Work

A distributed architecture for MQTT messaging: the case of TBMQ

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This article introduces ThingsBoard Message Queue (TBMQ), a scalable and fault-tolerant Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) broker designed to address the challenges of data handling in large-scale Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystems. TBMQ’s distributed architecture enables horizontal scalability, fault tolerance, and reliable data delivery, ensuring high availability and data durability under heavy load conditions. The broker efficiently handles two prevalent communication patterns in big data IoT applications: the fan-in pattern, where a large number of devices generate high volumes of messages for processing, and the fan-out pattern, where a few requests trigger significant outgoing data to multiple devices. Leveraging Apache Kafka (Kafka), TBMQ supports over 100 million concurrent client connections and a throughput exceeding 3 million messages per second. This paper explores the architectural decisions, technical innovations, and strategic use of Kafka, providing insights into building reliable and scalable messaging systems suitable for the demanding requirements of big data in IoT.

Source: Journal Of Big Data

DOI: 10.1186/s40537-025-01271-x

Authors: Andrii Shvaika, Dmytro Shvaika, Dmytro Landiak, Volodymyr Artemchuk

Institutions: National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Pukhov Institute for Modelling in Energy Engineering, Ternopil Ivan Pului National Technical University, Kyiv National Economic University named after Vadym Hetman, National University "Kyiv Aviation Institute"

Language: English

Topic: IoT and Edge/Fog Computing

Subfield: Computer Networks and Communications

Field: Computer Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,290