“In the wake of Industry 4.0, data is becoming the lifeblood of industrial enterprises, driving innovation and efficiency, and the comparison to telco (consumer data) is compelling,” says Leo Gergs, principal analyst for hybrid cloud & 5G markets at ABI Research.
According to a report by ABI Research, the manufacturing industry is set to generate a staggering 4.4 zettabytes of data worldwide by 2030. This data explosion, driven by the rise of Industry 4.0, is expected to be on par with the data generated in telecom networks, primarily by consumers.
The research highlights the crucial nature of OT data, which is often collected in hazardous environments and is essential for ensuring safety and maintaining business operations. In contrast, a significant portion of data in telecommunications networks consists of more consumer-oriented content, such as cat videos and memes.
To effectively manage this surge in OT data, enterprises will need to invest heavily in several key areas:
- Infrastructure and storage needs: Enterprises will need to upgrade their data storage solutions and network infrastructure to handle the massive volumes of data, and the high bandwidth required for transmission.
- Data management and processing capabilities: Sophisticated data management systems will be in high demand to efficiently organize, store, and retrieve OT data. Advanced analytics and edge computing solutions will be crucial for real-time processing and analysis.
- Cybersecurity concerns: The large volume of OT data, often generated by critical infrastructure, presents a significant cybersecurity risk. Enterprises will need to implement robust security measures and strategies to protect their data and ensure business continuity.
The report concludes that the opportunity around enterprise data is immense, but integration vendors, cloud service providers, and connectivity providers must rise to the challenge by investing in scalable solutions, enhancing data security, leveraging advanced analytics, and ensuring interoperability.
Gergs says the opportunity around enterprise data is immense, but integration vendors, cloud service, and connectivity providers must rise to the challenge by investing in scalable solutions, enhancing data security, leveraging advanced analytics, and ensuring interoperability.
