# Configuring the MQTT server

# Configuring the MQTT server

This script allows you to subscribe to an MQTT topic, receive messages and store them in a SQLite database. The following describes the steps to configure and run it correctly.

##### **1. Configuration file setup**

Before running the script, a configuration file in **.ini** format must be created. This file contains the parameters needed for the MQTT broker connection, the database and the log configuration. An example of a configuration file is the following:

```
[DEFAULT]

;; topic = testtopic/#                                              (single topic)
;; topic = ["factory/+/temperature","factory/+/humidity"]           (multi-topic)
topic = < Topic to subscribe to in order to receive messages. To use more than one, use a single-line JSON array >

;; connection
host = test.mosquitto.org
port = 1883
;; protocol supports:  tcp, websockets, unix
; protocol = websockets
; user = ro
; password = readonly
; ssl = 0
; trust_ssl = 1

;; Database
dblocation = /opt/pandora/pandora_iot_server/db
dbname = pandora_iot.db
; data_cleaning_interval = 300
; data_cleaning_period = 86400

;; Logs
log_name = pandora_iot.log
log_location = /var/log/pandora/
; log_level = debug
; max_log_bytes = 50_000_000
; log_rotation_count = 3
```

#### Key parameters:

- **`topic`**: Defines the MQTT topic the script will subscribe to (for example, `testtopic/#`). To use more than one, use a single-line JSON array.
- **`host`**: Specifies the MQTT broker address.
- **`port`**: Specifies the MQTT broker port.
- **`protocol`**: The protocol to use for the MQTT connection (for example, `tcp` or `websockets`).
- **`ssl`**: Enables or disables the SSL connection. (0 to disable, 1 to enable).
- **`trust_ssl`**: Controls whether the broker's SSL certificates are to be trusted.
- **`dblocation`**: Directory where the SQLite database will be stored.
- **`dbname`**: Name of the SQLite database.
- **data\_cleaning\_interval**: Time interval (in seconds) between each run of the data cleaning process.
- **data\_cleaning\_period**: Time (in seconds) to remove old data from the database.
- **log\_name**: Name of the file where the logs will be stored.
- **`log_location`**: Directory where the log files will be stored.
- **`log_level`**: Log detail level (for example, `debug`).
- **max\_log\_bytes**: Maximum size (in bytes) a log file can reach before being rotated.
- **log\_rotation\_count**: Maximum number of log files kept before deleting the oldest ones.

##### **2. Starting the service.**

The service can be started with the following command:

```
systemctl start pandora_iot_server
```

To stop receiving and storing messages, the service can be paused with:

```
systemctl stop pandora_iot_server
```

<p class="callout warning">The service must be restarted after every configuration change for it to take effect: </p>

```
systemctl restart pandora_iot_server
```

##### **3. Starting the server from the console**

In version 783 the IoT server is included as part of the server installation, so it is not necessary to manage the service manually.

A token is added to enable the IOT server, and the Pandora server itself manages the service.

A section is also added to manage the IoT server configuration when it is activated.

To enable the IOT server, go to Settings &gt; General Setup &gt; Features, then enable the Enable IOT server field and, finally, press Update.

[![image.png](https://pandorafms.com/guides/public/uploads/images/gallery/2026-08/scaled-1680-/9Whimage.png)](https://pandorafms.com/guides/public/uploads/images/gallery/2026-08/9Whimage.png)

This will enable a new menu inside System Settings, where the full configuration can be managed.

[![image.png](https://pandorafms.com/guides/public/uploads/images/gallery/2026-08/scaled-1680-/HS3image.png)](https://pandorafms.com/guides/public/uploads/images/gallery/2026-08/HS3image.png)