In latest years, industrial networking gross sales have skilled a exceptional surge, pushed by the convergence of a number of pivotal technological developments. A brand new ARC Advisory Group ARCView paper describes that the demand for strong and dependable networking options in industrial environments is increased than ever, and three key components are on the forefront of this development: embedded safety, IT-OT integration, and synthetic intelligence (AI). You can entry the ARC report right here.
At Cisco, we’ve got been constructing industrial networking options which might be intently aligned with these three core buyer calls for. We combine safety immediately into our industrial community units, with visibility, segmentation, and zero-trust distant entry constructed as software program features proper into our switches and routers. These community units additionally facilitate seamless administration and knowledge change between IT and OT domains, powering a dependable, high-performing community that effectively collects and transports operational knowledge to AI purposes in knowledge facilities and the cloud.
What prospects need
In the ARCView paper, Chantal Polsonetti, Vice President, Advisory Services at ARC, writes that organizations more and more view the community as a crucial enabler of the digital transformation essential for assembly mounting macroeconomic, aggressive, and regulatory challenges. According to her, “OT cybersecurity is increasingly gaining the attention of CIOs as the industrial threat surface expands. The burgeoning market for AI-enabled applications and processes extending from the enterprise to operational environments is fueling even greater emphasis on networks as a core foundation for business success.”
The newest Forrester WaveTM report supplies extra assist for ARC’s viewpoint. Given the rise in units and sensible OT initiatives, organizations are trying to find built-in options to bridge the hole between IT and OT safety. The report underscores the community as an important element in streamlining detection, investigation, and safety throughout each domains.
“Industrial networks are vital strategic components for addressing today’s macroeconomic, competitive, and regulatory challenges. A converged approach that incorporates IT, OT, and security requirements for centralized management and visibility is necessary to ensure secure, resilient communications from the production environment throughout the enterprise.”
– Chantal Polsonetti, Vice President, Advisory Services at ARC
The ARCView paper emphasizes how the three components will not be remoted, however organizations have to see the community as an extension of their cybersecurity infrastructure. Incorporating OT, IT, and safety priorities into the community gear itself eliminates the necessity for level merchandise, simplifies community’s deployment and administration, and helps remove gaps in protection.
Recognizing the community’s central function in industrial operations, the paper stresses that as operations are more and more focused with cyberthreats by the community, it is crucial for the community itself to have the ability to acknowledge and report such assaults. Making this level, the paper mentions, “Customers need to connect and protect their industrial assets with solutions that enable the convergence of networking and security, simplify and standardize network management, and leverage software capabilities to automate tasks and enhance visibility”.
Figure 1: Cisco views the commercial community as the material to allow OT safety at scale
The paper notes that legacy techniques, level options, and a number of administration techniques create important operational complexity limiting scalability and rising safety vulnerabilities. Therefore, the paper suggests, “Industrial network standardization is the key to unlocking advanced software capabilities at scale, including automation, threat defense, network management, and new requirements for industrial AI use cases”, and that “Many current installations are made up of a patchwork of difficult-to-scale point-based solutions acquired individually over time to meet the needs of specific applications or processes”. The key to eradicating level options, thereby simplifying the structure and enhancing safety, is to embed safety features throughout the community itself as software program purposes.
“Industrial network standardization is the key to unlocking advanced software capabilities at scale, including automation, threat defense, network management, and new requirements for AI use cases.”
– Chantal Polsonetti, Vice President, Advisory Services at ARC
Organizations additionally acknowledge that IT/OT convergence achieved by the community can considerably enhance knowledge circulation leading to enhanced operational effectivity and offering the muse for AI-driven innovation. The paper explains {that a} converged community should meet the necessities of IT, OT, in addition to safety groups. “Centralized management and visibility of security operations and unified visibility into IT and OT security events are essential for a converged approach, with customers increasingly leveraging IT-oriented approaches to this end”, the paper explains.
Cisco’s management and dedication
What struck me from this report is how comparable their findings are to our personal expertise at Cisco. We just lately surveyed over 1000 professionals in 17 international locations working in 20 industrial sectors. We performed and revealed the 2024 State of Industrial Networking Report.
Building on 4 a long time of constructing revolutionary options for enterprise networks, we’ve got prolonged our management to industrial networks. Our deep understanding of connectivity, safety, and scalability permits us to deliver enterprise-grade reliability and innovation to the commercial sector, whereas nonetheless addressing the core wants of the trade.
Our prospects agree. According to the report, over the previous decade, Cisco’s development has outstripped that of the full Industrial Ethernet market. Our alignment with the evolving wants of the fashionable industrial setting ensures that our prospects can obtain higher operational effectivity, safety, and innovation.
Figure 2: Cisco’s development has outstripped that of the full IES market since 2014
(Source: ARC Advisory Industrial Ethernet Switches Market Outlook)
Read the complete ARCView paper out there for free of charge. For extra info and to arrange a no-obligation free session with certainly one of our trade specialists, please fill out our contact kind and we will probably be in contact, or go to Cisco Industrial Switches.
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