With new technologies emerging almost every day, the industrial landscape is changing fast. Businesses are increasingly embracing IT/OT convergence to stay ahead and capitalize on advantages such as smarter factories and higher efficiency. What is the engine powering this transformation? OT networking.
Think of OT networking as the all-important wiring that connects everything in an industrial setup. But moving from the old, isolated OT systems to the new, open and interconnected infrastructure is like swapping out your old flip phone for a top-of-the-line smartphone – cool, but also kind of complicated. Whenever a critical network connection fails, it could cost thousands in downtime every minute or put public safety at risk. That’s why taking full advantage of OT networking is no longer optional. This article provides practical insights and guidance to help you navigate these challenges effectively.
Facing the OT Security Surge: The Power of Tailored Industrial Security
The threat landscape for operational technology has dramatically intensified in recent years. Only a few years ago, in 2021, a hacker attacked a water treatment facility in Oldsmar, Florida, attempting to increase sodium hydroxide levels in the public water supply to dangerous concentrations. This attack illustrates how OT security breaches can directly threaten public safety and critical infrastructure. Even more concerning, ransomware groups have increasingly targeted industrial entities, with 65% of manufacturing organizations falling victim to ransomware attacks in 2024 alone—a sharp increase from 56% the previous year.[1] Some attacks have resulted in complete operational shutdowns, causing significant economic damage and disrupting essential services.
Unlike IT environments, OT networks present unique security challenges:
- Operational continuity: In OT, uptime is everything. Security solutions cannot compromise the 24/7 availability demands of industrial processes.
- Legacy systems: Many industrial environments operate decades-old equipment that wasn't designed with security in mind, making them vulnerable to modern cyber threats.
- Real-time performance: Security measures should not interfere with time-sensitive control communications.
These challenges make conventional IT security approaches inadequate. When evaluating security solutions for OT environments, it’s important to choose solutions that can adapt to the unique operational requirements and risk profiles of industrial networks.
A comprehensive defense-in-depth security strategy is your best defense against threats targeting your OT infrastructure. While most modern OT solutions provide security features, looking for OT-tailored solutions that meet the rigorous requirements of internationally recognized security standards such as IEC 62443 can boost the overall security of your network. Though, having secure devices alone isn’t enough. Other measures such as network segmentation to keep critical equipment isolated from more risk-prone devices, and real-time visibility of your OT network to quickly identify issues and threats, provide an additional layer of security for your operations.
Lacking Real-time Precision? Enhance Industrial Control and Synchronization With TSN
Beyond security, modern industrial applications are also driving the need for greater precision and synchronization in OT networks. Picture a manufacturing line where multiple robotic arms must perform coordinated movements with microsecond precision. Traditional Ethernet cannot guarantee the consistent timing required for such synchronized operations. This is where time-sensitive networking (TSN) comes in.
But what exactly is TSN?
TSN is a set of next-generation IEEE 802.1 networking standards that enable deterministic communication over standard Ethernet infrastructure. In essence, TSN ensures that critical data is always delivered at guaranteed times with minimal latency, even in congested networks.
To better illustrate the capabilities of TSN, let’s take a prominent home appliance manufacturer’s case as an example. Using TSN solutions, the manufacturer achieved better synchronization between robots, reduced changeover times in production lines, and a significant increase in overall productivity.[2] This case demonstrates how TSN exceeds the limitations of traditional networking to provide new capabilities and opportunities for innovation.
Reducing Complexity and Minimizing Costs: A Smarter Approach to Efficient OT Connectivity
Designing, deploying, and maintaining modern OT networks can be complex and costly. On top of that, OT engineers must deal with harsh environmental conditions, integration complexities, and demanding reliability requirements—all while managing costs and planning for future growth.
- Challenging OT Environments
Conditions in industrial facilities are often harsh, facing extreme temperatures and high levels of vibration, electromagnetic interference (EMI), dust, and humidity. Industrial-grade hardware is specifically engineered for these environments. OT network planners should seek out robust hardware solutions that are designed for maximum reliability and uptime, minimizing the risk of failures and reducing the need for frequent replacements.
- IT/OT Integration Complexities
The rapid growth of IT/OT converged applications is introducing countless numbers of sensors and machines into industrial networks, leading to even more data exchanges. However, OT networks often rely on a mix of legacy protocols and newer technologies, creating interoperability issues. If that wasn’t enough, installing new devices in already crowded control cabinets adds another layer of complexity.
To ensure optimal flexibility while taking future expansions into account, network planners should prioritize network devices with a smaller form factor that can be easily added to the existing infrastructure. Another important feature to consider is protocol compatibility. Choosing devices with multi-protocol support means easier integration with both legacy and modern industrial equipment. Lastly, Power over Ethernet (PoE) capabilities can help streamline device connectivity and power distribution across OT networks. PoE-capable switches can power compatible end devices such as IP cameras or access points. This not only simplifies wiring efforts but also provides additional flexibility when adding more end devices to the network later down the line.
Unplanned downtime is any OT engineer’s nightmare. Just a brief unexpected interruption can lead to significant production losses and costly maintenance. Troubleshooting network issues in a complex industrial environment is also often time-consuming and labor-intensive.
To keep operations going 24/7, it’s important to invest in redundancy. Network devices with robust redundancy features such as backup power and embedded redundancy functions to ensure data continuity are the bedrock of any reliable OT network. If something does go wrong, having access to user-friendly centralized management tools also helps engineers quickly identify and troubleshoot network issues from anywhere to keep downtime to an absolute minimum.
Navigating the Future of OT Networking
As the industrial landscape continues to evolve, the convergence of IT and OT represents a fundamental shift in industrial networking. Therefore, the ability to leverage the full potential of OT networking becomes increasingly critical to operational success. The challenges we've explored—security vulnerabilities, real-time performance requirements, and network complexity—represent both obstacles and opportunities for forward-thinking organizations.
With more than three decades of experience in industrial networking, Moxa is your trusted partner in this journey. Our profound understanding of the OT landscape translates into solutions specifically designed for industrial engineers that meet the operational needs of today and tomorrow.
Moxa's comprehensive futureproof industrial networking portfolio has solutions to help you overcome all your OT challenges, including industrial cybersecurity, real-time communication, network integration, and maintenance. To learn more, visit our microsite. Connect with our industrial networking experts today to develop a tailored strategy for your operational environment.
[1] Cybersecurity in the Age of Industry 4.0 – Part 1
[2] Case Study: Automating Home Appliance Manufacturing With TSN Technology