Daniel Sukowski, Global Business Development Industry & IIOT, Paessler shares how to bridge the IT/OT divide, with unified monitoring solutions
As buildings become smarter, more connected, and increasingly data-driven, the line between Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) is quickly blurring. What were once separate worlds, servers and switches on one side, HVAC systems and fire alarms on the other, are now converging to form a single, interdependent ecosystem. With this merging comes a new operational reality: visibility across IT and OT is now business critical.
For decades, organisations have invested heavily in network and systems monitoring tools, but traditional building management systems (BMS) and industrial control platforms still tend to focus on OT-only metrics like energy usage, temperature, or elevator status. Meanwhile, IT monitoring tools have evolved in their own silos, with little awareness of what’s happening on the physical infrastructure side. In today’s environment, that disjointed view is a liability, one that can increase downtime, obscure the root cause of faults, and expose systems to new security risks.
Fortunately, the industry is waking up to this challenge, with IDC reporting that by 2026, 75% of industrial enterprises will have integrated IT and OT systems to drive improved business outcomes.
Visibility drives resilience
The real value of IT/OT convergence lies in the ability to contextualise data across domains. Imagine a temperature anomaly in a building, on its own, that may seem like an HVAC fault. But with unified monitoring, you might see that it coincides with a failed network switch in the server room, or an issue in the power supply. This kind of cross-functional insight enables faster diagnosis, better decision-making, and stronger resilience across the entire operation.
That’s where flexible, cross-domain monitoring solutions come into play. Platforms that can ingest and display data from both IT and OT environments, without requiring specialist training or siloed dashboards, are becoming foundational to smart building strategies.
Security built into the architecture
Security also benefits from convergence. With threats increasingly targeting the blurred edge between cyber and physical systems, unified monitoring platforms need to respect both security best practices and operational constraints. In Bosch’s case, the architecture was designed so communication from the OPC UA Server is initiated within the secure OT network, ensuring observability without exposing systems to unnecessary risk.
This approach reflects a broader industry need – building smart infrastructure that is secure by design, not just by patchwork.
AI, Edge, and Cloud-native monitoring
As industries embrace Edge computing, AI-based anomaly detection, and Cloud-native architectures, the monitoring landscape is evolving fast. Solutions like PRTG are already adapting, adding support for industrial protocols like MQTT and Modbus, and developing AI tools to surface unusual patterns before they escalate.
These innovations will be pivotal as organisations scale their digital infrastructure, but the foundation remains the same: visibility across IT and OT is the cornerstone of resilience.
From silos to strategy
The convergence of IT and OT is no longer a trend, it’s a reality. While the technology to support it is maturing, the mindset shift is just as important. Smart infrastructure isn’t just about smart devices. It’s about strategic integration, breaking down silos, connecting data sources, and building systems that are not only more efficient, but more secure, scalable, and intelligent.
The work companies including Bosch and Paessler have done offers a blueprint for this future, but they’re not alone. As more organisations seek to modernise operations, reduce risk, and improve outcomes, unified monitoring will become a defining capability.
The first step? Start with visibility.
Daniel Sukowski is the Global Business Development Manager – IIoT & Data Centers EMEA at Paessler. In this role, he leads strategy and outreach to industrial customers, particularly in IIoT and OT/IT integration. He frequently authors thought leadership articles and speaks at industry events on topics including condition monitoring and automated warehouse oversight and IT/OT convergence and cybersecurity best practices in industrial networks.
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