Silvan Pfirrmann is CEO of PLUS4DATA GmbH and an expert in industrial data management in OT environments. With a background in automation technology and many years of experience in maintenance and project planning, he helps companies keep their production data structured, secure, and continuously available.
His focus is on vendor-independent backup and versioning concepts that enable fast recovery and minimize production downtime. With eguide4DATA, he drives the standardization and transparency of automation data management.
In industrial acquisitions, finances, processes, and IT are carefully reviewed. The machine park is often only evaluated after closing – and then it becomes clear: there is a lack of transparency, structure, and reliable data. This is not an isolated case, but a structural problem that can significantly slow down integration.
IEC 62443 is the most important security standard for industrial automation systems—and at the same time one of the most misunderstood. Most content on the topic is written for standards specialists, not for production managers. This article explains what IEC 62443 actually means, which requirements directly affect your OT backup concept—and how to get started without an external consulting budget.
A new machine is delivered. The machine manufacturer has configured everything, the program is running. They leave the plant – and leave behind a USB stick with the program version. What happens next: The machine runs for years. The version is never updated again, never checked. And no one has clarified who is responsible for data backup. Until the machine fails. Then the dispute begins.
It is a practice that exists in almost every production environment: device states are stored on USB sticks, tucked away somewhere in a drawer – and then comes the day when the plant stops and no one knows where the stick is. Or it is empty. Or it contains the state from two years ago. USB sticks as OT backups are not only unreliable – they are an active security risk. Why this is the case – and what the alternative looks like.
TIA Portal is the standard. Without manual backups, gaps and inconsistent project versions occur. What TIA delivers natively – and where eguide4DATA complements it.
An OT audit is no longer a paper tiger. Since NIS2, stricter requirements apply – and in the event of deviations, noticeable consequences are imminent. Many manufacturing companies underestimate a crucial point: auditors do not only evaluate the technology used, but above all evidence, processes and documentation. This article shows what really matters in the audit, where typical weaknesses lie and how you can prepare in a targeted manner.
A cyberattack on a production facility sounds like science fiction – until it happens. Ransomware attacks on OT environments have tripled over the past three years. What many do not know: Classical IT protection concepts do not work in production. This article explains how attackers proceed, why OT devices are particularly vulnerable – and what a clean OT backup means in an emergency.
Transparency instead of gut feeling:
Find out what costs arise from missing OT management – and how to reduce them in a targeted way.
PLUS4DATA is now ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 27001 certified – but what really matters is what we improved along the way.
No overview of PLC versions? Then the next issue is just one change away. Why versioning in OT is critical – and how you can systematically prevent risks and downtime.
