OT/IT Network Segmentation
Segmented network architectures that protect OT environments while enabling required data flows using Arista cognitive campus with Palo Alto NGFW integration.
Manufacturing IT Solutions
Engineering-grade infrastructure for the plant floor, the office, and everything in between
Manufacturing IT organizations operate under constraints that most IT vendors don't fully understand. Production uptime translates directly to revenue — every minute of downtime has a measurable cost.
IVI works with manufacturing IT leaders who need to modernize without disrupting operations, secure without over-blocking, and scale without adding five more engineers to the team.
Purpose-built network solutions for manufacturing environments where infrastructure is production infrastructure.
A Different Approach
Architecture-first methodology for manufacturing environments
IVI approaches manufacturing IT with an architecture-first methodology. Before recommending platforms or writing statements of work, our engineers spend time understanding your production environment: what systems operate on the floor, how traffic flows between OT and IT zones, where observability gaps exist, and what failure scenarios your business cannot tolerate.
The Manufacturing IT Reality
OT/IT convergence has created new operational complexity. Industrial control systems, SCADA platforms, PLCs, and MES applications now share infrastructure with business applications, VoIP, and cloud workloads.
Production uptime translates directly to revenue impact
Network spans climate-controlled offices to industrial plant floors
15-year lifecycle OT systems share infrastructure with cloud-connected ERP
IT teams rarely large enough for operational scope
Legacy infrastructure constrains business capability
Core Capabilities
We design infrastructure that treats the plant floor and data center as parts of the same network — segmented appropriately, visible end to end, and managed with consistent operational rigor.
Multi-Site SD-WAN
Application-aware routing and automatic failover across plants, distribution centers, and offices using Arista EdgeConnect with centralized visibility.
Campus and Plant Floor Modernization
Arista EOS platform delivering consistent management, streaming telemetry, and zero-touch provisioning across office and manufacturing environments.
Pervasive Observability
End-to-end visibility using Arista CloudVision, LogicMonitor, and DANZ Monitoring Fabric spanning IT infrastructure and accessible OT network segments.
Zero Trust Remote Access
Identity-aware, least-privilege connectivity for OT systems using Palo Alto Prisma Access and Cato Networks replacing VPN-based access.
Aegis Co-Managed Operations
Configuration management, software lifecycle management, incident response, and performance monitoring without removing visibility or control.
How It Works
Structured approach designed for manufacturing operational constraints and production schedules.
1
Environment Assessment
Network topology documentation, OT/IT boundary mapping, observability gap analysis, and security posture review.
2
Architecture Design
Reference architecture covering LAN/WAN/WLAN design, OT segmentation model, security policy framework, and observability platform design.
3
Phased Deployment
Deployment aligned to operational calendar with plant floor work during scheduled production windows using zero-touch provisioning.
4
Aegis Onboarding
Monitoring baselines, alert thresholds, runbooks, and escalation paths configured with production-awareness constraints.
What You Get
Complete documentation and operational foundation for manufacturing IT infrastructure.
Infrastructure Documentation
Current-state topology, device inventory, OT/IT boundary map, and reference architecture with design rationale.
Deployed Infrastructure
Validated network infrastructure across all sites with OT/IT segmentation design and firewall rule framework.
Operational Foundation
Aegis monitoring baselines, purpose-built dashboards, runbooks, software lifecycle register, and escalation matrix.
Operational Outcomes
- Reduced mean time to detect and resolve network incidents during production hours
- Clear segmentation boundary between OT and IT environments with documented policy enforcement
- Consistent, observable network performance across all manufacturing sites
- Reduced unplanned downtime attributable to network or WAN failures
- IT team capacity freed from routine operational tasks
- Security posture improvements measurable against frameworks like NIST CSF or IEC 62443
Ideal Fit
- Three or more facilities with distributed network infrastructure
- Legacy Cisco campus or WAN infrastructure approaching end-of-life
- OT systems connected to corporate network without formal segmentation
- Small-to-mid-size IT teams managing footprints larger than headcount can sustain
- Pressure to support cloud ERP migrations or AI/edge deployments
Industry Applications
Tailored approaches for different manufacturing environments
Discrete Manufacturing
Automotive, Electronics, Industrial Equipment
Plant floor networks carrying machine data, vision systems, robotics control traffic, and MES integration across multiple buildings.
Best Fit
Hierarchical campus fabrics with production/business network segmentation and sub-second failover switching.
Process Manufacturing
Food & Beverage, Chemicals, Life Sciences
Strict change control requirements and limited maintenance windows with validation documentation needs.
Best Fit
Pre-staged deployments with lab validation and scheduled shutdown sequencing for regulated environments.
Contract Manufacturing
Third-Party Logistics
Multiple customer environments under one roof requiring unique segmentation and compliance.
Best Fit
Multi-tenant network architectures enforcing customer data isolation while maintaining operational efficiency.
Multi-Site Groups
Private Equity-Backed, Multi-Brand
Inconsistent network standards across acquired facilities requiring standardization programs.
Best Fit
Reference architectures deployed consistently with unified managed operations across portfolio companies.
Why IVI
Engineering-led delivery with manufacturing expertise
Production-Aware Operations
We understand that network infrastructure is production infrastructure in manufacturing environments.
Manufacturing Experience
Our engineers have operated in environments where network events affecting one segment can stop entire assembly lines.
Production Constraints
Aegis runbooks include production-aware escalation paths and constraints on changes during production windows.
Engineering Continuity
Our presales engineers are the same engineers who design and deploy your infrastructure.
No Handoffs
There is no handoff to separate delivery teams that didn't participate in design decisions.
Operational Experience
Our Aegis platform was built from operational experience managing complex manufacturing environments.
Related Resources
Related Resources
Review related solution pages, supporting materials, and additional resources that help explain where this solution fits and how it can be applied.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about manufacturing IT solutions and implementation.
We have Cisco infrastructure across all plants. Can IVI help us modernize without rip-and-replace?
Yes. Our assessment process documents current environment and identifies migration approaches that can be phased over time. In most cases, we design parallel deployment strategies — new Arista infrastructure deployed alongside existing Cisco gear, with cutover executed site by site or segment by segment. We've completed campus migrations from Cisco Catalyst and Meraki without production downtime.
How does IVI handle OT environments where we can't provide vendor access to the network?
We design around your access constraints. OT network visibility and segmentation can often be achieved through passive monitoring and carefully positioned enforcement points that don't require ongoing access to OT devices. We work within your change control processes and coordinate with your OT team and any incumbent industrial automation vendors.
Our IT team is small. Can Aegis managed services operate our network without requiring deep daily involvement?
That's exactly the model Aegis is designed for. After onboarding, your team defines notification preferences, what we handle autonomously, and what requires sign-off. Most clients find that day-to-day operational noise drops significantly and they re-engage with infrastructure on planned, strategic basis rather than firefighting mode.
We're planning cloud ERP migration. How does that change network requirements?
Cloud ERP creates new latency and bandwidth requirements at every site connecting to the platform. It also changes WAN traffic patterns significantly: less hub-and-spoke to data center, more direct-to-cloud from branch locations. Our SD-WAN and SASE designs are built with cloud-first traffic flows in mind and we can integrate ERP migration work into network modernization programs.
Does IVI have experience with IEC 62443 or NIST CSF frameworks for OT security?
Our security architects are familiar with both frameworks and reference them in OT/IT segmentation design and security policy work. While IVI is not a pure-play OT security firm, we design infrastructure that supports compliance with these frameworks and coordinate with your compliance and OT teams to document security controls implemented at the network layer.
What happens if critical network events occur during production hours?
Aegis provides 24/7 monitoring and incident response. Our runbooks include production-aware escalation paths — our engineers know that certain environments have constraints on changes during production windows and escalate accordingly. We don't push firmware updates to production switches at noon on Tuesday.
Can you support multi-vendor environments, or is this Arista-only?
Arista is our primary design platform and represents our deepest engineering capability. Real-world manufacturing environments almost always include legacy gear from multiple vendors, and our Aegis platform monitors multi-vendor environments. For new deployments, we recommend Arista because of its programmability, observability, and operational consistency — but we design migrations that accommodate existing infrastructure.