What Is IT/OT Convergence?

IT/OT convergence is the integration of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) physical control systems, most commonly in industrial settings. Advances in networking, cloud computing, and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technology now allow these previously isolated domains to work together. This is called technological convergence. Real-time operational data can now easily and securely flow into analytics applications, which makes many industrial processes easier, including predictive maintenance and process optimization.

Successful IT/OT convergence usually relies on applying and integrating several core technologies, including edge computing, industrial IoT (IIoT) devices, and data management solutions. Reliable security frameworks help you manage all of these technologies and maximize uptime.

Industrial IoT (IIoT) devices

IoT devices are networked to report their status to central management services. Sensors for predictive maintenance, inventory tracking, wearable employee safety trackers, and smart power meters are all common examples of industrial IoT devices. All of these devices are used to collect OT data to monitor manufacturing processes.

Edge computing

Edge computing is the practice of physically placing a computing resource at a network’s edge, so it can be as close as possible to that resource’s users or data generation. This helps reduce latency and, therefore, improve response times for critical tasks. For example, predictive maintenance IIoT sensors located at a remote power generation facility can shut down equipment quickly before a major event occurs.

Data integration solutions

IT and OT systems can generate large volumes of data. Integrating, making sense of, and acting upon that data is one of the greatest challenges in performing IT/OT convergence. Organizations commonly use data integration solutions to automate the collection and integration of data from these various IT and OT sources. For example, you can use tools such as AWS IoT SiteWise to help aggregate and transform OT data into suitable formats for analytics.

Security frameworks

Connecting IT and OT systems potentially creates more opportunities for a security event to spread from one system to another. A strong IT/OT security framework helps you mitigate potential risks. Frameworks commonly include practices such as identity-based access controls and continuous threat monitoring. These and other practices are also commonly structured within a zero-trust security model, where access for each user, service, and device is authenticated every time.

Integrating information technology and operational technology systems can lead to some significant convergence challenges. These are some of the most commonly encountered challenges.

Legacy system integration

Often, much of an organization’s OT infrastructure relies on legacy industrial control systems designed decades ago. These legacy OT systems might use proprietary protocols and operating systems that were never built to interface with modern IP networks or the cloud. Supporting many IT/OT convergence initiatives requires tools that can translate and securely relay information between these systems.

Security vulnerabilities

Since OT systems were traditionally isolated from corporate networks, once integrated, they can become exposed to many novel threats your OT team might never have had to deal with before. For example, malware, ransomware, and remote exploits. Many OT physical devices can’t support modern security agents or regular patching because they were designed to prioritize maximum uptime over previously unnecessary security.

Compliance and governance

Converged environments must meet requirements from both IT and OT regulatory bodies. Defining new, unified asset ownership, access control, and audit procedures across both domains can be complex. Organizations need to develop unified governance frameworks to help ensure reliable compliance.

Cultural and organizational barriers

Historically, IT and OT teams have had different priorities, workflows, and risk tolerances based on the connectivity of their systems. Converging technologies also means converging work cultures, which can be difficult to achieve. Common challenges in this process include breaking down organizational and data silos and realigning strategic goals for both teams.

Successfully integrating information and operational technology typically requires taking a structured, phased approach. Starting a convergence initiative without proper planning can create security concerns and cause unnecessary disruptions. These general steps can guide IT/OT convergence projects and help better align your people, processes, and technology.

Assess current infrastructure

Begin by mapping resources and connections in your existing IT and OT environments. For OT environments specifically, make sure to evaluate the age, connectivity, and patchability of legacy equipment.

Define new security requirements

Identify novel security threats that might be introduced by converging your two environments. Define security policies as needed to ensure mission-critical infrastructure remains operational. Utilize OT security standards and frameworks to define your converged security strategy.

Establish an integrated IT/OT governance framework

To maintain operational efficiency and security, your governance must also align with the technologies. The process of creating a new, integrated governance framework begins by establishing a cross-functional team with members from your key stakeholder groups, typically including IT, OT, cybersecurity, compliance, and relevant operations teams.

This group should define new roles and responsibilities, adapt existing governance, and update all relevant decision-making processes. They typically should also establish or update standards for IT service management, such as data storage, incident response, and change management processes.

Deploy integration architecture

After you have established requirements and new governance models, you can begin planning your phased rollout and resourcing, and then deploying your new, converged architecture. Ensure the architecture supports bidirectional communication so IT data acquisition can inform operational decisions on the plant floor. You can use services such as AWS Outposts to deploy new IT systems at the network edge to help process OT data locally before sending it to the cloud.

Monitor and optimize

After your IT and OT systems are integrated, perform continuous monitoring for potential issues. Monitor for unexpected traffic patterns across your new network or unexpected device behavior you may not have observed during deployment. This is also an opportunity to further optimize the performance of your converged systems.

Aligning your IT/OT rollout with these best practices can help make sure that you experience minimal issues and deploy an integrated network of systems that best align with your organization’s strategic goals.

Implement a zero-trust architecture

Zero trust is a security model in which your IT and OT systems reauthenticate access requests from users, devices, and services at every request. This happens regardless of whether the system recognizes the request as originating from an internal or external network. Additionally, apply least-privilege access controls to both IT systems and OT devices to ensure only necessary access occurs.

Maintain network segmentation

It is also best practice to isolate critical OT systems on their own network segments to further prevent lateral movement by isolating these systems. General-use IP traffic typically should not traverse your OT network segments. The only traffic you want moving in or out is that going to converged IT analytical systems, isolated from general IT traffic using microsegmentation and defined security zones.

Perform continuous monitoring

Continuous monitoring helps you optimize OT system performance. It also ensures your IT security systems identify potential issues as quickly as possible. Integrate your OT data collection into centralized IT security services, such as Amazon GuardDuty, to better understand how potential events are affecting your systems.

Foster cross-functional collaboration

Establish cross-functional teams early to help plan your deployment and keep those teams operating as you move forward. Converged teams will be better able to manage converged IT/OT systems. You can encourage collaboration through regular ongoing meetings to refine key processes, such as incident response.

AWS offers a range of services to help you blend your IT and OT systems for operational efficiency and remote, networked decision-making.

AWS IoT Core allows you to connect, manage, and scale your device fleets easily and reliably without provisioning or managing servers. Build industrial IoT applications for predictive quality, maintenance, and remote operation monitoring.

AWS IoT SiteWise is a managed service that makes it easy to collect, store, organize, and monitor data from industrial equipment across facilities to help you make better, data-driven decisions.

AWS Outposts is a family of fully managed solutions delivering AWS infrastructure and services to virtually any on-premises or edge location for a truly consistent hybrid experience.

Get started with IT/OT convergence on AWS by creating a free account today.