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A Unified OT Data Layer (UODL) describes the concept of a foundational enterprise-wide OT data layer, which makes all of a company’s operational data seamlessly and securely available to everyone who needs it. Beyond aggregating OT data into a common address space (like a Universal Name Space (UNS) does), the UODL addresses all aspects of enabling, federating, and managing OT data access, its security, reliability, context, and security. Matrikon’s UODL vision is to aggregate OT data on a single open-standard platform so that everyone across the enterprise can access meaningful data. This means all teams share the same real-time view of operations, avoiding miscommunication and speeding strategic decision-making.

MDB fuels your analytics and digital initiatives by providing reliable, high-quality OT data. Many analytics and digital transformation projects fail due to poor data quality or inaccessible data sources. MDB solves this by:

• Unifying disparate data sources: MDB seamlessly integrates with various OT systems, regardless of their communication protocols, overcoming common data access barriers.
• Ensuring data security: MDB handles secure network traversal and firewall access, ensuring your data remains protected.
• Preserving data context: MDB enriches raw data with essential context, making it immediately useful for analysis and decision-making. This context-rich data is crucial for accurate insights and effective AI/ML model training.
• Streamlining data delivery: MDB’s MQTT publisher enables effortless data streaming to any cloud or IIoT platform. We offer deployment guides for popular platforms like AWS IoT SiteWise and Azure IoT for simplified integration.
• Optimizing data for specific applications: MDB uses OPC UA modeling to automatically provide a unified and context-rich dataset, ensuring your analytics tools receive data perfectly formatted for their needs.

In short, MDB provides a robust and reliable solution for delivering high-quality OT data directly into your analytics pipeline, empowering data-driven decision-making and accelerating your digital transformation initiatives.

MDB automatically provides a unified and context-rich dataset thanks to OPC UA modeling. This means your analytics or AI/ML tools can get data labeled and organized out of the box. The MQTT publisher lets you stream data to any cloud or IIoT platform with minimal effort. Matrikon provides deployment guides for AWS IoT Site Wise and Azure IoT, making cloud integration straightforward. In short, MDB delivers data into your analytics pipeline with enterprise robustness.

Matrikon is committed to evolving MDB in line with industry trends. MDB already runs on-prem and in cloud containers, and Matrikon is actively adding features requested by enterprises. For example, REST APIs for easier integration, integrated Azure AD/LDAP security, and enhanced role management. MDB is and will become more convenient, secure, and compliant over time, protecting your investment.

Matrikon’s MDB platform is plug-and-play for OT data, so you don’t have to build connectivity from scratch. In practice, customers have linked multiple factories to the cloud in weeks rather than months. This means insights and automation come online faster, delivering ROI sooner on digital projects.

Yes. Matrikon gives you visibility that fosters efficiency. Integrating OT data enterprise-wide provides the precise, real-time insights needed to reduce waste and energy use. For example, identifying underperforming assets quickly enables corrective actions that support sustainability goals.

SCADA systems excel locally but typically create data silos. MDB bridges all systems, normalizing data into a single layer enterprise-wide. This avoids costly point-to-point integrations and ensures consistency across sites, simplifying analytics and reporting.

ROI varies by use case, but typical benefits include:

• Faster project deployment (automated data integration).
• Lower operational costs (reduced downtime, manual work).

Many customers see payback in under a year through productivity gains and risk reduction.

Success is measured by concrete improvements like reduced downtime, faster deployment times, or lower integration costs. For example, we might aim to cut data retrieval time by 90% or improve overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). Meeting these KPIs shows the Matrikon platform is delivering on its promise.

Matrikon provides 24/7 global support, regular updates, and detailed documentation. For critical needs, dedicated engineering assistance ensures minimal disruption.

MDB simplifies architecture by replacing point-to-point links with a single access point for all OT data. This reduces maintenance overhead, improves cybersecurity (no inbound firewall ports, fewer attack surfaces), and gives operators a unified, real-time view—enhancing decision-making and reliability.

For System Integration (MDB Integration):

MDB is designed for rapid deployment in vendor solutions. Using its pre-built adapters and configuration tools, you can typically connect to PLCs, SCADA systems, or cloud platforms within days. For example:

• Legacy system integration (OPC DA, Modbus) works out-of-the-box.
• Unified OPC UA namespace setup takes hours, not weeks.
• Matrikon provides deployment templates and technical support to accelerate your project timeline.

For OPC UA Stack Library OEMs (Flex/eFlex SDKs):

• If embedding connectivity directly into your hardware or software, Matrikon’s SDKs streamline development. With provided documentation and samples, most teams:
• Implement core OPC UA functionality in under a month.
• Achieve full certification-ready status shortly after.

The Flex (C++) and eFlex (embedded) SDKs handle protocol and security complexities, letting you focus on product differentiation.

For both scenarios, Matrikon offers workshops to align with your goals and expedite results.

In-house development risks technical debt and delays. Matrikon’s proven SDKs provide industrial-strength OPC UA, MQTT, and security out of the box—letting you focus on core product differentiation. This means faster development, fewer bugs, and a more robust offering.

The Matrikon SDK is a library—you write your application and fully control the user experience. You can rebrand or skin any interface, expose only desired features, and whitelabel the implementation. In effect, it becomes a “black box” SDK: end customers see only your product branding while benefiting from Matrikon’s behind-the-scenes capabilities.

Matrikon Flex is a native C++ toolkit, and eFlex is for small-footprint embedded devices. Both provide libraries for OPC UA communication, data modeling, and security. They come with sample code and documentation. Using these SDKs, developers can embed industrial connectivity into their apps with minimal effort, rather than building the OPC UA stack from scratch.

Use Flex (C++) when you need maximum performance or robust OPC UA functionality support. Use eFlex small-footprint embedded device environments for secure, real-time communications. Choose Flex if you need a server-class solution on Windows/Linux, or eFlex if you need a small-footprint UA Server for use in limited computing resource environments.

Embedding Matrikon connectivity makes your devices plug-and-play in any automation environment. You immediately gain features like secure OPC UA, MQTT, and data modeling. This added value means you can market your product as a complete solution, reducing integration effort for customers. In effect, your product stands out because it offers built-in data infrastructure that competitors may lack.

Matrikon’s stack implements OPC UA security and other defensive programming best practices, so you inherit that. Using Matirkon’s professional Flex and eFlex SDKS means your products get a security ‘head start’ because they’re built on a solid security foundation.

Matrikon offers full support contracts for OEM partners. This includes access to updates (new drivers, security patches, performance improvements) and technical support. If you encounter an issue, Matrikon can assist. Essentially, Matrikon maintains the connectivity layer for you, freeing your team to focus on your product’s unique features.

Matrikon designs updates to be non-disruptive. Since the SDK is compiled into your software, updating usually just means dropping in a new library. Matrikon maintains backward compatibility, so existing installations won’t break. You can schedule updates alongside your product releases.

The first step is to contact Matrikon for an evaluation license. Matrikon provides developer kits and example projects so you can test the SDK in your environment. Usually, this involves a technical workshop or proof-of-concept. Once you are set up, you can benchmark performance and prototype your use cases to validate if Matrikon fits your product needs.

MDB uses open standards like OPC UA and MQTT natively. It aggregates multiple OPC UA sources into a single address space and can publish data over MQTT. The MDB platform is extensible via MDB Adapters, which are the primary method MDB uses to natively communicate with 3rd party components. Examples of MDB Adapter connectivity include support for fieldbus protocols—such as Modbus, Ethernet/IP, and PROFINET, conversion of OPC classic servers to UA servers, and connectivity with PLCs like Siemens S7. New MDB Adapters are continually being added. This modularity enables MDB to federate data from PLCs, PCs, databases, and cloud sources (coming soon) into a single Unified OT Data Layer for use enterprise-wide.

Yes. Matrikon’s Flex and eFlex SDKs are natively written in C++ for high-performance industrial applications. However, systems using other languages (such as Python or Java) can integrate seamlessly via OPC UA standards or REST APIs.

Many partners successfully connect applications written in their preferred language using standard OPC UA client libraries to interface with Matrikon servers. While native Python or Java SDKs aren’t currently available, Matrikon ensures full interoperability through strict adherence to open standards, enabling flexible integration regardless of your development environment.

MDB enables OT data to flow directly into cloud and enterprise systems using standard interfaces like OPC UA and MQTT. This supports integration with IoT platforms and analytics services. Cloud-readiness is a core design goal, allowing accurate OT data to be used with minimal configuration.

In addition, by facilitating a single foundational enterprise OT data layer, MDB takes care of getting your OT data securely from your OT networks into your IT network, which is typically the jump point for sending MQTT data to-cloud.

Yes. MDB can function simultaneously as a client (aggregating data from multiple OPC UA servers) and as a server (exposing that data securely to data consumers). This dual capability simplifies architecture and enables consistent access to OT data across the enterprise.

MDB interfaces with business systems by publishing OT data to SQL databases (via UA interfaces), MQTT brokers (on-prem or cloud), or—soon—via REST APIs. This enables MES and ERP systems to ingest real-time data without custom code. Operational data can be mapped to a business schema, aligning plant-floor data with enterprise reporting.

Yes. MDB allows you to import Companion Specification files to use pre-defined object types or create local custom objects. Real-time data can be mapped into these structures, enabling applications to interact with structured, standardized information (customized data views) rather than raw tag values.

Not yet. MDB supports the more robust OPC UA information modeling mechanism and generic MQTT publishing, but Sparkplug B—a payload format used to help MQTT implementations start utilizing standardized information modeling —is not currently supported. It is on Matrikon’s roadmap for future release and may be expedited depending on customer demand.

MDB runs natively on Windows and Linux (including RHEL) and is available as a Linux AppImage or container image (downloadable from the Matrikonopc.com website or Azure Marketplace). The Windows and Linux installers include the OPC UA Explorer GUI. For container-based deployments, the GUI can be installed separately.

Yes. Matrikon OPC UA Explorer provides an intuitive graphical interface for configuring MDB. It lets you browse data sources, import models, map tags, configure federation, and manage subscriptions via a tree-based UI. One UA Explorer window can manage multiple MDB nodes using a “drill-down” topology.

Yes. MDB includes the ability to simulate multiple OPC UA servers. Using UA Explorer, you can create virtual instances and define static or dynamic tag values—useful for testing HMIs, clients, or integration work where real data sources are not available or it is preferable not to use them.

MDB is built to handle high-data throughput environments. It supports hundreds of thousands of transactions per second with low latency, making it suitable for large-scale, real-time industrial data workloads.

MDB provides extensive diagnostics via status tags and message logs. Connection health, data source status, and error messages are visible in the UA Explorer and accessible as UA items. Disconnections and anomalies are logged, making monitoring and troubleshooting straightforward.

Currently, all configuration is performed via the OPC UA Explorer GUI. REST API support for configuration and data access is on the roadmap. Until then, limited automation can be achieved by scripting against the OPC UA interface or using third-party REST-to-OPC bridges.

Not yet. Scripting capabilities are planned for release soon. For now, transformation and validation logic can be implemented externally via OPC UA clients or other subscribing tools.

Yes. MDB supports OPC Classic via Matrikon OPC UA Tunneller and the OPCtoUA Adapter. It also offers a growing list of MDB Adapters for Modbus, Siemens, Ethernet/IP, PROFINET, and more. Upcoming adapters include MQTT Subscriber, REST API support, and Allen-Bradley integration.

MDB supports both single-tier and multi-tier architectures. A single instance can operate standalone, or multiple MDB cores can be deployed across sites to feed into a centralized MDB Core. This hybrid model balances local resilience with global coordination.

MDB is typically licensed per server instance with unlimited tag counts. The Flex and eFlex SDKs are licensed per developer. Matrikon’s licensing model is flat-rate, which simplifies budgeting and reduces cost at scale compared to per-tag pricing.

Yes. A fully featured trial of MDB is available from the Matrikon website. The trial resets periodically but does not expire. Detailed documentation, YouTube tutorials on the Matrikon channel, and technical support resources are available.

Matrikon regularly updates the MDB Platform to support new OS versions, apply security patches, and introduce new features. General release information is available online, and 24/7 global support is available for critical needs.

MDB natively aggregates data sources via its Federator functionality. By federating 3rd party data sources into a Unified OT Data Layer, MDB facilitates a single point of access to all your OT data. This improves security and minimizes the need for data consumers to connect directly to underlying data sources. Data modeling and mapping functionality provides an additional level of control over how the data is presented (data views). Scripting for advanced filtering and data conditioning will be supported in the near future.

MDB handles both real-time and historical data passthrough. While it does not store long-term history, it interfaces with OPC UA Historical Access (HA) enabled applications such as historians or databases via OPC connectors, enabling users to route historical data to the appropriate storage or analysis tools.

MDB uses OPC UA-defined quality status indicators (e.g., “Good,” “Uncertain,” “Bad”) and includes automatic reconnection and buffering mechanisms to minimize data loss during connection interruptions. With the upcoming addition of scripting functionality, users will have further opportunities to implement robust data validation customized to their requirements.

Datasource onboarding in MDB is easy. You can add new data sources via UA Explorer or (in the future) via an API. Once an MDB Adapter (e.g., Siemens, Modbus, OPC UA) is configured, MDB automatically exposes the available items in the MDB namespace. This forms the backbone of a Unified OT Data Layer (UODL), which supports enterprise-wide OT data operationalization.

MDB ensures robust security for cross-network OT data exchange through a multi-layered approach. Using OPC UA Reverse Connect (called “FireBridge” in MDB), MDB nodes inside your OT network securely initiate outbound connections to authorized consumers—eliminating the need to open risky inbound firewall ports, a critical cybersecurity best practice. All communications are protected by industrial-grade encryption (PKI) and X.509 certificate authentication, with strict endpoint validation and role-based access controls. This zero-trust architecture, compliant with IEC 62443 standards, keeps your OT network protected while enabling secure data access where needed. By combining firewall-friendly design with OPC UA’s built-in security, MDB delivers both safety and operational efficiency without compromise. MQTT Publisher utilizes (TLS 1.2/1.3)

Yes. MDB is engineered from the ground up to not just meet but exceed OPC UA security standards, delivering industrial-grade protection for your most critical operational data. At its core, MDB implements the full OPC UA security stack, including TLS 1.2/1.3 encryption, X.509v3 certificate authentication with 2048-bit RSA/ECC keys, and SHA-256/SHA-384 cryptographic algorithms – ensuring every data exchange remains confidential and tamper-proof. Beyond baseline compliance, MDB incorporates advanced security features like secure session establishment with message signing, application instance certificates, and configurable security policies ( Basic256Sha256) to match your organization’s risk profile. It seamlessly integrates with enterprise PKI infrastructure while providing comprehensive certificate management and audit logging. Looking ahead, we’re expanding MDB’s security capabilities with certificate auto-provisioning, granular role-based access controls, and Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) integration – all while maintaining rigorous compliance with industrial security standards like IEC 62443 and NIST SP 800-82. Every security layer in MDB has been validated against OPC Foundation compliance tools, giving you confidence that your OT data remains protected against evolving threats without compromising operational flexibility.

MDB currently uses built-in user accounts (e.g., admin and operator roles). Support for enterprise directory integration (LDAP / Active Directory (AD) / Azure AD) is coming soon. When released, MDB will provide AD group mapping to MDB roles, enabling single sign-on and centralized credential management. This will further tie MDB seamlessly into corporate authentication schemes.

Today, MDB supports basic role-based access (e.g., Admin vs. Operator roles). Matrikon will soon introduce granular security controls, allowing you to define permissions at the object or item level. This will let you restrict which users or systems can see or modify specific parts of the unified namespace – essential for compliance in complex enterprises.

MDB is designed to be highly resilient. Matrikon will soon add data source redundancy to ensure zero data loss if a source fails. MDB also provides MQTT backfill functionality to address internet connectivity loss scenarios while using the MQTT Publisher. Comprehensive logging further helps you monitor uptime for connection drops.