OT network monitoring with PRTG
Be prepared for NIS-2 and other directives & meet regulatory security compliance
- Identify OT assets and minimize OT blind spots for enahnced threat intelligence
- Protect your OT environment with comprehensive monitoring in real time
- Make sure that you comply with governmental directives like NIS-2
PRTG OT network monitoring:
What you’ll find on this page
PRTG makes OT network monitoring easy
Custom alerts and data visualization let you quickly identify and prevent downtime and other issues in your OT ecosystem.
Time to NIS-2 is running out – are you prepared?
The challenge: Extended OT cyber security demands & regulations
In data centers and industrial companies from different sectors, IT administrators need to deal more with the OT world than ever before.
Converged IT/OT infrastructures mean that previously isolated industrial networks are being opened up to connect with new systems and endpoints from the outside, often across multiple locations.
This interconnectivity has many advantages but naturally poses great risks for network security and threat detection, too – as the exponential rise in the number of cyberattacks shows.
Governments therefore demand more than ever that companies adhere to strict security rules and regulations.
One of these regulations is the European NIS-2 Directive, or the Network and Information Security Directive 2, which has to become national law in all EU member states until October 2024. NIS-2 includes, for example:
- Extended IT security demands for more companies from more industries
- Enhanced measures in the areas of vulnerability management and cyber risk management, for example regarding encryption, remote access control, and secure production processes
- Faster reporting and stricter liability rules and sanctions in case of security incidents
So how do you ensure that your organization meets the upcoming NIS-2 Directive?
The solution: Comprehensive monitoring of your industrial environments with PRTG
Don’t wait till it’s too late. For meeting the NIS-2 Directive and similar regulations in full, it is crucial that a comprehensive cyber security strategy also includes a holistic IT and OT monitoring concept.
Paessler PRTG is your centralized IT/OT monitoring tool that you can easily integrate alongside other cyber security solutions and intrusion detection systems out there. With PRTG, you get:
- Availability, health, and performance monitoring of “classical” IT devices and parameters such as servers, routers, switches, bandwidth, and network traffic
- Monitoring the integrity and connectivity of business applications and systems like ERP and SAP
- Ensuring secure communication between all interfaces – from machines and IIoT sensors on the factory floor to industrial gateways at the edge to processing tools in the cloud
- Keeping an eye on the availability and security of industrial IT components like supervisory and control systems, DCS, HMIs, PLCs, and more
- Condition monitoring of data center facilities, production plants, or office buildings
Start monitoring OT networks and security with PRTG and see how it can make your network more reliable and your job easier.
What OT network visibility looks like in PRTG
Diagnose network issues by continuously monitoring IT and OT components in your infrastructure. Show alarms and conditions in real time and visualize data in graphic maps & dashboards to identify problems more easily. Gain the visibility you need to troubleshoot issues with your OT network.
Knowing is better than believing:
5 use cases how PRTG helps you with monitoring your OT network & security
IDENTIFY your OT assets
Minimize OT blind spots in your data center or production environment by consolidating monitoring data from your IT, OT, and IIoT infrastructure in one tool.
This way, you can make sure that no issue is overlooked.
PRTG supports common industrial standards & protocols (OPC UA, MQTT, Modbus) out-of-the-box and thus lets you easily integrate your OT devices into your monitoring concept.
PROTECT your OT network
Make sure that your monitoring covers all OT defense layers such as network segmentation, industrial firewalls, industrial Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS), or physical security systems such as electronic door locks and CCTV.
With PRTG, you can ensure that your OT security devices and systems are available and working as expected at all times – no matter if they only run in different networks or in distributed locations.
DETECT OT security issues
Keep a close eye on events that can indicate a security issue.
Monitor, for example, if OPC UA certificates are up to date, if your firewalls are up and running, and if communication between your IT and OT networks as well as remote network access are secured.
PRTG also helps you detect anomalies in your OT network such as unusual traffic or unexpected user access preventively so that you can act before more serious issues occur.
RESPOND to IT/OT security alerts
In the case of a malicious attack, time is of the essence. With PRTG, you are able to mitigate security threats before they can do real damage to your business-critical infrastructure.
It’s even possible to receive PRTG alerts from your IT/OT networks in your supervisory and control system by way of our product extension PRTG OPC UA Server.
If your control system supports OPC UA Alarms & Conditions, the responsible technician can then directly respond to the respective issue.
RECOVER business-critical data
Prevent data loss and ensure the business continuity of OT devices, systems, and processes by monitoring the availability and security of backup management and disaster recovery systems.
In addition, monitoring with PRTG provides you with a wealth of historical data that you can use for an in-depth root cause analysis of issues.
This way, you can implement data-based measures to prevent issues from happening again.
Discover our new product extension
Paessler PRTG OPC UA Server
Get an overview of OT network components in your supervisory and control systems
Do you want to have a full overview of your OT environment in your supervisory and control systems – including traditional IT network components like routers, switches, firewalls, and more?
PRTG OPC UA Server consolidates monitoring data from your OT network and the IIoT in your control system. View all your data in one place for centralized monitoring and alarms.
PRTG is compatible with all major vendors, products, and systems
Easily find the source of the problem with our PRTG OT monitoring solution
Real-time alerts and custom notifications make it easy to solve issues with the health, availability, and security of OT infrastructures.
Information & communication are key: Our OT network monitoring tool has all the features you need
Flexible, distributed monitoring
No matter if you operate multiple data centers or if your manufacturing facilities are distributed globally – with PRTG, you can collect monitoring data from an unlimited number of remote networks and send it in encrypted form to the central PRTG server.
Get a unified monitoring overview of all your distributed sites in a single pane of glass.
Customizable alerts & notifications
Always stay informed about critical issues in your IT and OT infrastructure. PRTG lets you define individual warning and error thresholds as well as notification triggers for different escalation levels.
Detect problems even before they become a serious threat to security and business continuity – and rest assured that if PRTG doesn’t alert you, everything is up and running as expected.
In-depth reporting system
Use PRTG’s highly customizable reporting system to generate reports on demand or via schedule.
You can comfortably choose which data to include in which format, for example, as historical data graphs.
This way, reporting on incidents to the management or even to administrations is easier than ever.
Custom dashboards & maps
Create visualizations of your monitoring setup the way you need. Our easy-to-use drag-and-drop map editor comes with a huge number of preconfigured widgets for your convenience.
Publish your individual dashboards on data center screens or in your factory’s production hall – or set role-based access rights to let only authorized personnel view them.
Your OT network monitor at a glance – even on the go
Set up PRTG in minutes and use it on almost any mobile device.
PRTG makes OT network monitoring easy
Custom alerts and data visualization make it easy to monitor, identify, and prevent OT network issues.
Create innovative solutions with Paessler’s partners
Partnering with innovative vendors, Paessler unleashes synergies to create
new and additional benefits for joined customers.
With the combination of PRTG and Insys, the monitoring specialist Paessler and the industrial gateway manufacturer INSYS icom offer a practical possibility to merge IT and OT.
INSYS icom
“Excellent tool for detailed monitoring. Alarms and notifications work greatly. Equipment addition is straight forward and server initial setup is very easy. ...feel safe to purchase it if you intend to monitor a large networking landscape.”
Infrastructure and Operations Engineer in the Communications Industry, firm size 10B - 30B USD
PRTG: The multi-tool for sysadmins
Adapt PRTG individually and dynamically to your needs and rely on a strong API:- HTTP API: Access monitoring data and manipulate monitoring objects via HTTP requests
- Custom sensors: Create your own PRTG sensors for customized monitoring
- Custom notifications: Create your own notifications and send action triggers to external systems
- REST Custom sensor: Monitor almost everything that provides data in XML or JSON format
Monitor Operational Technology networks and security: FAQ
1. What does OT security mean?
OT security, or Operational Technology security, refers to the measures that businesses implement to protect operational technology systems and networks. Operational technology includes the hardware and software used to monitor and control physical processes, such as industrial control systems (ICS), SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) systems, and other technologies used in critical infrastructure sectors like energy, manufacturing, transportation, and utilities.
2. What is OT security monitoring?
OT security monitoring involves the continuous observation and analysis of OT systems and networks to detect and respond to security incidents and anomalies. It is a critical component of a comprehensive OT security strategy.
The goal of OT security monitoring is to identify potential threats, vulnerabilities, or abnormal behavior that could compromise the integrity, availability, or confidentiality of OT components and infrastructures.
3. Is PRTG an OT security monitoring tool?
Paessler PRTG is proprietary monitoring software for IT, OT, and IIoT infrastructures of all sizes. It is no dedicated OT security monitoring tool, but it can easily be integrated into your OT security concept. Features of PRTG related to IT/OT security include:
- Network traffic analysis for monitoring and analyzing the communication between devices and systems within the OT network
- Anomaly detection to identify deviations from normal patterns of behavior within the OT environment
- Incident detection and response
- Asset discovery to maintain an accurate inventory of all OT assets, including devices, sensors, controllers, and software
- Log analysis for analyzing historical data generated by OT systems to detect signs of malicious activity or system misconfigurations
- Behavioral monitoring of users and systems within the OT environment to identify unusual patterns or actions that may indicate a security threat
- Continuous monitoring to ensure that security controls are consistently applied, and any changes in the environment are promptly identified and assessed for security implication
4. What is NIS-2?
The European Union's Network and Information Systems Directive 2 (NIS-2 Directive) is a legislative framework that was established to enhance the overall cybersecurity and resilience of network and information systems across the EU.
NIS-2 has to become national legislation in all member states of the European Union until October 2024. The directive includes extended cyber security demands for businesses and organizations from various industries; more concrete measures regarding cyber risk management; as well as stricter reporting and liability rules and sanctions in case of security incidents.
5. Can PRTG help me implement NIS-2 requirements?
Yes, it can. For meeting the NIS-2 Directive and similar regulations in full, it is crucial that a comprehensive cyber security strategy also includes a holistic IT and OT monitoring concept.
PRTG is your centralized IT/OT network monitoring tool that you can easily integrate alongside other cyber security solutions and intrusion detection systems out there. It helps you proactively identify and respond to potential threats, reducing the risk of operational disruptions, physical damage, and other negative consequences associated with security incidents in industrial and critical infrastructure environments.
More than just a monitoring tool:
Reasons our customers love PRTG
Paessler PRTG is used by companies of all sizes. Sysadmins love PRTG because it makes their job a whole lot easier. Bandwidth, servers, virtual environments, websites, VoIP services – PRTG keeps an eye on your entire network. Everyone has different monitoring needs. That’s why we let you try PRTG for free.Still not convinced?
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Start monitoring OT networks and security with PRTG and see how it can make your network more reliable and your job easier.
PRTG |
Network Monitoring Software - Version 24.3.98.1210 (July 31st, 2024) |
Hosting |
Download for Windows and cloud-based version PRTG Hosted Monitor available |
Languages |
English, German, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese |
Pricing |
Up to 100 sensors for free (Price List) |
Unified Monitoring |
Network devices, bandwidth, servers, applications, virtual environments, remote systems, IoT, and more |
Supported Vendors & Applications |
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