OT stands for Operational Technology. It is about the hardware and machines that control physical and industrial processes. In a factory, that is the production line. In a building, it is the installations: heating, cooling and ventilation, lifts, access control, lighting, sun shading and meters.
In OT, safety and reliability come first, because you notice a failure straight away in the physical world. OT installations often last many years and get updates less often than IT.
OT is different from IT (information technology), which is about data, computers and networks. In a Smart Building, OT is connected to the network, often through the building management system. So put OT in its own protected network (see network segmentation).
What does this mean for the IT-Label?
With the IT-Label we look at how the building systems are connected and protected, and whether they work together well. Also read IT and OT: the difference, and why it matters in buildings.
← Network segmentation Patch cabinet
Related terms
Updated