How IT is changing the game in OT. And why their convergence is worth watching.

The past few years in industry have felt like the quiet before a storm. In the two worlds of IT and OT, kept fairly separate until now, one word keeps coming up: convergence. What makes the rise of information technology so appealing to OT?

A few words by way of introduction

IT can be defined as the network infrastructure and the processes used to create, process, store, secure and transfer every form of electronic data. OT, operational technology, usually covers the hardware and machinery responsible for physical processes. In practice we often find that manufacturers are not in the habit of approaching an IT partner to outsource some services or drive innovation when they want more productivity and efficiency.

And connectivity, which comes naturally to IT systems, is exactly what can move manufacturers into a world of fewer outages, better efficiency and lower costs. That technical understanding makes it possible to pull data from various sources into platforms that give a clear, real-time view of what is happening. Sophisticated monitoring improves how change is managed, makes production visible and gives decisions both relevance and speed.

Where the potential comes from

Most OT control systems are not networked today, which makes it hard for them to communicate or share information. Even centralised control equipment traditionally uses closed or proprietary communication protocols. Security was a fair argument for this in the past. Today, though, IT's job is not only to make sure data gets processed and distributed, but that the whole transfer meets high security standards.

When a manufacturer decides on a new era of industrial efficiency, an IT firm can sit at the heart of that change, one with real experience in areas such as:

• A deep understanding of data: IT firms are masters of data. They know how to gather it, analyse it and use it to make better decisions. That expertise is invaluable when applied to OT, where optimising processes and efficiency come first.
• Security, as the first step and the last: Security threats are everywhere, and OT systems are often more vulnerable, particularly if they were designed with no thought of an internet connection. IT firms bring advanced security protocols and practices that can protect your operational technology from threats outside and inside.
• Expertise in integration: One of the biggest challenges in IT/OT convergence is integrating different systems and technologies. IT firms have experience of exactly these problems, whether the pieces are cloud services, databases or third-party applications.
• Predictive maintenance and optimisation: Using big data analysis and artificial intelligence, IT firms can anticipate problems before they cause downtime and identify where things could be better, which leads to markedly better efficiency and lower costs.

Case study: joining forces in the energy sector

Generating and distributing heat and hot water is critical infrastructure, and it makes serious demands on cybersecurity.

For one of the largest energy companies we keep "the OT infrastructure running smoothly". That means fully securing the transfer of data from operational plants to data centres where it is processed and monitored. We designed the network architecture and the cluster solutions from the ground up, we monitor them continuously and we provide technical support 24/7/365. We have extensive experience and references in this field, so we can handle specific customer requirements too.

In closing: your road to innovation

IT and OT convergence is not just a trend. It is a necessity for anyone who wants to stay relevant in a fast-changing industrial world. Take control of your operational technology with a partner who understands what you need. Get in touch today and find out how we can help improve and protect your industrial processes.