IoT Integration: Software That Connects OT and IT
The integration layer links production data sources with IT systems. It includes IT/OT integration products, which connect machines and controllers via protocols such as OPC UA, Modbus or MQTT and harmonize their data, and data hubs, which distribute that data between applications such as ERP, MES and IoT platforms.
Categories in the Integration layer
7 manufacturers from our partner network. Pick a category to see manufacturers, solution examples and users.
Data hubs
A data hub connects ERP, MES, machines and other systems through central middleware instead of building every connection as a separate interface.
2 manufacturers
Confluent · soffico GmbH
IT/OT integration products
Industrial connectivity software links machines and controllers to IT systems, cloud and data platforms through ready-made connectors, as a central data layer.
6 manufacturers
EMQ GmbH · Confluent · Cybus +3
What the integration layer does
There is a gap between the source layer and the storage layer: machines, controllers and sensors speak different protocols, deliver data in different formats and often span several decades. The integration layer closes this gap. Its software reads data through prebuilt connectors, translates protocols, harmonizes data models and makes the data available via a central messaging bus. It is not a single device but a solution that connects systems with each other.
Typical building blocks are OPC UA servers and clients, MQTT brokers, event streaming with Kafka and connectors for controller protocols such as S7 or Modbus. Many products run as containers on an edge device or on a server in the plant. Edge connectivity frameworks complement them: software components that run on a gateway or industrial PC and pass OT data on to the cloud.
IT/OT integration products and data hubs
IT/OT integration products work close to the machine. They connect heterogeneous machine fleets in a standardized way and provide the data in a uniform structure, often as the foundation for a unified namespace. Data hubs work one level higher: they distribute data between applications, for example between machines, MES, ERP and the cloud, and handle routing, transformation and orchestration. In practice, the two categories overlap, and many products cover parts of both. A unified namespace organizes all production data in one shared, hierarchical structure, usually based on ISA-95, so that every application can subscribe to exactly what it needs.
What to look for when choosing
The connectors are decisive: which controllers, protocols and IT systems are supported without custom development? Other factors are deployment on-premises, in the cloud or hybrid, scalability, rights and certificate management and how open the data model is. Companies connecting several plants should also look for central management and versioning of configurations. Examples from the network include Cybus and Schaeffler for IT/OT integration, soffico for data hubs, and EMQ and Confluent for messaging and streaming. The solution examples show which architecture fits which starting point.
Frequently asked questions about IoT integration
What is IoT integration?
IoT integration means preparing data from machines, controllers and sensors so that IT systems can use it. Protocols are translated, data models are harmonized and the data is distributed via a central bus to platforms, MES or ERP. This is handled by software on the integration layer, such as IT/OT integration products and data hubs.
What is IT/OT convergence?
IT/OT convergence is the merging of operational technology in production with corporate information technology. OT covers machines, controllers and sensors, while IT covers ERP, MES, databases and the cloud. The goal is for production data to reach planning, analytics and maintenance without manual steps, while security zones remain clearly separated.
What is IoT middleware?
IoT middleware is software that sits between devices and applications and handles communication between them. It connects to machines and sensors, translates protocols, harmonizes data and passes it on to platforms, MES, ERP or the cloud. This avoids point-to-point interfaces between every pair of systems and makes it easier to add new applications later.
Which IoT protocols are used in industry?
The most widely used industrial IoT protocols are OPC UA, MQTT and Modbus. OPC UA handles vendor-independent machine communication with semantic data models, while MQTT transports data efficiently to the cloud. Modbus is common in existing plants. PROFINET links controllers and field devices over industrial Ethernet, and IO-Link provides point-to-point connections to sensors. Integration layer software translates between them.
What is machine data collection?
Machine data collection is the automated capture of status, process and quality data from machines. Software reads the values from the controller, from sensors or from an existing machine interface using connectors for protocols such as OPC UA, Modbus or S7. Integration software harmonizes the data and makes it available via a messaging bus, so platforms, MES and analytics all work from the same data.
