Integrating OT with IT in critical infrastructure

ICT Group is strong in the automation of operational technology (OT), in other words, the operation, control and monitoring of vital infrastructure. We then use information technology (IT) to further optimize this in a (cyber)secure manner. The worlds of OT and IT are becoming increasingly integrated within the critical infrastructure and ICT Group has an answer to this like no other.

ICT Group is originally an OT party and, according to Herman Kraaij, Business Development Manager Infra, distinguishes itself by "the deep knowledge of the hard techniques that we automate. In addition, we are an important IT service provider. As both worlds are becoming increasingly integrated with each other, we are in a position like no other to solve the future challenges that call for integrated solutions." And challenges are plenty, also knows Eric van der Laan, Business Development Manager Water and Energy at ICT Group. Among other things, he mentions scarcity in staffing due to an aging population, climate goals, cost pressures and the fact that we live in a densely populated country with an over-utilized infrastructure. 

Systems Engineering+

Working on critical infrastructure in a densely populated country like the Netherlands has a lot of impact. "So there is everything involved in getting a project in the critical infrastructure right the first time and with as little disruption as possible," says Herman. "That's always where the challenge lies, and that's what we developed Systems Engineering+ for." Eric explains: "Think of it as traditional Systems Engineering but supplemented with specific knowledge and tooling to take the process to the next level. Tooling like the Physical Twin with which we deliver 'First Time Right' by testing through all non-happy flows including failure behavior before we actually proceed to implementation. Another example is TransWarp, a validation and verification tool for the efficient and standardized development of software solutions. We also incorporate that integrally into the Systems Engineering process, both in the design and testing process, where we can automatically perform regression tests when changes are made. This ensures that the quality of the Systems Engineering process is optimally guaranteed, in other words that the object will fulfill its intended function upon delivery."

Multidisciplinary

Herman gives another example of self-developed tooling, the Advanced Project Generator (APG) for software development. "With this tool, we can generate software in an automated way with accompanying documentation in accordance with the standards that apply. By standardizing and generating as much as possible according to fixed structures, the system becomes more maintainable, less error-prone and manageable for third parties. By developing and applying the tooling, we ensure that projects are delivered demonstrably, reliably and safely." 

Eric: "Because we are a service provider with many relevant disciplines in the group, we also include in the requirements process all matters that are important for the lifecycle management of the assets, for example, we take a critical look at the safety aspects and our security competence tests whether this aspect is sufficiently covered in the total development process. First Time Right' and ensuring continuity are thus central."

Focus on digitization infra

Systems Engineering+ not only provides certainty and a "First Time Right," but Herman says it also solves problems regarding scarcity of manpower. "We can meet that challenge with less effort and thus take on projects without problems." ICT Group also has a strong focus on the further digitalization of the vital infrastructure. "We tackle this from the perspective of process automation. After all, we come from the physical domain (OT)," Eric says. "Thus we are betting on the latest generation of process automation. That includes preventive and risk-based maintenance. Based on the asset data we collect through our IoT platform InfraNext, we analyze the conditions of the various assets and determine the maintenance and possible replacement strategy. We tackle this kind of lifecycle management issues with our sister company Innocy, which offers asset management consultancy within critical infrastructure in particular."

Digitization is also valuable for achieving sustainability goals. "With the help of tooling, the energy management of assets is made transparent and can then be optimized. This can be done at the object level, but also at the organizational level or at the regional level, for example. In this way, you can reduce CO2 emissions, but also save energy costs."