Edge Computing Drives IT/OT Convergence in Industrial Verticals
Industrial businesses continue to undergo rapid digital transformation as digitalization increases operational efficiency, productivity, and responsiveness towards the market.
Digital enterprises can create new, more competitive solutions and services and superior customer experiences. Gathering, analyzing, and utilizing vast amounts of data from equipment, processes, customers, and suppliers also drive this modification. Broad, organizational it (IT) and operational technology (OT) convergence, in which alt width=\”300\” height=\”190\” >Despite these hurdles, many industrial organizations will work to master their IT/OT convergence strategy.
\”Addressing these challenges requires purchasing complementary solutions for example digital technologies and risk management, and ensuring that IT/OT convergence has clear, quantifiable business advantages by creating strong data monetization strategies and being attentive to evolving customer needs,\” said Roberta Gamble, Partner and Vice President at Frost & Sullivan. \”Reducing production downtimes and increasing competitiveness through optimizing operational performance (by reduction of OPEX, faster time to market) are the most common OT investment drivers across industries. Initiatives are led at the C level, with CEOs to be the most common champions. Interestingly, they have a balanced view of achieving convergence across the 3 types; IT-centric roles generally have physical convergence goals.\”
Oil & gas industrials must build industry-appropriate apps and systems that build value from data, prioritize creating operations and production performance views, and bridge growing skill and workforce gaps limiting IT/OT potential. Utilities industrials must transition from silos to a matrix of multidisciplinary teams focused on end-to-end business goals, create strong defenses against cyber threats, and harmonize data collection protocols.
\”Automotive industrials should prioritize automation to enhance quality, reduce OT costs, and make workforce flexibility; use advanced connectivity for reliable, real-time connectivity; and make or partner with a solution provider to create industry-focused tools. Manufacturing industrials must create continuity and visibility across a disparate organization, work with value chain partners on data/digital transformation strategies, adopt cohesive and integral cybersecurity solutions across platforms and networks, and go for open systems that easily integrate across different equipment generations and legacy data systems,\” Gamble said.