Deploy a Broker

The HiveMQ Platform helps you set up and run MQTT brokers. You can use the platform to deploy an MQTT broker that either HiveMQ hosts as a service (HiveMQ Cloud) or that you host as self-managed software (HiveMQ Enterprise MQTT Broker). This topic helps you compare two ways to deploy MQTT brokers and describes how to deploy them using the HiveMQ Platform.

You cannot use the HiveMQ Platform to deploy a HiveMQ Cloud Enterprise broker. For more information about Cloud Enterprise, contact the HiveMQ Team.

Choose How to Run HiveMQ

HiveMQ Cloud and HiveMQ Software are two deployment options for the same product. The options differ in who operates the MQTT broker and how you enable functionality.

	HiveMQ Cloud	HiveMQ Software
Operated by	HiveMQ (as a managed service on AWS)	You (self-managed, on-premises, or your own cloud)
Functionality	Several levels that depend on the plan tier that you choose	All functionality is available after you license the broker
Best for	A fast start with no infrastructure to manage	Full control over where and how the broker runs

HiveMQ Cloud

HiveMQ Software

Operated by

HiveMQ (as a managed service on AWS)

You (self-managed, on-premises, or your own cloud)

Functionality

Several levels that depend on the plan tier that you choose

All functionality is available after you license the broker

Best for

A fast start with no infrastructure to manage

Full control over where and how the broker runs

In the HiveMQ Platform, you can ask agent Bea to compare HiveMQ Cloud with HiveMQ Software.

Deploy a HiveMQ Broker

When you use the HiveMQ Platform to deploy a HiveMQ broker, the platform helps you download the latest version of the HiveMQ Enterprise MQTT Broker as software packaged for your preferred environment. You manage the HiveMQ broker and the environment in which you run it.

The platform includes deployment options for Docker, Kubernetes, Local installation, AWS, and Azure.

Depending on your setup, you can use a free HiveMQ Lab license key from the platform or provide an existing license key.

Deploying and connecting a HiveMQ broker to the HiveMQ Platform with a free Lab license is a quick way for you to experience the network visibility and data flow, analysis, and governance capabilities that the HiveMQ Platform provides.

To make use of the intelligence capabilities in the HiveMQ Platform, HiveMQ 4.55 (LTS) or later is required.

To deploy a HiveMQ broker using the HiveMQ Platform, follow these steps:

Open the Connect page of the HiveMQ Platform and click Get Broker or Edge.
On the How do you want to get started? page, select Deploy a new broker.
On the Choose how to run HiveMQ page, select HiveMQ Cloud or HiveMQ Software, then click Continue. The platform UI presents deployment options and instructions based on your selection.

HiveMQ Cloud deployments do not yet support Data Intelligence in the HiveMQ Platform. This means the Contextualize and Analyze capabilities are not available for Cloud-deployed brokers.

Deploy a new Self-Managed HiveMQ Broker

When you select HiveMQ Software, the next step is to choose a way to run your self-managed HiveMQ broker. You can choose from the following options on the How to deploy your broker page:

Docker
Kubernetes
Install locally
AWS
Azure

The host that runs your HiveMQ broker must allow outbound connections to the HiveMQ Platform on TCP port 443. No inbound firewall rules are required. For more information, see Network Requirements.

Docker

On the How to deploy your broker page, select Docker.
In the Your license area, choose Get a free license from the license drop-down menu.
HiveMQ automatically generates a license key for a free Lab license package.
In the Run the container section, click the copy icon next to the command. The command sets your license key as an environment variable and starts the broker. You do not need to edit it.
Open a terminal window and run the command you copied. Wait for your HiveMQ broker to start, then click View broker to continue.
On the page for your new broker, check for a Broker connected confirmation.

Your broker is now connected to the HiveMQ Platform with Data Intelligence enabled.

Kubernetes

This deployment option requires Kubernetes 1.24.x or higher, Helm 3.10.x or higher, and the Kubernetes command-line tool kubectl.

On the How to deploy your broker page, select Kubernetes.
In the Your license area, choose Get a free license from the license drop-down menu.
HiveMQ automatically generates a license key for a free Lab license package.
Select Install the HiveMQ Platform Operator with Helm.
Use the copy icon next to the command to add the HiveMQ Helm repository to your local Helm setup and install the HiveMQ Platform Operator.
Open a terminal window, run the command you copied, and press Enter.
Select Install HiveMQ Platform.
Click the copy icon to copy the first command.
Open a terminal window, run the command you copied, and press Enter.

For additional setup options, see the configuration guide.
To reach the platform from your machine, use the copy icon next to the command to create a port-forward.
Open a terminal window, run the command you copied, and press Enter.

The Control Center is then available at http://localhost:8080 with the default login credentials admin / hivemq. MQTT clients can connect on port 1883.
Select Enable Data Intelligence.
To enable Data Intelligence, click the copy icon to copy the provided command.
Open a terminal window, run the command you copied, and press Enter.

The command creates a Secret named hivemq-pulse-configuration that holds the configuration. The --reuse-values option keeps the license key you set in the previous step.

Your broker is now connected to the HiveMQ Platform with Data Intelligence enabled.

Install locally

On the How to deploy your broker page, select Install locally.
In the Your license area, choose Get a free license from the license drop-down menu.
HiveMQ automatically generates a license key for a free Lab license package. To continue, select Download HiveMQ.
In the Install and start the broker section, select the operating system of your machine: Install on Linux/macOS or Install on Windows.
Use the copy icon to copy the provided installation command. The command includes your license key and does not need to be edited.
Open a terminal window and run the command you copied. Wait for the broker to start, then click View broker.
On the page for your new broker, check for a Broker connected confirmation.

Your broker is now connected to the HiveMQ Platform with Data Intelligence enabled.

AWS

This deployment option requires an AWS account.

On the How to deploy your broker page, select AWS.
In the Your license area, choose Get a free license from the license drop-down menu.
HiveMQ automatically generates a license key for a free Lab license package. Copy the generated license key for use in Control Center. To continue, select Launch on AWS.
Follow the Quick-launch HiveMQ on an AWS EC2 instance guide to select your AMI, pick an instance type, configure settings and security, and launch your broker. To continue, select Login to Control Center and apply your license.
Navigate to http://<host>:8080 in your browser and open the HiveMQ Control Center. Use the address from the EC2 Instance Overview.
Log in with the default credentials: user admin, password hivemq.
On the Licenses view of Control Center, switch to the License Key tab and paste the license key you copied in Add license key. To continue, select Enable Data Intelligence.
Restart the broker. Wait for the broker to start, then click View broker.

A single-node broker is now connected to the HiveMQ Platform with Data Intelligence enabled.

Azure

This deployment option requires Azure and GitHub accounts.

On the How to deploy your broker page, select Azure.
In the Your license area, choose Get a free license from the license drop-down menu.
HiveMQ automatically generates a license key for a free Lab license package. To continue, select Deploy to Azure.
To deploy a broker cluster with an ARM Quickstart Template, go to the ARM templates on GitHub and follow the HiveMQ on Azure guide.
Navigate to http://<host>:8080 in your browser and open the HiveMQ Control Center.
Log in with the default credentials: user admin, password hivemq.
On the Licenses view of Control Center, switch to the License Key tab and paste the license key you copied in Add license key. To continue, select Enable Data Intelligence.
Restart the broker. Wait for the broker to start, then click View broker.

Your broker deployment is now connected to the HiveMQ Platform with Data Intelligence enabled.

Deploy a HiveMQ Cloud Broker

When you use the HiveMQ Platform to deploy a HiveMQ Cloud broker, HiveMQ provisions the service and registers the broker with the platform immediately, making it visible to other devices in your network.

HiveMQ Cloud plans do not currently support Data Intelligence in the HiveMQ Platform. To use Data Intelligence in the HiveMQ Platform, deploy a self-managed HiveMQ broker with HiveMQ Software.

To deploy a HiveMQ Cloud broker using the HiveMQ Platform, follow these steps:

Open the Connect page of the HiveMQ Platform and click Get Broker or Edge.
On the How do you want to get started? page, select Deploy a new Broker.
On Choose how to run HiveMQ, select HiveMQ Cloud, then click Continue.
On Select your Cloud Plan, compare the Serverless and Starter plan options, select a plan, and then click Continue:
- If you selected Serverless, on Get Started with Serverless, click Create Serverless Broker.
  
  HiveMQ deploys your serverless broker immediately. If this is your first broker, a broker named Free#1 appears in the Network view on the Connect page. The platform names serverless brokers that you deploy sequentially.
  
  The Cloud Serverless plan limits your account to 2 cluster deployments.
  
  The status of a cloud broker that you just deployed under a Serverless plan shows Running.
- If you selected Starter, on Configure your trial HiveMQ Cloud starter plan, take the following steps:
  1. Optionally, in Broker name, replace the default name with a name of your choice.
  2. Click I agree to HiveMQ’s Individual Use Terms and Privacy Policy.
  3. Click Start Free Trial.
    
    HiveMQ starts provisioning your broker immediately. The broker name appears in the Network view on the Connect page. The status of the new Starter broker shows Provisioning… for a few minutes, then updates to Running.
    
    The Starter plan includes a 15-day free trial. To keep your broker after the trial ends, add a payment method to your Starter plan. HiveMQ sends an email reminder before the trial ends. If no payment method is on file when the trial ends, HiveMQ decommissions the broker.
Confirm that your HiveMQ Cloud broker runs.
1. On the Network view, verify that the broker status shows Running.
2. For a HiveMQ Cloud Starter broker: Use the Control Center to monitor broker activity.
  
  To open Control Center for a HiveMQ Cloud Starter broker in the HiveMQ Platform: … On the Connect page, select the broker from the list in the Connect & Manage Network area. … On the Overview tab of your HiveMQ Cloud broker, click Control Center.
  
  + The Dashboard provides key metrics for your HiveMQ Cloud cluster.

You know that your HiveMQ Cloud broker deployment runs successfully when Control Center loads from the platform and you can use it to see client activity on your broker. For more information, see Monitor Activity on the HiveMQ Control Center.

Next Steps

To test that your broker communicates successfully with a client, see Test Client-Broker Communication.
To see more context about the data that streams through your connected broker, see Discovery.
To learn more about broker deployment status on Connect, see Connect - The Network View.