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More on the divide between IT and plant automation
This morning our Webcast on Cyber Security for Industrial Networks went out. The discussion covered a LOT of material and went a full hour. It was the longest Webcast I've ever done. Of course length in itself is no accomplishment, but given that we had high attendance right up to the end suggests that listeners were engaged with the discussion. I find the questions we receive during these events to be very telling, and I can say that we did not have to resort to any pre-planted questions this morning. We could have gone on another 20 minutes to address them all.
I tend to look for subjects that draw more than one question from multiple listeners. This morning we had one topic that came up more than once, but from slightly different angles. You can listen to the on-demand version when it is posted in a few days, but the subject of the gulf between IT and plant automation systems came up a few times. I wish we could have answered more of them. One particularly concerned listener who identified himself as a controls engineer complained that his IT department was taking over control of the firewalls being placed around and in his DCS. Basically the configuration was being done without his input and he found that very disconcerting given that he doesn't believe the IT folks understand the needs of the DCS.
His question was perceptive, and you can listen to the Webcast to hear the answers. The discussion does point out the fact that IT and control engineers do have different facets to their tasks and even different objectives, ultimately. This isn't a new insight, but it never hurts to think about it periodically. Cyber security is one topic where both areas really need to learn to work together.
More on the divide between IT and plant automation
December 5, 2007
This morning our Webcast on Cyber Security for Industrial Networks went out. The discussion covered a LOT of material and went a full hour. It was the longest Webcast I've ever done. Of course length in itself is no accomplishment, but given that we had high attendance right up to the end suggests that listeners were engaged with the discussion. I find the questions we receive during these events to be very telling, and I can say that we did not have to resort to any pre-planted questions this morning. We could have gone on another 20 minutes to address them all.I tend to look for subjects that draw more than one question from multiple listeners. This morning we had one topic that came up more than once, but from slightly different angles. You can listen to the on-demand version when it is posted in a few days, but the subject of the gulf between IT and plant automation systems came up a few times. I wish we could have answered more of them. One particularly concerned listener who identified himself as a controls engineer complained that his IT department was taking over control of the firewalls being placed around and in his DCS. Basically the configuration was being done without his input and he found that very disconcerting given that he doesn't believe the IT folks understand the needs of the DCS.
His question was perceptive, and you can listen to the Webcast to hear the answers. The discussion does point out the fact that IT and control engineers do have different facets to their tasks and even different objectives, ultimately. This isn't a new insight, but it never hurts to think about it periodically. Cyber security is one topic where both areas really need to learn to work together.
Posted by Peter Welander on December 5, 2007 | Comments (0)
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