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Information technology and business are becoming inextricably interwoven. I don't think anybody can talk meaningfully about one without talking about the other.
- Bill Gates
Operational technology ensures that the lights stay on and the machines run efficiently.
Technology is nothing. What's important is that you have faith in people, that they're basically good and smart, and if you give them tools, they'll do wonderful things with them.
- Steve Jobs
Everyone engages in conscious or subconscious thought, an activity that is hardwired in humans’ being. However, arriving at a precise and concise definition of thinkiIT or Information Technology is the technical engine that transforms raw data into insightful information for people and partners of an organization. The goal is for these people to be efficient and more productive. IT uses computing, communication devices to process, store, transmit, manage and secure data and information. Raw data and information are typically in one of these three states: store, process or transmit. The devices I referred to are either physical or virtual. The physical devices are hardware and the virtual ones are software. Computers, storages, network switches, routers, security monitoring devices, printers and people are some of the physical devices of IT. Anything from operating systems, firmware, and applications such as databases are examples of IT software. Local devices are called on premise devices. Devices that are accessed remotely through communicating devices are called devices on the cloud. The primarily role of IT is to provide utility and services to both internal and external users. The provision of IT’s serviceability includes easy and secure access to information by users. Information Technology’s customers or users as I have referred to them so far are people in sales, marketing, finance, human resources, external partners, and employees including leadership teams. By its nature of servicing users with information that increase their business effectiveness, IT is software intensive. The order of importance for IT data with regards to information security is respectively confidentiality, availability, and integrity (or CIA as it is known in the cybersecurity field).ng is no simple task. Thinking is a complex phenomenon that remains the subject of ongoing debate among psychologists, sociologists, and anthropologists. Various complex theories describe its nature, encompassing consciousness, cognition, and memory, each of which constitutes critical components of the thinking process. Despite abundant literature on thinking within the business leadership community, many books, publications, or blogs fail to elucidate the reasons behind the mechanics of thinking.
OT or Operational Technology deals with the management, control and monitoring of machineries, physical devices in industries such as manufacturing, energy, and logistics. The goal is to ensure the continuous availability of these machineries in a secure fashion. OT uses software, mostly proprietary and closed sources to manage, control and monitor physical hardware. Physical devices in OT include but not limited to computers that visualize the monitoring information, control systems such as supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, distributed control systems (DCS), programmable logic controllers (PLCs), industrial control systems (ICS) to regulate processes, sensors to collect data, actuators to control the machineries such as valves, and pumps, industrial networks to connect the systems, and safety systems. OT’s users are typically people in design, production, maintenance, supply, warehouse management and quality control functions. Process control and automation are critical components of OT. In the industrial control and automation field, the automation pyramid model is a primordial OT reference point. The automation pyramid consists of four levels; level 0, the field level, is where the production floor devices such as sensors, actuators, electric motors reside. Level 1, the control level is where controllers such as PLCs reside. These controllers run devices on level 0. Level 2, the supervisory level, hosts SCADA systems and Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs) to remotely manage systems and machineries in L0 and L1. Level 3, the planning level, deals with strategic decisions and long-term planning. This level hosts Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and Enterprise Eesource Planning (ERP). The order of importance for OT data with regards to information security is respectively safety, availability, and integrity.
In term of data collection, management and governance, for many years, IT and OT evolved in silos. They are limited cross domains knowledge sharing between IT and OT engineers.
Hierarchically, IT developed from top down with focus on making business grow efficiently. On the other hand, OT has developed from bottom up with focus on ensuring control, management and safety of machineries and hardware. With the advent of industry 4.0 in early 2011, the need for convergence of IT and OT became more prevalent. By the way, Industry 4.0 or industrial revolution 4.0, is also known as also known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution or smart manufacturing. It refers to the digital transformation of industrial and manufacturing processes. It leverages technologies such as Internet of things (IoT), cloud computing, cybersecurity, robotics, artificial intelligence, 3-D printing and digital twins. As a reminder, industry 1.0 or the first industrial revolution started around 1784. It was about the mechanization of industries such as power plants, textile, factories). Industry 2.0 appeared around 1870 and was about mass production, assembly lines and electricity. Industry 3.0 appeared around 1969 and was about electronics, computers, modern software, lean manufacturing.
The challenges faced by IT and OT largely revolve around people's resistance to learning new processes and embracing data governance practices. However, the benefits of IT and OT convergence are manifold. These include streamlined processes, reduced operational costs, enhanced overall data governance, efficient asset management, and integrated cyber defense mechanisms.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to implementing IT and OT convergence. While small and mid-size manufacturing companies may face different convergence challenges compared to larger organizations, many best practices in IT and OT convergence advocate for a framework of continuous improvement. This framework typically begins with the establishment of a prototype or a center of excellence, which follows a design cycle comprising the following components:
- 1. Plan: Define and assess the constraints related to resource allocations for IT and OT convergence.
- 2. Build: Specify the hardware, software, and system convergence requirements.
- 3. Test: Conduct quality assurance for each component, their interconnections, and outcomes.
- 4. Roll-Out: Deploy the converged output at one site and scale as needed.
- 5. Support: Provide support to ensure efficient productivity, monitor system performance, availability, and security.
- 6. Repeat: Iterate on the previous steps based on performance metrics to drive continuous improvement.
For many years, Information Technology and Operational Technology have operated in silos, resulting in inefficiencies within manufacturing and industrial organizations. However, with the rise of Industry 4.0, the importance of converging IT and OT has become more pronounced than ever before. When executed effectively, IT and OT convergence streamlines processes, reduces operational costs, and enhances people's efficiency. Every forward-looking leader in industrial or manufacturing organizations should prioritize embracing IT and OT convergence to stay competitive in the evolving landscape.
Until we meet again, keep the convergence.
Fal Diabaté
Managing Partner, Barra Advisory Group