Operational Technology

 Operational Technology

Operational technology (OT) is a category of hardware and software that monitors and controls how physical devices perform.

In the past, OT was used primarily in industrial control systems for manufacturing, transportation and utilities -- and unlike information technology (IT), the technology that controlled operations in those industries wasn't networked. Many of the tools for monitoring or adjusting physical devices were mechanical, and those that had digital controls used closed, proprietary protocols.

However, as physical devices are becoming smart, there is an increasing trend toward IT/OT convergence. Wireless connectivity has provided administrators in charge of OT with better monitoring systems and the ability to control physical devices remotely. Advances in machine-to-machine communication and machine learning have created a sea change, enabling the data that physical devices produce to be analyzed in real time to facilitate autonomy, preventive maintenance and improved uptime.

Internet-capable technology has moved into industrial control systems and supervisory control and data acquisitions networks. However, operations technology faces the same malware, identity management and access control security challenges that IT faces. The difference is that vulnerabilities in an OT system can leave critical infrastructure at risk of sabotage that can result in life or death situations.

What is the importance of operational technology?

OT is critical for businesses and society at large. At the organizational level, OT is usually tied to core business processes. In a factory, OT is often the very thing that enables goods to be manufactured. Likewise, hospitals depend on OT devices to diagnose patients who are suffering from various illnesses. For a business or other organization that relies on OT, a service outage would severely impair or even halt the organization's core business activities.