OT

Operational Technology

In plain language

The computers and controllers that run physical machinery and processes, as opposed to office IT.

The metaphor

Like the controls on a factory floor, as separate from the office computers upstairs.

Going deeper

How it works

It covers equipment such as machines, sensors, valves and alarms.
Safety and uptime matter more than speed.
Updates are slow because stopping a process is costly.
Mixing it with the office network brings office threats to the machinery.

What can go wrong (example scenario)

A greenhouse ran its watering and heating controls on the same network as the office Wi-Fi. A guest's infected phone disrupted the controllers for a day.

In practice

A greenhouse controls heating by schedule.
A factory runs a conveyor from a control panel.
A building controls elevators and heating.

A question owners ask

Does my business have it?

Only if you run machinery or automated building systems. If you do, keep them on a separate network from office devices.

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