Digitization of critical infrastructure

OT meets IT

Dutch critical infrastructure, such as tunnels, bridges, pumping stations, locks and power grids, has traditionally been automated with Operational Technology (OT). This technology is known for its reliability and safety. However, we want to know and do more and more with this critical infrastructure, but also make things predictable so that availability is as high as possible. Therefore, in addition to OT, IT is increasingly being used in critical infrastructure. At the same time, this must not be at the expense of the robustness and security of the current systems. ICT Group knows better than anyone how to build a bridge between OT and IT in order to guarantee the safety, availability and reliability of critical infrastructure.

OT is a separate branch of automation with PLCs and scada systems. "This technology is robust, reliable and safe," begins Herman Kraaij of ICT Group. "You turn on a system and don't have to worry about it. It runs for many years without any failure or malfunction. Now more and more things are being added, such as cloud computing or artificial intelligence. Functionally, of course, it's great, but in terms of robustness and security, it is a concern for many administrators. Assets become vulnerable because they are linked to IT. Linking OT to IT systems in the cloud, as an example, brings not only benefits but also serious risks that must be safeguarded."

Smart algorithms

Looking at automation in the water domain, smart algorithms are already being developed that predict when a dike might lose strength, Léon Huijsdens of ICT Group gives as an example. "That is pure IT. In the process, drones are also being used today to detect cracks in dikes. That generates gigabytes of data that must be automated and analyzed. Again, IT. But it goes much further than that. IT algorithms are also used in processes to upgrade wastewater to drinking water, a fine example of circularity. Classic plc technology is then no longer sufficient. So on all fronts, IT is being added to OT." 

Availability and security

We see this same evolution on the road, water and rail transportation infrastructure side, says Kraaij. "In this there are all kinds of objects, such as a bridge, tunnel or lock that serve critical infrastructure. Availability and safety are very important aspects in this, but both are under pressure. Because we are such a densely populated country, the load on those objects is enormous. For example, if you compare the traffic that drove over the Van Brienenoord Bridge per 24 hours 40 years ago with that of today, the increase is enormous. And if such an object fails, the entire Rotterdam region comes to a standstill. Predictability in the function of objects like that is super important, both for reliability and for performing (temporary) maintenance. You want to be as predictive as possible about that. 'IT meets OT' is particularly crucial then, so that you have information about the status of the system parts of these assets."

Predictability

Another example about the importance of predictability. Huijsdens: "Whereas we used to have the capacity to drain the water reactively in the event of a downpour, now we want to know in advance where and when the downpour is going to hit, so that we can turn on pumps in advance to drain some of the water." Kraaij gives another example: "At a tunnel, we want to know the status of the bearings in a fan, for example. If the fan fails, the tunnel has to close. You want to prevent that. Therefore, during a planned maintenance period, it is important to include all renovation work, including the bearings of the fan that have worn out. For that predictability, you need IT. Several initiatives have now been started, this is still often done as PoC, but in the future we expect to keep expanding this."

Enriching classic OT with IT is great and offers plenty of perspective, but be aware of the vulnerabilities, Huijsdens summarizes. "As ICT Group, we have both competencies on board. Techies who know everything about OT, but also experts in IT. That distinguishes us from other infrastructure automakers. In addition, our specialists also have a lot of knowledge of the mechanical and electrical engineering aspect that we automate. That makes us uniquely capable of bridging the gap between OT and IT in a reliable and secure way to keep the infrastructure future-proof."   

Best Digital Transformer
ICT Group has once again been named best Digital Transformer in the Software, Development & Platforms/Enablers-Overall category by MT/Sprout. This is according to the DX300 survey, which was conducted at the initiative of leading entrepreneurial platform MT/Sprout. "Just like last year, we were judged on the topics: cooperation with our clients in digital transformation projects, expertise in the field of transformation and the quality of execution of our services. And once again we secured first place in our category."