OT (Operational Technology)

Operational technology (OT) is the hardware and software that detects or controls changes in physical equipment and processes. In a plant it includes PLCs, SCADA systems, drives, line controllers, and the sensors that feed them. OT prioritizes safety and availability of the physical process, while information technology (IT) prioritizes data handling and enterprise applications.

The boundary between the two is where most Industry 4.0 integration and security work happens. See IT/OT convergence for how the two worlds meet and OT security for how that boundary is protected.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is OT different from IT? OT runs physical processes and often lives for many years without major changes. IT runs business data and applications on shorter refresh cycles. A patch window that is routine for IT can mean stopping a line in OT.

Why does OT matter for a digital twin? An operational digital twin reads selected OT signals next to location and order context. How those signals are read decides both the value of the twin and the size of the attack surface.