IT and OT infrastructures are rapidly converging. Historically isolated by “air gapping,” OT systems are now increasingly connected—sometimes to a greater extent than plant managers and industrial control engineers realise.
The days of air-gapped systems are gone. Industrial and critical infrastructure organizations are adopting IoT devices at an unprecedented rate.
Integrating IT and OT systems is a good business decision for many organisations, with benefits that include:
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- More effective and efficient monitoring of processes, with the ability to make important changes on the fly
- The ability to use data from Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices to inform decision-making, adding a very granular layer of insight
about customers, products, and processes - Access to real-time market data for optimal timing of product delivery and smoother interaction with the supply chain
- Significant cost savings in power consumption, reduced raw materials waste, and employee efficiency
With these integrations come many security threats which can potentially cause damage and cost your organisation thousands without the correct protocols in place.