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 essential infrastructure in manufacturing, utilities, transportation methods and related mission essential domains nearly doubled yr over yr driving a mean compound annual development price of over 90% per yr.”
– 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 essential 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 tendencies 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 commercial 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, reminiscent of Catalyst Middle and SD-WAN Supervisor, into OT environments, corporations can scale back handbook intervention and simplify operations. And with a wide range of completely different gadgets throughout the OT community, standardization simplifies community administration and design, permitting for enhanced visibility and scalability. A tier-1 automotive components producer within the research reported that modernizing its networks helped to cut 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. Purposes reminiscent of zero belief architectures, community segmentation, monitoring and risk detection, and incident response and compliance have confirmed important for a number of companions immediately. Transportation businesses 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 danger being unable to capitalize on these transformative applied sciences to reinforce their aggressive place.” Utilities like Ontario Clear Water Company can accumulate sensor knowledge from far-flung places because of industrial community gadgets constructed to face up to excessive environmental situations.
Right here, too, IT/OT teamwork accelerates success. OT brings its understanding of which gadgets and methods want to speak and underneath what circumstances they are often taken offline, whereas IT brings the abilities to ship the community efficiency and reliability that AI purposes 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 best way, try the total Harbor Analysis Enterprise Case.
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