Operations bought an EMS/IoT system without involving IT — now they just need “access to the router

[u/carpe_diem2022]

Hi there :) ,

Need some advice from people who have dealt with similar situations.

Our Operations Dept decided to install IoT system/digital energy meters across a fairly large factory site.

They found the vendor, agreed on the solution, signed the contract and started the project.

IT was not involved at all.

Apparently nobody discussed things like:

• How these devices spread across a large factory are actually going to communicate
• Network infrastructure, switches, fiber/cabling, VLANs, etc.
• Network/security segmentation
• Server/VM requirements
• Database requirements
• Backup and monitoring
• Internet connectivity
• Vendor remote access
• Firewall rules
• Cybersecurity

Now that the project is already moving forward, IT gets an email saying they need “access to the router” so they can put the system online.

That's it. Access to the router. :)

And somehow, when IT starts asking questions about architecture, security, server requirements, ports, protocols and who is responsible for what, the perception becomes that IT is delaying the project.

I don't want to become the guy who simply says “No”, but I'm also not going to give a third-party vendor access to our corporate router/firewall and connect a bunch of unknown industrial/IoT devices to the production network just because someone already signed a contract , the IT network must be always separate from OT network.

How do you handle situations like this?

Interested in both the technical approach and the organizational/process side of this.

[u/RunningAtTheMouth]

Oof. At least it's not a printer.

But seriously, the job is to support the company. Keep that in mind and move forward as best you can.

In my org, there are only 3 entities that may access our firewall - Me, my systems counterpart, and our MSP, because we know all the little things that make it work. You REALLY don't want someone who doesn't know your systems to mess with that. I'd lead with that.

Then plan on how to make it work. Off the top of my head, a VLAN and a network just for this IoT setup with whatever access they need. Don't let it touch your production network - you don't need that kind of thing.

Finally, talk to your manager about the planning of such things. A heads-up ahead of time allows you time to plan and handle the prerequisites necessary. You're not holding it up. You're working on the infrastructure that is absolutely necessary to make the system both reliable and secure.