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Modern organizations are juggling between two worlds: IT, a digital world that includes servers, storage, networking, and other devices to run applications and process data. OT – a traditional material world consisting of machines, electromechanical devices, manufacturing systems, and other industrial equipment.
There is a need for integration between both worlds. Thankfully, IoT advancements are taking place at a rapid pace. It is making way for digital transformation by converging IT and OT. How? Let’s understand:
What is IT OT Convergence?
IT OT convergence is all about integrating the manufacturing systems handling physical events and processes with back-end hardware and software for transferring and processing information. The Internet of Things (IoT) plays a major role in making this technological advancement possible.
With IT OT integration, industries can ensure more autonomous operation, enhance the accuracy of the information, facility maintenance, and better uptime.
Role of IoT in making IT OT Convergence possible
IT and OT are two different worlds. Integrating them needs the application of advanced technology. It’s the point where the Internet of Things (IoT) comes to use. It comes with a range of smart sensors to gather real-world situations such as temperature, pressure, chemical compositions, etc.
They have the ability to translate digital commands and instructions into physical actions like controlling valves and moving mechanisms. These IoT devices can communicate through a standard network enabling them to exchange OT data with IT resources.
Rising vitality of IT OT Convergence
To bring visibility into business operations, there should be clear communication between IT and OT platforms. In addition to this, it also changes the way organizations communicate. This integration also improves the processes to a great extent.
Top considerations to make for successful IT OT Convergence
Successful digital transformation comes through the integration of company business and operational data. IT OT convergence is an elaborated example of it! However, it needs prudent organizational change, insightful data governance, and new ways of collaborating across the business.
There are several considerations that industries need to make for the successful integration of IT and OT. Let’s understand what those are.
- Specify the change you’ll like to see
IT OT convergence is all about taking action. Whatever change you implement, it should deliver the expected results. To create value for the business in IT OT integration, specify the actions you expect the effort to drive.
Have clarity and alignment while making changes in the IT and OT integration. Start with the desired outcomes you will like to drive, take actions to bring that change, use insights that will drive actions, and finally, integrate the IT data and business processes.
- Know the OT chaos and then, manage it
IT apps are mostly standardized throughout the enterprise. However, the case is entirely different with OT processes. There are a lot of vendors and versions available in most businesses today. Sorting them out can be too costly and risky. Reducing the number of vendors will benefit supply chains and make skill-building, but it will only stretch the period of business projects.
You need to deal with this chaos proactively! The best solution is – Combine different IT and OT layers across the entire business. It eases the OT complexity and reconciles the various security needs of IT and OT.
- Drive action with analytics and alerts
Adding “action drivers” to IT OT convergence, i.e.: analytics, visualizations, and alerts, can help operation experts to find and fix incidents or issues quickly. It is important to make sure that the technology feeds back into human and systems behavior.
Integrate IT-OT solutions back into IT-led work- and asset-management solutions. It helps IT experts to optimize workflows and interventions. Also, keeping human experts in the loop becomes way easier.
Benefits of IT OT Convergence
IT OT convergence offers significant benefits to the industry such as:
- Real-time decision making
- Eliminate unplanned downtime
- Deployment of wireless technology
- Better security of connected systems
It’s time that industries must realize the benefits of IT OT convergence. If you also want to make the most out of this technology, reach out to Zenatix. Its powerful IoT solution can completely transform the way buildings operate on an everyday basis.
