IT/OT Convergence

Modern manufacturing demands seamless data flow from the plant floor to enterprise systems. Connecting IT and OT environments requires deliberate, security-conscious network architecture to protect operational continuity and keep production systems performing as intended.

As a CSIA-certified IT/OT convergence system integrator and Cisco partner, we specialize in bridging that gap, designing and securing converged industrial networks that enable real-time MES access and remote operational visibility while maintaining availability and process safety.

Industrial Network Design and Deployment

Our team conducts thorough assessments of existing infrastructure, identifying vulnerabilities and architectural gaps before implementing changes. From that foundation, we handle all aspects of plant floor network design and deployment, following Converged Plantwide Ethernet principles.

We provide:

• Physical network design: Our team standardizes switching infrastructure, cabling and distribution frame organization to establish a scalable foundation for the converged environment.
• Logical segmentation: Following ISA/IEC 62443 standards and Purdue Model principles, we establish defensible zone-and-conduit boundaries between IT, OT, and field-level systems.
• Industrial wireless deployment: Purpose-built Wi-Fi site surveys and deployments extend network coverage to mobile operators, AGVs and edge devices across the plant floor.

Industrial Cybersecurity

Our OT cybersecurity services protect converged environments while minimizing downtime. Our capabilities include:

• Industrial Demilitarized Zone (IDMZ) architecture: We deploy an IDMZ to mediate traffic between IT and OT networks, enabling controlled data exchange while containing lateral movement across the network.
• Secure remote access: Our team establishes governed, auditable remote access policies that replace ad hoc vendor and operator connections with traceable, policy-driven sessions.
• DPI and ICS asset visibility: Through passive Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) and Industrial Control System protocol analysis, we continuously inventory OT devices, communication patterns and industrial protocol flows, promoting production continuity throughout the process.
• OT network security assessments: Our specialists identify common vulnerabilities and exposures, misconfigurations and unauthorized network paths, providing a clear, actionable picture of where risk resides.
• Network Access Control (NAC): We integrate NAC with existing IT security frameworks to enforce consistent access policies across the converged environment.

Industrial Compute and Infrastructure

We design and manage the infrastructure layer with the same discipline applied to the network and controls tiers. Our solutions include:

• Server virtualization: Our team deploys fault-tolerant compute environments that keep historians, HMIs and control applications running at the performance levels production demands.
• OT backup and disaster recovery: Structured backup and restore procedures get critical automation systems back online quickly, reducing the production impact of any unplanned failure.
• Infrastructure monitoring and patch management: Continuous monitoring and disciplined patch cycles keep OT infrastructure secure and performant to support maximum uptime.
• Domain services and Active Directory: We configure DNS, Active Directory, Group Policy and IP Address Management for industrial environments, delivering centralized identity and access management at the plant level.
• Cloud-hosted virtualization: For operations pursuing edge-to-cloud integration, we deploy and manage cloud-hosted virtual infrastructure that extends OT compute capabilities beyond the plant floor.

Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC)

Manual OT infrastructure deployment is slow to replicate, difficult to audit and prone to configuration drift across facilities. Applying IaC methodologies, including PowerShell, PowerShell DSC, Ansible, Terraform, and GitOps practices, our team automates the provisioning, configuration, and ongoing management of industrial compute environments. The result is repeatable, version-controlled deployments that reduce human error, accelerate recovery timelines and bring DevOps-grade consistency to IT/OT convergence in manufacturing.

Why Partner With Malisko for IT and OT Convergence

Malisko brings control systems expertise and industrial network security knowledge to IT/OT convergence projects. From network assessment and design through ongoing infrastructure management, security monitoring and post-implementation support, our team supports businesses at each life cycle stage. 

When a global home improvement manufacturer needed to modernize a disconnected plant network, our team executed a full-scale transformation and cutover of more than 950 IT and OT devices, delivering a secure, scalable foundation that the client continues to build on today.

Take the Next Step

Whether the immediate priority is network modernization, OT cybersecurity or a comprehensive convergence strategy, a structured assessment is a strategic starting point. Contact our team today to initiate a network and security evaluation and gain a clear picture of current architecture, risk exposure and the highest-impact opportunities for improvement.