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Learn to secure your industrial assets

Nov. 7, 2016
Online training courses address industrial security concerns

Smart, connected devices are flooding the industrial space. Nearly two billion devices were deployed worldwide in 2006, and IDC analysts predict this number will grow to a staggering 200 billion by 2020.

The explosive growth of connected devices in industrial operations means manufacturers can have access to real-time data in their production environment. But smart devices alone won’t deliver “seamless connectivity.” Manufacturers need a workforce with the skills to build secure information architectures that drive IT/OT convergence. This convergence will deliver the promises of new efficiencies, improved product quality and more responsive operations.

[sidebar id =1]One of the key skills gaps is in the area of security. According to the Sans Institute, more than 50 percent of companies do not have a security strategy that addresses the convergence of IT and OT technologies.

“Industrial security must be implemented as a complete system, rather than as a tacked-on solution,” said Paul Taylor, strategic alliance manager, Cisco. “The breadth of threats that exist today requires that security be robust and capable of eliminating risks on multiple fronts.”

To help manufacturers converge networks securely and unlock the promises of smart manufacturing, Industrial IP Advantage has launched its fourth and final network design training course, completing the full training program. The virtual training courses are designed to meet the emerging needs of control engineers and IT professionals tasked with deploying a secure network architecture.

The full training program is divided into four courses which include scenario-based topics such as logical topologies, protocols, switching and routing infrastructure, physical cabling and wireless:

  • Courses 1 and 2: Designing for the Cell/Area Zone
  • Course 3: Designing for the Industrial Zone
  • Course 4: IT/OT Integration

“These new training courses help both IT and OT professionals work together to deliver optimal network performance with adherence to industry standards,” said Ryan Lepp, director of business development, Panduit.

[sidebar id =2]The eLearning courses, including the latest IT/OT Integration offering, are available to demo at the Automation Fair 2016 Industrial IP Advantage booth #1641. Subject matter experts from the three founding companies, Cisco, Panduit and Rockwell Automation, will also be on-hand to discuss specific requirements, challenges and business opportunities surrounding network convergence.

The full training series can be purchased for $350 on the Industrial IP Advantage website, with a promotional discount code ‘EVENTS2016’ for those registering by January 2017.

If engineers are interested taking their network security knowledge a step further, Industrial IP Advantage is also offering a security-focused webinar on November 17.

Robert Albach, senior product manager at Cisco, will present on best practices for implementing firewalls across a converged, IoT-ready network, while addressing the security priorities for both IT and OT. Register or get more information about the “Industrial Security: Understanding How IT and OT Meet at the Firewall” webinar at: http://www.globalspec.com/click/go2event?type=details&eventId=1266&evtsrc=IndustrialIPUrl4.

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