of Industrial Ethernet Book yet? IEB kicks off each year with a Special Report, and this year's report focuses on what will be changing in the world of IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things).

Opto 22 engineer and Director of Business Development, Arun Sinha, was asked to provide his insight on the changes he anticipates for the IIoT and the industrial controls/automation industry.

In-person, instructor-led training classes resume at Opto 22 factory headquarters in Temecula, CA.

Many of you have been asking for groov EPIC Premium Factory Training, and 2023 is the year! After a hiatus from in-person training due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Opto 22 training staff is ready with an updated and more detailed groov EPIC curriculum. 

Here's your chance to get hands-on instruction and some great tips and guidance from Opto engineers, all in a matter of 4 days in (usually sunny) Temecula, California. With each student at their own training station, everyone can program their own groov EPIC Learning Center.

Since it's been a few years, here's a refresher on topics the groov EPIC training covers and what's included in your 4-day agenda.

Catch up with a successful Plugfest in episode 10 of IntegrateLive!

What happens when you take hardware from Opto 22, SignalFire, Wireless Telemetry, and Phoenix Contact, along with software from Software Toolbox 's DataHub using both legacy PLC data and new greenfield data, and then bring MQTT Sparkplug into the mix to publish the data?

See for yourself as the IntegrateLive team, along with representatives from all these companies, make magic happen in this special edition Plugfest, made possible by the Eclipse Foundation and its Sparkplug Working Group.

Watch the recording to see how Cirrus Link Solutions, Inductive Automation, HiveMQ, Canary, and Flow Software also all had important roles in this ambitious MQTT Sparkplug build-out.

Plan now for the events and conferences you want to attend in 2023.

Our conference schedule for the year is shaping up to be a busy year of in-person as well as virtual events. Take a look at what's available online or in your area and plan to join us at one or more of these industry events. You'll have several opportunities to see live demos of groov EPIC and groov RIO.

Here's what's on the schedule so far.

Join Cirrus Link Solutions and Opto 22 in Houston for a joint exhibit showcasing solutions for the oil and gas industry.

Looking at automation to meet your challenges with wellsite applications? Come to the upcoming Onshore Wellsite Automation event. We'll be there with Opto Technology Partner, Cirrus Link Solutions. 

Join us in Houston January 31 - February 1, where you'll see live product demos using MQTT on groov EPIC and groov RIO. You'll also learn best practices to achieve data mobility and the security required for today’s industrial cyber environment. 

This Colorado-based system integrator can help with your automation projects.

If you're looking to get real-time data from production equipment for dashboarding and enterprise-wide reporting, the engineering team at Convergence Controls and Engineering can help. They're the newest member of our OptoPartner system integrator program. 

Based in Littleton, Colorado, but serving all of the United States and Canada, Convergence Controls brings their expertise to major industries including energy, food and beverage, water treatment, manufacturing and more.

See what people were watching in 2022 on the OptoVideo YouTube channel.

The start of a new year is a good time for reflecting on what worked well the previous year. So we took a look at our OptoVideo channel on YouTube to see what videos received the most views and proved to be the most popular in 2022.

Review the new Top 10 Videos of 2022 playlist to see what you might have missed, or re-watch some valuable content. Topics range from programming with Node-RED, to unlocking the power of the edge with Ignition, to using the new OPC UA server on groov RIO.

See how system integrators in water/wastewater, natural gas production, and manufacturing leveraged MQTT and industrial edge devices to securely access and use key data.

If your goal is to get useful data from field devices and legacy systems, you’ve probably found that putting together an IIoT system is complicated, requiring many OT and IT devices, software, and protocols.

But these 3 real-world case studies show how two tools—the MQTT communications protocol and industrial edge devices—can simplify your IIoT project.