State of technology baseline, including IT systems, machines & equipment, and other Operational Technology (OT).
The found information could best be organized in an architectural diagram linked with a lightweight Configuration Management Database (CMDB). (A diagram drawing tool and spreadsheet could be used when no dedicated tools are available)
List and inventory all existing and relevant systems in the CMDB and architectural diagram. Also add systems that are planned for future intallation, marked as such. Add for each system the following information:
- Current connections between systems.
- Possible connectivity options and all the system’s interfaces.
- Accessibility of data within these systems.
- Potential to modify these systems.
- Mark any systems which are scheduled for replacement or upgrade.
Most energy and time should be spent on systems which could become data sources or play a potential role in the journey’s technical implementation. Some of these systems could include, but not limited to:
- Machines, equipment, controllers, sensors, other OT, and IoT.
- Third or Fourth generation SCADA systems.
- Data acquisition systems.
- Big Data solutions and tooling.
- Data Science related systems and cloud services.
- Any centralized operational or resource management systems like MES, MOM, TOS, LIMS, WMS, CMMS, or ERP.