Smartly connecting existing plants Cloud applications are an important prerequisite for utilizing the benefits of digitalization in an industrial setting. With the Industrial IoT Gateways SIMATIC CloudConnect 7, even existing plants can be easily connected to a wide variety of cloud platforms that support the standardized MQTT protocol, such as to the MindSphere. Simple data transfer to all common cloud platforms The Industrial IoT Gateway SIMATIC CloudConnect 7 makes it possible to read data easily and reliably from S7-based devices and transfers them via the standardized MQTT protocol (according to OASIS-Standard V3.1/3.1.1) to different Cloud platforms like MindSphere, Microsoft Azure or IBM Cloud. The data management for existing S7 controllers can continue to be imported for quick and easy configuration. The connection to cloud systems via Internet or communication can either be made via an existing network infrastructure or can be directly realized through the combination with the industrial routers SCALANCE M. In addition, the data read from lower-level S7 stations by means of SIMATIC CloudConnect 7 can be made available as OPC UA variables (server). This enables standardized data exchange, for example with MES systems or HMI and third-party controllers.