Despite digital transformation ranking among manufacturers' top priorities this year, true information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) convergence — where operations and IT teams align shared infrastructure and collective accountability — is rare. Too often, conflicting outlooks, misaligned goals and a lack of a shared process tend to be bigger sticking points than protocol mismatch. Many of the technical issues that arise, such as security gaps, are often a result of organizational imbalance. While IT and OT must collaborate and integrate each other's respective best practices, they also must accommodate different approaches, objectives and business requirements.
Overcoming these challenges requires a strategic approach that moves beyond simple mandates. Let’s examine what organizations can do to encourage strategic collaboration and how networking infrastructure can serve as a rallying point for both IT and operations teams.
Old systems and new demands
As manufacturers' digital transformation efforts on the plant floor are becoming more important and interconnected cyber-physical systems, the expectations on AI, cloud and IoT are higher than ever and can affect both IT and OT simultaneously. And at the same time, many facilities are still operating with legacy systems — outdated Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems–many of which were set in place long before new smart factory tech was introduced, and they don’t always speak to each other.
Finding common ground amongst the groups and the new and old tech hinges on framing. IT and OT convergence could be interpreted as a merger of sorts, which, in turn, could be seen as a threat. There may be concerns of personnel or operational redundancies in the event of a de facto merger, but a convergence can be repositioned from merging OT and IT systems to finding the intersections of two complementary departments.
The focus must shift to identifying where OT and IT can contribute, help each other and proactively identify and resolve potential challenges that may arise from shared operations.
The network is the common ground
Network solutions like private 5G and edge computing can play important roles in facilitating and securing IT/OT convergence. Private 5G helps enable the real-time control systems and enterprise information systems at a plant or factory to operate on a single network infrastructure. Keeping the data close and/or on a closed system can help bolster security and improve efficiency. Without the powerful and reliable connectivity that 5G provides, an organization can be significantly challenged to uphold the qualities that define Industry 4.0, such as real-time control, predictive analytics and advanced automation.
AI and 5G have a symbiotic relationship in manufacturing: a 5G network’s low-latency connectivity, designed with security in mind, drives Industry 4.0 by enabling smart factories to activate intelligent automation and interconnected manufacturing systems — but for this to work properly, the integration of IT and OT network infrastructures is essential.
Traditionally, the factory is partitioned: OT governs the factory floor, while the IT network runs the business side of things, such as the office space at the plant. Integrating the two, however, can realize tremendous benefits, including scalability, operational efficiencies and reduced costs. If 5G drives Industry 4.0 and Industry 4.0 functions optimally with OT and IT working in concert, network infrastructure (including reduction of costly cabling), from private 5G to edge computing, can be the common factor both OT and IT teams can rally around.
The cybersecurity consideration
Many innovations introduce risk, but in some instances, they are worth pursuing if the benefits outweigh the risks. Consider the history of commercial airlines: early aviation was dangerous, but the industry responded by rapidly building robust safety frameworks, regulations and engineering standards. This dynamic — where great benefit demands new rigor — is what can apply to IT/OT convergence.
For example, the increase in connected devices played a big role in the digital transformation of factories and other industrial settings, but they also introduced new potential points of entry for threat actors to exploit. It doesn’t mean we should greatly reduce the number of devices in manufacturing. What it means is that organizations need to rethink their cybersecurity efforts. The same can be said about the convergence of IT and OT.
There’s no question that the integration of IT and OT teams can optimize the network and cultivate an environment conducive to Industry 4.0, but that doesn’t mean there are no risks involved. The truth is, the convergence of IT and OT makes every connected device a potential vulnerability, which is no small risk, especially given that cybersecurity has become a core operational risk as plants and warehouses digitize. Does that mean IT and OT teams should not integrate? Of course not, but it does underscore the importance of getting it right.
Digital transformation done right
Though manufacturing has been slower to digitize as an industry, owing in no small part to physical legacy systems that did not interface with digital technologies easily, the benefits of convergence cannot be denied. Factory floors are treasure troves of value that have gone untapped for a long time. Now, they can be harnessed to help reduce downtime, anticipate supply chain disruptions, reduce the risk of accidents, create efficiencies and so on.
While the benefits outweigh the risks, manufacturers should understandably be prudent about their rollouts. If done judiciously and strategically, manufacturers can not only improve their operations today, but they can also better position their organization to adapt to future innovations.
