Published by Sascha Neumeier
Last updated on June 04, 2025
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15 minute read
I still remember walking into a manufacturing plant last year where the production manager was pulling his hair out. "We keep having these random shutdowns," he told me, "and nobody can figure out why." The IT team blamed the PLCs. The operations team blamed the network. Classic finger-pointing that happens when you've got IT systems directly connected to operational machinery but no way to see how they're actually working together. This is the reality on manufacturing floors today - they look radically different than just five years ago.
Industrial network monitoring has become absolutely critical in this new environment. Your standard IT monitoring tools? They weren't built for industrial protocols like Modbus or OPC UA. They can't interpret what's happening when a PLC communicates with an HMI. And that leaves your production lines vulnerable to unexpected downtime and security gaps that can cost thousands per minute.
That's exactly why we built Paessler PRTG Network Monitor to bridge both worlds - giving you the unified visibility across IT and OT environments you need to troubleshoot issues before they impact your bottom line.
The painful reality of industrial downtime
Let's be honest: downtime sucks. Your stress reaches new heights as you watch money disappear during downtime. A 2023 research study revealed that manufacturing companies experience average downtime expenses exceeding €10,000 for each hour of interruption. For specific operations within the automotive and heavy industry sectors costs can surpass these averages and reach significantly higher levels.
What's worse? The new Siemens report "The True Cost of Downtime 2024" reveals Fortune Global 500 companies lose 11% of their annual revenue to unplanned downtime which translates to approximately €1.5 trillion each year. Unplanned downtime costs for Fortune Global 500 companies escalated to €1.5 trillion annually from €864 billion a few years before. Downtime expenses have risen at a rate that exceeds inflation by a significant margin reaching increases beyond 300% for certain sectors.
But here's the kicker: The majority of this downtime could be stopped through the implementation of appropriate monitoring systems.
Modern industrial network monitoring challenges
The convergence of IT networks with operational technology has fundamentally transformed industrial environments. Traditional OT systems, including PLCs, SCADA, and industrial control systems, were designed to function in isolation, with security achieved through air-gapping. Modern manufacturing facilities require these systems to communicate with enterprise networks, creating complex hybrid environments where monitoring industrial IT has become essential for maintaining operations.
This new reality introduces several distinct monitoring challenges. Let's be real - industrial protocols like Modbus TCP, MQTT, and OPC UA are a completely different animal from your standard IT protocols. I've watched countless IT teams try to use their regular monitoring tools on a factory floor, only to discover they can't make heads or tails of what's happening when a Siemens S7 is talking to an HMI over Profinet.
The IT/OT convergence challenge
OT and IT used to operate as totally distinct domains before the convergence era. Those days are long gone. Modern industrial environments contain complex interconnected systems where IT and OT boundaries have become significantly indistinguishable.
The merging of IT and OT systems delivers multiple advantages including the ability to remotely monitor operations, perform analytics in real time, and boost operational efficiency. While convergence offers advantages it brings along new security risks and monitoring obstacles. Who keeps track of possible problems when programmable logic controllers (PLCs) integrate with your enterprise network across both domains?
Enter PRTG: Purpose-built for unified OT/IT monitoring
Paessler PRTG offers a single monitoring platform that connects IT infrastructure with OT operations. PRTG stands out by offering built-in support for industrial protocols while delivering comprehensive monitoring capabilities for IT systems.
PRTG includes native sensors for:
- Modbus TCP: Use built-in sensors to track PLCs and I/O modules through Modbus TCP
- OPC UA: Use PRTG to gather real-time information from industrial automation systems
- MQTT: Monitor IIoT devices and message brokers
You can view field devices through to enterprise IT systems all on a single platform. Avoid the need to alternate between multiple monitoring solutions or face difficulties connecting problems between different systems.
☎️Would you like to discuss how this solution could work for your business? Then book your individual consultation call with our expert.
Real-world ROI: How monitoring prevents costly downtime
We will explore an actual operational scenario where complete OT monitoring achieves real financial returns.
The automotive parts manufacturer chose PRTG for monitoring their CNC machines along with PLCs and industrial Ethernet switches. The maintenance teams at the company first found out about problems when equipment stopped working before PRTG was implemented. Real-time monitoring enabled them to detect potential issues before they resulted in system failures.
The results? The company achieved a 38% reduction in unplanned downtime which led to annual savings of more than €250,000 from avoided productivity losses and repair expenses. The system became self-sustaining financially after three months.
Dätwyler stands as an excellent case study because it brings decades of experience in cable manufacturing. At Dätwyler machines coming to a halt directly impacts their finances which led them to implement PRTG for simultaneous IT and OT system monitoring. The implementation of PRTG across IT and OT domains allowed them to consolidate monitoring systems and track IT-OT issue correlations. Their unified approach enables them to respond to problems more quickly with better information.
The cybersecurity imperative
OT monitoring serves as an essential component in cybersecurity defense while it prevents operational disruptions. The increased connectivity of industrial systems leads to heightened vulnerability against cyber threats.
Merging IT with OT systems has broadened the vulnerability exposure of industrial environments to cyber threats. Industrial OT systems which used to operate independently now connect to IT networks which exposes them to cyber threats from attackers. While IT system breaches primarily threaten data security, OT breaches are capable of causing physical harm including equipment destruction and safety hazards.
PRTG addresses cybersecurity threats by offering network-wide visibility for industrial environments. The system identifies irregular traffic flows together with unrecognized devices and abnormal communications which could signal an ongoing security breach. The early warning system remains essential for managing current security challenges.
Which features set PRTG apart from other monitoring solutions available in the market?
✅ Unified visibility
PRTG offers unified monitoring for both IT and OT systems through one comprehensive interface. The unified perspective removes blind spots while simplifying the detection of cross-domain issues.
✅ Protocol-native monitoring
PRTG supports industrial protocols natively which eliminates the need for complex integrations required by IT-focused monitoring tools to supervise OT systems. Users benefit from precise monitoring capabilities while experiencing reduced configuration difficulties.
✅ Customizable dashboards
The Map Editor feature of PRTG enables users to build dashboards that intuitively display vital performance metrics. The dashboards can be customized to meet the needs of various stakeholders including operations teams and executive leadership.
✅ Intelligent alerting
Define specific threshold values for various metrics to trigger alerts when readings exceed the established limits. PRTG's notification system delivers essential information to appropriate personnel exactly when they need it.
✅ Historical data analysis
PRTG not only displays current data but also saves historical information to help identify trends and analyze past incidents for better future decisions.
FAQ: The not-so-standard questions about OT monitoring
Does operational technology monitoring only aim to prevent downtime or does it offer additional benefits?
OT monitoring goes beyond preventing downtime by providing multiple additional benefits. Through its functionality, OT monitoring assists predictive maintenance programs by detecting potential equipment issues before they result in failures. The monitoring system collects operational data which enables users to find inefficiencies and bottlenecks for process optimization. Your cybersecurity posture becomes more robust through OT monitoring which detects unusual behaviors that signal potential breaches. A comprehensive monitoring system helps numerous organizations simplify their adherence to regulatory and industry standards.
What makes OT monitoring different from traditional SCADA systems?
SCADA systems function mainly to enable real-time industrial process control and visualization. These systems offer monitoring features but concentrate on operational metrics instead of assessing the systems' health and performance. OT monitoring works alongside SCADA systems but specifically targets the infrastructure supporting industrial processes including network connections and system performance. SCADA monitors industrial processes while OT monitoring observes the supporting systems that power those processes.
Can OT monitoring help with legacy systems that use proprietary protocols?
Absolutely! Legacy systems that operate using proprietary or uncommon protocols exist in numerous industrial settings. The flexible monitoring approach of PRTG provides a solution for this challenge. PRTG provides built-in sensors for systems which operate with standard protocols such as SNMP, Modbus, or OPC UA. PRTG enables proprietary system integration through custom sensor solutions which connect via APIs and data exports or by monitoring system infrastructure. The objective remains to deliver comprehensive visibility across all technological platforms.
The bottom line: OT monitoring is no longer optional
Organizations must now recognize OT monitoring as an essential operational requirement. Businesses operating in linked industrial systems require complete monitoring as an essential practice. The expense of unplanned downtime exceeds acceptable levels while cybersecurity threats remain substantial and operational advantages are too important to disregard.
Implementing a unified monitoring solution like Paessler PRTG provides network control and reliable operations while reducing costs for industrial settings. Business operations shift from reactionary firefighting tactics to forward-thinking management by identifying issues before they affect operations.
Do you recall that automotive manufacturer which achieved annual savings of €250,000? Or Dätwyler enhanced their operations by identifying machine problems before they caused shutdowns and financial losses. The results shown here are typical outcomes of properly conducted OT monitoring.
So ask yourself: Does your operation have the financial capacity to sustain operations in the absence of comprehensive OT monitoring? Now's the moment to manage your industrial networks by stopping costly downtime events before they happen.
The choice is clear. Try Paessler PRTG for free today and enjoy effective OT monitoring.
You there!
