Bridging IT and OT with Real Time Automation’s A-B PLC Historian

Not every plant wants to keep its operational technology locked away. For organizations focused on digital transformation, the goal is not isolation but integration—bringing OT data into IT systems so it can fuel smarter business decisions. This approach, known as IT/OT integration or conversion. This is the opposite of closed OT system views.

The philosophy here is simple: operational data is too valuable to stay on the plant floor. By connecting OT and IT, manufacturers gain visibility into what’s really happening in real time, and executives gain the context they need to optimize performance, reduce costs and compete in fast-moving markets. It’s a model that prioritizes accessibility and interoperability, often at the expense of strict isolation.

The challenge has always been finding a way to connect these worlds without overwhelming either side. OT engineers aren’t usually interested in configuring enterprise databases, while IT teams don’t want to become PLC experts. The Real Time Automation A-B PLC Historian is designed to bridge that divide.

On the OT side, it behaves just as engineers expect. It collects time-series data directly from Allen-Bradley PLCs—CompactLogix, ControlLogix, FlexLogix, MicroLogix, SLC, PLC-5E and Micro800—and logs it reliably. It supports scheduling, event triggers and on-device transformations, giving plant-floor teams complete control over what gets captured and how it’s organized. Nothing about this feels foreign to someone who lives in the world of ladder logic and machine uptime.

On the IT side, the Historian shines by speaking a language enterprise systems understand. It can publish data to SQL databases, expose it via HTTP REST APIs or stream it over WebSockets. It integrates cleanly with visualization platforms through InfluxDB and Grafana. For organizations embracing cloud adoption, it can forward data to MQTT brokers or services like AWS. In short, it doesn’t just collect data—it makes that data available in the right format for IT to consume and act on.

The real-world applications of this are wide-ranging. A food and beverage manufacturer can connect production counts directly to ERP systems, enabling accurate forecasting and inventory management. A utility company can feed live compliance data into predictive analytics, reducing unplanned outages. A discrete manufacturer can align cycle-time data with supply chain platforms, cutting waste and improving delivery schedules. Each of these examples shows how IT and OT, working together, create insights neither side could achieve alone.

Perhaps the biggest value is cultural. Too often, IT and OT teams operate in silos, each frustrated by the other’s tools and priorities. The Historian provides a common ground. OT gets a historian that is reliable, purpose-built and easy to configure. IT gets structured, trustworthy data that can flow into its systems without needing constant translations. The result is a bridge between two worlds that have historically struggled to meet in the middle.

This is the opposite of the closed-system philosophy. Where closed OT prioritizes security and stability by isolating operations, IT/OT integration prioritizes enterprise value by opening up those same operations. Both are valid strategies—but they represent very different ways of thinking about data.

With the A-B PLC Historian, Real Time Automation delivers a solution flexible enough to support either path. In a closed plant, it’s a secure, stand-alone data recorder. In an integrated enterprise, it’s a connector that makes operational data accessible and valuable.

Want to see how the Historian supports the security-first strategy of closed OT systems? Read our companion article: “Using Real Time Automation’s A-B PLC Historian in a Closed OT System.”