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What is OT?

Operational technology (OT) refers to the hardware and software systems that monitor and control physical devices, processes, and infrastructure in industrial environments. This includes systems like programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and remote terminal units (RTU) but also actuators and sensors directly dealing with the physical happenings.

OT is essential in industries such as manufacturing, energy, transportation, and healthcare, where it helps manage and automate processes to ensure efficiency and safety. Unlike information technology (IT), which focuses on data and applications, OT is concerned with the physical operations and machinery. With this, there are also different requirements and constraints regarding people, process and technology. Contrary to IT, OT also has different protection goals. Instead of confidentiality, availability and integrity (CIA) the "highest goals" in OT are safety and availability.

Having to have safety as ultimate goal is also written down in legislature (for OT part of critical infrastructure) or standards such as IEC62443.

OT encompasses industrial control systems (ICS), distributed control systems (DCS), SCADA, industrial automation and control systems (IACS) and more. Where as OT is a general term that describes "everything industry", terms like ICS, DCS, SCADA, IACS and so on describe specific structures or concepts within OT.

Another term related to OT is "cyberphysical system". Cyberphysical is a coinage that tries to describe the IT/OT convergence that integrates more and more sophisticated and interconnected systems in the "physical world" (namely the lower levels of the Purdue-Model). The word "cyber" in itself does not describe anything, nor does it exist in a professional context. It is used by management and politicians to talk about technical terms without beeing concrete in their vocabulary. Therefore cyberphysical systems also don't have a strict definition. The term is mostly used in newspapers and less in standards or legislatur.

Since IT and OT are not mutual exclusive, but interconnected, we just view IT systems in OT as part of OT. The line between IT and OT systems is drawn with responsibility/ function of the system and network topology as seen in the Purdue Model.

Involved Parties

typical: vendors, integrators, operators also: upcoming regulation is giving requirements to fulfill

Typical Components

Just a short introduction, then link example OT architectures for more information.

  • actuators/sensors
  • PLC
  • HMI
  • SCADA

Stakeholder

Society as a whole (:

directly responsible: vendors, integrators, operators

regulatory requirements due to massive impact