Streaming data for analytics in process control systems

Method 800 for receiving a data stream in a process control system. A first set of metadata is received 803 from a device such as a controller operable to transmit the data stream. The data stream is received 805 after receiving the first set of metadata, the data stream including process control data. The received data stream is parsed according to the first set of received metadata 807. The data stream continues to be received as long as the data stream can be parsed according to the first set of metadata. If an ID in the data stream cannot be parsed according to the metadata the data stream may be cached 811, a request for updated metadata 813 sent to the transmitting device, updated metadata received 815, the cached data parsed according to the updated metadata 817, with the data stream continuing to be received and parsed according to the updated metadata. The meta data may describe the structure or content of the data stream. The method may be performed by a big data appliance. The data may be analysed. The data stream may be timestamped. The data stream may include a plurality of identifiers which identify one of a block, module, parameter, event, or alarm.