The IT/OT Convergence is happening now.
Our thoughts on what is happening and things to consider in our IT/OT Convergence in Service Management paper.
Summary:
- OT Needs Lightweight Governance, Not Heavy Enterprise ITIL Baggage
- First-Class Change Management for OT Maintenance Windows
- Perfect Fit for Mixed IT/OT Tickets
- Asset & Configuration Management Mapped to OT Reality
- Great for Field Service & Dispatching OT Technicians
- Built-in Automation for OT Operations
- Strong Collaboration with Engineering and Production Teams
- Lower Total Cost of Ownership
- Integrates Easily with OT Monitoring & Event Systems
- Supports Compliance & Safety Requirements
Detail:
1. OT Needs Lightweight Governance, Not Heavy Enterprise ITIL Baggage
OT teams often avoid traditional ITSM platforms because they’re:
- too rigid
- too expensive
- too slow to customize
- built with IT (not OT) workflows in mind
JSM provides:
- Flexible, low‑code configuration
- Fast setup (hours/days vs. months)
- Smaller administrative footprint
- Easy workflow customization for OT use cases (e.g., lockout-tagout, PLC faults, SCADA alarms, site access requests)
This suits OT teams that need structure but don’t want to become IT administrators.
2. First-Class Change Management for OT Maintenance Windows
OT environments are extremely sensitive to change. JSM’s Change Management + Automation + Risk Flags give OT teams:
- Planned maintenance calendars
- Approval workflows that involve engineering, safety, production
- Automated risk assessment and routing using CI/CD data
- Clear audit trails for compliance
3. Perfect Fit for Mixed IT/OT Tickets
OT teams increasingly deal with:
- Network issues
- Sensor data issues
- Software on HMIs or SCADA
- IIoT devices
- Cyber alerts
JSM allows IT + OT collaboration in one system without forcing OT into IT’s workflow.
Key value:
- Separate queues, SLAs, and categories for OT
- Shared visibility when incidents cross into IT
- Custom fields for OT asset types (PLC, RTU, valve, inverter, robot, etc.)
4. Asset & Configuration Management Mapped to OT Reality
OT assets aren’t traditional IT assets. They include:
- PLCs
- Drives
- Sensors
- Distributed control systems
- SCADA components
- Field devices
- Industrial robots
- Utility infrastructure
JSM Assets provides a schema-flexible, relationship-first CMDB well-suited to OT ecosystems.
Value:
- Models complex OT dependencies
- Tracks lifecycle, maintenance history, firmware versions
- Links incidents → assets → root cause
- Visual relationship mapping (lines, pumps, controllers)
5. Great for Field Service & Dispatching OT Technicians
Many OT teams dispatch technicians across:
- Plants
- Stations
- Oil fields
- Mines
- Utility sites
- Manufacturing floors
JSM’s mobile app + queues allow techs to:
- See their work orders
- Update status in the field
- Capture photos, notes, measurements
- Check asset history onsite
Manual process issues:
✘ Paperwork gets lost
✘ No real-time updates
✘ No auditability
6. Built-in Automation for OT Operations
OT workflows are heavily repeatable. JSM automation can:
- Auto-classify incidents based on keywords
- Trigger workflows when SCADA/IIoT alerts integrate via webhook
- Auto-assign based on site, line, or asset type
- Create sub-tasks for safety checks or LOTO processes
- Send alerts when a critical asset repeatedly fails
OT teams get:
- Faster triage
- Lower error rates
- Consistent process adherence
7. Strong Collaboration with Engineering and Production Teams
OT work typically requires:
- Maintenance
- Controls engineering
- Safety
- Production
- IT networking/security
JSM excels at cross-team collaboration:
- Integrated Confluence knowledge base
- Comment threads
- @mentions
- Automated notifications
- Shared queues
- Clear visibility across teams
Manual systems:
✘ Information scatter
✘ Tribal knowledge loss
8. Lower Total Cost of Ownership
JSM is significantly cheaper than most other systems to:
- implement
- maintain
- customize
- scale
Cost matters enormously for OT teams, which often operate on lean budgets compared to IT.
9. Integrates Easily with OT Monitoring & Event Systems
OT systems generating events:
- SCADA alarms
- Historian alerts
- OSIsoft PI
- Aveva
- Kepware
- MQTT brokers
- IIoT gateways
JSM integrates via:
- Webhooks
- REST APIs
- Event-based automation
- Connectors like Opsgenie
This supports predictive maintenance and faster incident response.
10. Supports Compliance & Safety Requirements
JSM helps OT teams adhere to:
- NERC/CIP
- ISA/IEC 62443
- OSHA
- ISO 55000
- Corporate safety governance
Through:
- Traceable change logs
- Work order history
- Standard operating procedures
- Approvals
- Supports audit evidence
Manual systems fail here because:
✘ audits are painful
✘ data is inconsistent
✘ no trail of who approved what
Our thoughts on what is happening and things to consider in our IT/OT Convergence in Service Management paper.
