Issue link: https://resources.mouser.com/i/1499776
A couple of issues arise from this shift. The first problem is that the network isn't infinite in terms of its capacity. Hence, when IT and OT are treated as separate entities, reconciling the time-sensitive reservations of OT traffic and the less- time-sensitive reservations of IT traffic becomes extremely difficult. Additionally, security becomes a major concern, given the difficulty of ensuring proper protocols and device integration across these disparate networks. To solve these outstanding challenges, designers of digital factories have turned to the concept of the converged network. Put more simply, for the digital factory to operate to its fullest potential, designers need to enable the IT network and the OT network to communicate directly with one another, effectively forming one single network within the factory. Naturally, achieving this level of convergence requires all devices on the network to speak the same Layer 2 languages. Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN), a series of amendments and new specifications from the IEEE 802.1 Working Group, allows deterministic traffic to exist alongside other traffic on common layer 2 networks. This common layer 2 allows for an interoperable approach to network management which ensures the traffic requirements of both IT and OT traffic are respected. The real value of the converged network is this common approach to resource management, which not only enables the coexistence of IT and OT traffic, but also provides the foundation of other features such as easy onboarding of new devices and augmented human interaction with the network. Additionally, the converged network allows for the scalability of the digital factory, as the traditional benefits of standards-based Ethernet remain unchanged. In terms of security, convergence allows for cohesion C h a p t e r 3 | C o n v e r g e n c e o f I T a n d O T N e t w o r k s With the higher overlap between IT and OT, we should also be paying attention to unexplored security and safety risks moving forward." Darshan Pandya Staff Robotics & Automation Engineer, Walmart 15 Leading the Way to the Digital Factory