New report from Harbor Analysis examines how leaders are accelerating IT/OT partnerships for vital operational and monetary advantages
“From 2018-2023, cybersecurity assaults involving important infrastructure in manufacturing, utilities, transportation programs and related mission important domains virtually doubled 12 months over 12 months driving a mean compound annual development fee of over 90% per 12 months.”
– Harbor Analysis, The Enterprise Case for IT/OT Collaboration in Modernizing Industrial Networks
Cybersecurity urgency and AI readiness are proving to industrial corporations that modernizing their OT (Operational Expertise) networks are extra important than ever. A brand new report from Harbor Analysis, “The Enterprise Case for IT/OT Collaboration in Modernizing Industrial Networks,” examines the affect that these developments have on operational networks and total enterprise success. The report goes on to explain how OT leaders are assembly the problem by collaborating with their IT counterparts to use IT capabilities like safety and automation to the commercial community.
Extending IT to the OT world: a framework for collaboration
TCO discount is only one of many aggressive benefits gained by early movers in IT/OT collaboration. Harbor states, “Throughout a variety of business domains, it’s not unusual to see 15% to 35% enhancements in operational productiveness, 10% to 30% reductions in cybersecurity dangers, and 15% to 30% reductions in time to marketplace for new merchandise and improvements.” By extending IT administration instruments, corresponding to Catalyst Heart and SD-WAN Supervisor, into OT environments, corporations can scale back guide intervention and simplify operations. And with a wide range of totally different units throughout the OT community, standardization simplifies community administration and design, permitting for enhanced visibility and scalability. A tier-1 automotive components producer within the examine reported that modernizing its networks helped to scale back gear downtime by 25% to 30%.
Strengthening cybersecurity as industrial networks face escalating assaults
Assaults in opposition to industrial infrastructure proceed to rise. Harbor writes, “Whether or not it’s supporting distant staff or connecting machines, controllers, cameras, and bar code readers, assault surfaces are quickly rising.” With cybersecurity being a robust motivation for IT/OT collaboration, OT groups should reinforce capabilities that align and drive end-to-end accountability with IT processes to have the ability to unlock efficiencies for future challenges. Functions corresponding to zero belief architectures, community segmentation, monitoring and menace detection, and incident response and compliance have confirmed important for a number of companions as we speak. Transportation companies like Georgia’s Gwinnet County Division of Transportation are detecting and remediating issues extra shortly since they gave operators safe distant entry to roadside infrastructure.
Preparing for AI
In addition to cybersecurity, the opposite main motivation for modernizing industrial networks is AI readiness. Leaders in industries from manufacturing to transportation are gaining a aggressive edge through the use of AI for predictive upkeep for machines and autos, manufacturing anomaly detection, robotics and autonomous autos, provide chain optimization, and extra. The Harbor report warns, “Organizations that fail to modernize their digital infrastructure and networks threat being unable to capitalize on these transformative applied sciences to reinforce their aggressive place.” Utilities like Ontario Clear Water Company can accumulate sensor information from far-flung areas because of industrial community units constructed to resist excessive environmental circumstances.
Right here, too, IT/OT teamwork accelerates success. OT brings its understanding of which units and programs want to speak and beneath what circumstances they are often taken offline, whereas IT brings the abilities to ship the community efficiency and reliability that AI functions demand.
Bringing all of it collectively
We see steady evolution between the connection of IT and OT groups and networks. Cisco is constructing a robust basis for industrial organizations to drive profitable transformation and ship tailor-made options in direction of a modernized future throughout all sectors. If you need to hitch us in exploring the potential of IT/OT collaboration and the way it can pave the way in which, try the complete Harbor Analysis Enterprise Case.
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