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OT and IT: the perfect marriage in manufacturing
OT and IT: the perfect marriage in manufacturing

August 3, 2023

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Like any relationship needs to be handled with care, IT-OT infrastructure need to be delicately balanced to eliminate security risks. Read on to find out how to unlock business-critical insights from OT with support from IT.

Ever since the birth of machines on factory floors, various kinds of security mechanisms have been deployed to ensure that such machines - mostly expensive ones - work to the best of their potential in order to yield business growth and profits. Over time, these machines have become smarter, and with the intervention of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things, they have become increasingly intelligent and  have the ability to provide valuable insights to decision makers.

Efficiency of machines and the role of organisational data

Long before Information Technology (IT) was coined, Operational Technology (OT) was quietly doing its intended function in the noisy factory floors…quietly. While it is clear that OT deals with the management, security and efficiency of machinery, the IT part deals with data flowing from front-end operations, often providing vital information about customers, inventories, and sales. In recent times, IT in the manufacturing industry has gained more importance and relevance with cloud interventions and insight-centric tools to boost overall business operations. Hence in the current industrial world, we pay attention to OT and its handshake with IT.

Unlocking the best from OT and IT

With both OT and IT becoming intelligent in their own ways, it is essential for every manufacturing business to ensure that they work in sync. This will ensure the emergence of AI platforms which will provide better data driven decision making in a shorter time period.

The most popular definition of OT is the one coined by Gartner; "Hardware and software that detects or causes a change through the direct monitoring and/or control of physical devices, processes, and events in the enterprise". In that sense, integrating data from IT and OT can provide insights businesses can use to drive operational efficiency and productivity while increasing their competitive advantage. Additionally, effective collaboration between OT and IT teams allows companies to use technology, resources, processes, and governance principles in both areas without incurring duplicate overhead costs. In other words, IT is mainly focused on making data available, while OT is focused on making machines work better and generate useful data, that can be used for monitoring industrial processes to enable business-critical decisions.

Challenges of implementing an OT network

Having said the above characteristics, implementing an OT network can be challenging, especially for manufacturing organisations that may have limited expertise in network security and management. Here are a few key pillars of OT network development that can help you gain an overall perspective on the role of OT in manufacturing and how to kickstart your OT network transformation journey.

Develop a comprehensive OT network strategy:

  1. Implement network monitoring and visibility:

A critical component of any OT network implementation strategy is network monitoring and visibility. This can be achieved with the deployment of network monitoring tools that can provide real-time visibility into network traffic and identify any potential security threats. Additionally, such tools can help organisations identify network performance issues and optimise the network for maximum efficiency.

  1. Train employees on network security:

Employee training is essential for the successful implementation of an OT network. Employees must be aware of the potential risks and threats and be well-versed in security policies and procedures. To this end, employee training can be conducted at regular intervals.

  1. Regularly review and update the network:

Finally, it is essential to regularly review and update the OT network to ensure that it is operating at maximum efficiency and is optimally secure. In order to achieve this, regular network audits, security assessments, and the deployment of software updates and patches is paramount.

By following these strategies, manufacturing organisations can ensure their OT networks are secure, efficient, and reliable, while making room to unlock insights that, along with data flowing from IT, can truly help transform manufacturing businesses.

 

Author

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Ankit Kapoor

Digital Transformation Lead - Manufacturing

Cisco India & SAARC

 

 


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