Bridging the Gap Unlock the Power of OT Skills in the Digital Age

Bridging the Gap Unlock the Power of OT Skills in the Digital Age

When Hackers Shut Down the Factory Floor: Are Your OT Systems Protected? Imagine this: A major manufacturing plant grinds to a halt. Not because of a mechanical failure, but because of a sophisticated cyberattack targeting its Operational Technology (OT) systems. Production lines stop, critical infrastructure is compromised, and the financial and reputational damage is immense. This isn’t a hypothetical scenario; it’s a growing reality. As Skills and Training Product Managers at Cisco, we see firsthand…

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Operational and Financial Benefits of Energy Utility Network Digitization

Operational and Financial Benefits of Energy Utility Network Digitization

Digitizing and automating the network for energy utilities can lead to significant operational and financial benefits by reducing operational expenses (OPEX), capital expenses (CAPEX), human configuration errors, and time to deploy. Benefits will vary depending on the utility’s starting point, scale, and maturity of existing systems. However, based on industry insights, case studies, and vendor analysis (such as those from Cisco or other networking companies), the following approximate figures are often indicated: Reduction in OPEX:…

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Connecting a New Generation of Moving Assets with Cisco Ultra-Reliable Wireless Backhaul

Connecting a New Generation of Moving Assets with Cisco Ultra-Reliable Wireless Backhaul

What traits does a wireless network need to connect moving assets? Answer: it depends on the stakes. Occasional lapses in connectivity and a little latency might be okay if you’re catching up on email while riding a bus, but not if you’re remotely controlling a 100,000-pound bulldozer on a steep dam slope. That’s why Aterpa, a Brazilian engineering company hired to decommission Brazil’s tailings dams, uses Cisco Ultra-Reliable Wireless Backhaul (URWB) to remotely control heavy…

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Innovative OT Security Solutions by Cisco at RSAC 2025

Innovative OT Security Solutions by Cisco at RSAC 2025

The world’s cybersecurity community is gearing up to meet at the RSAC™ 2025 Conference in San Francisco. I’m looking forward to reconnecting with old friends, making new ones, and discussing OT security needs with industrial organizations. Be sure you stop by the Cisco booth and say Hi! We’ll be showcasing the latest features of Industrial Threat Defense, Cisco’s comprehensive and highly modular OT security solution. It uses the industrial network as the fabric to easily…

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Modernize Your Industrial Infrastructure for Cybersecurity and AI Readiness with Cisco Validated Designs

Modernize Your Industrial Infrastructure for Cybersecurity and AI Readiness with Cisco Validated Designs

The necessity of tested and proven network architectures Many industrial operations rely on networks provided to them by their automation vendors. These default networks often focus on the immediate, localized needs of specific equipment or processes. While they may be good at their intended function, they frequently fall short when addressing the broader challenges of scale, security, and innovation in modern industrial environments. Such networks may not consistently offer the level of cybersecurity needed to…

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Modernizing Industrial Networks: The Business Case for IT/OT Collaboration 

Modernizing Industrial Networks: The Business Case for IT/OT Collaboration 

New report from Harbor Research examines how leaders are accelerating IT/OT partnerships for significant operational and financial benefits  “From 2018-2023, cybersecurity attacks involving critical infrastructure in manufacturing, utilities, transportation systems and similar mission critical domains almost doubled year over year driving an average compound annual growth rate of over 90% per year.”– Harbor Research, The Business Case for IT/OT Collaboration in Modernizing Industrial Networks   Cybersecurity urgency and AI readiness are proving to industrial companies that modernizing…

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Cisco unveils SD-WAN Configuration Catalog to streamline industrial deployments

Cisco unveils SD-WAN Configuration Catalog to streamline industrial deployments

One small step for the New Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Configuration Catalog, one giant leap for IT and OT SD-WAN has emerged as a critical tool to manage both enterprise and industrial networks. But managing the network, especially when it’s across a geographically distributed area, can allow for some complexity. We address this challenge by introducing the industry’s first customer-driven configuration group-based approach that templatizes enterprise and industrial SD-WAN deployments.  Proven and tested: preconfigured catalog of…

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Cisco unveils SD-WAN Configuration Catalog to streamline industrial deployments

Cisco unveils SD-WAN Configuration Catalog to streamline industrial deployments

One small step for the New Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Configuration Catalog, one giant leap for IT and OT SD-WAN has emerged as a critical tool to manage both enterprise and industrial networks. But managing the network, especially when it’s across a geographically distributed area, can allow for some complexity. We address this challenge by introducing the industry’s first customer-driven configuration group-based approach that templatizes enterprise and industrial SD-WAN deployments.  Proven and tested: preconfigured catalog of…

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IPConsul automates operations with Cisco’s industrial IoT secure networking

IPConsul automates operations with Cisco’s industrial IoT secure networking

Sweet Success: How Industrial IoT Transforms Maple Syrup Farming in the Harshest Environments  When you think of a harsh industrial environment, nibbling squirrels might not immediately come to mind. For maple syrup farmers however, critters munching on tubing, bears gnawing on spouts, and equipment damaged by severe weather are just part of the routine. A remote 1000-maple tree farm in Quebec was therefore the ideal testing ground for IT service provider, IPConsul, to demonstrate how…

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Coming Soon to Wi-SUN Field Area Network: Versatility to connect sensors with low power and high throughput capabilities

Coming Soon to Wi-SUN Field Area Network: Versatility to connect sensors with low power and high throughput capabilities

The Catalyst IR8140 Heavy Duty Series Router will be Cisco’s first router to support new Capabilities for FAN 1.1. to meet increasing digitization needs.   In 2019 the Wi-SUN Alliance introduced the first certified products implementing Field Area Network 1.0, which is a secure, self-forming , self-healing IPv6 wireless mesh network designed to support smart utility, smart city and other use cases operating over large geographic areas.  Based on IETF IoT standards and sub-GHz IEEE…

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