Manufacturers will produce as much data as mobile users by 2030
14 August 2024 
The world’s manufacturers will generate 4.4 zettabytes of OT (operational technology) data globally by 2030, according to a new report from ABI Research. This is similar to the amount of data expected to be generated by all mobile phone users around the globe in that year.
“In the wake of Industry 4.0, data is becoming the lifeblood of industrial enterprises, driving innovation and efficiency, and the comparison to telecomms consumer data is compelling,” says Leo Gergs, ABI’s principal analyst for hybrid cloud and 5G markets.
“The vast volume of data that enterprises generate only reveals part of the picture,” he adds. “OT data in enterprises often involves extremely hazardous environments, where any data malfunction could lead to severe consequences. On the other hand, a significant portion of data in telecommunications networks consists of cat videos and other entertaining memes. While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying Internet memes, OT data in enterprises is crucial for ensuring safety and maintaining business operations.”
According to ABI, handling these massive volumes of OT data will require capabilities in three main areas:
- Infrastructure and storage Enterprises will need to invest heavily in data storage to handle the large volumes of OT data, and network infrastructures will need to be upgraded to support the high bandwidths needed to transmit the massive amounts of data.
- Data management and processing capabilities Sophisticated data management systems will be needed to organise, store, and retrieve OT data efficiently. “At present, only a shocking 5% of enterprise OT data is properly utilised due to high friction between data siloes,” Gergs reports. “To maximise the benefit of all their data for advanced use cases such as generative AI, enterprises will demand integration solutions that help tear down the walls of individual data siloes.” High-performance computing will be essential to process and analyse the data in real-time.
- Cybersecurity Large volumes of OT data, often generated by critical infrastructure, present a tempting target for cybercriminals, and will demand robust cybersecurity measures. “The massive IT outage following a malfunctioning CrowdStrike software update laid bare, in a shocking way, the importance of a thorough security strategy and robust data storage and accessibility strategy,” says Gergs. “Enterprises are overwhelmed by the complexity this entails. Therefore, they will turn to digitisation partners to provide these strategies as part of a comprehensive data and cloud offering.
“The opportunity around enterprise data is immense, but integration vendors, cloud services, and connectivity providers must rise to the challenge by investing in scalable solutions, enhancing data security, leveraging advanced analytics, and ensuring interoperability,” Gergs concludes.
The findings are published in ABI Research’s 14-page Industrial Data Generation Forecast report.
