Plants · Warehouses · Workshops · Multi-site

Managed IT for manufacturing and industrial businesses

We manage the IT that supports production: ERP and MES access, networks across plants and warehouses, secure remote access for equipment vendors, and Microsoft 365, security and backup for office and floor staff.

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A machinist at the control panel of a CNC machining centre milling a precision steel component
ERP and MES accessSign-in, devices and networks behind ERP, MES and warehouse systems
Vendor accessNamed, time-bounded and logged access for OEMs, integrators and suppliers
Tested restoresImmutable backups, with ERP and production systems restored in an agreed order
Multi-site networksSD-WAN, firewalls and failover across plants, warehouses and offices
Sector focus

IT that works around production

Plants, OT-adjacent sites and multi-site operations put different pressure on their IT, from ERP access on the floor to vendor connections into production and failover across branches, so we set up and run each one around the way production runs.

Production operations

ERP · MES · Warehouse · Dispatch

Manufacturers run on systems for planning, scheduling, production, quality, traceability, inventory and dispatch, usually spread across ERP, MES, warehouse platforms and Microsoft 365.

We look after everything those systems rely on: identity and device access, site networks, file storage, backup and the vendors behind each platform.

ERPMESWarehouse systemsTraceabilityMicrosoft 365
What we look after
  • Reliable access to ERP, MES, scheduling and warehouse systems
  • Network reliability between office, warehouse and production areas
  • Restores sequenced for ERP, MES, quality and traceability systems
  • Endpoint and identity security for operations and administration teams
  • Microsoft 365, Teams and SharePoint for operations and management
  • Essential Eight-aligned controls and evidence for cyber insurers
  • Vendor coordination across ERP, machinery, network and security providers
Ownership and boundaries

Where IT ends and OT begins

Many incidents on an industrial site cross the line between corporate IT and operational technology. We document that line with you: what sits in each layer, who owns it and how the layers are allowed to connect.

Your OT engineers, equipment vendors and our team then work from one agreed picture, so it's clear who makes each change and who picks up each support call.

Example planWho owns what on a mid-size plant
Boundary documented
OrderLayer and what sits thereOwned by
  1. 1
    Corporate ITERP, Microsoft 365, identity, laptops and office networks
    Inlight IT
  2. 2
    Production-supporting systemsMES, scheduling, quality and warehouse servers
    Inlight IT + vendor
  3. 3
    IT-OT boundaryFirewalls, segmentation, jump hosts and vendor remote access
    Shared, documented
  4. 4
    Supervisory systemsSCADA and HMI workstations
    OT engineers
  5. 5
    Control and machinesPLCs, machine controllers and OEM equipment
    OT and OEMs
Agreed withOperations managerRun byInlight ITReviewedQuarterly
What we manage

The systems we look after day to day

We run the day-to-day IT across your plants, warehouses and offices, and fit the work around production.

Users and IT support

Office, warehouse and production staff raise requests in Microsoft Teams, and AI-assisted triage routes each one to the right engineer. A line or site that can’t work is a P1. Under our SLA-driven support model, the response target for a P1 incident is under 15 minutes.

Microsoft 365 and identity

One identity standard for office, site and field users, with MFA, Conditional Access and privileged access controls. Data loss prevention (DLP) is part of the setup, covering drawings, quotes, pricing and customer information in email, Teams and files.

Computers and devices

Office machines, production workstations, warehouse scanners, tablets and laptops are managed to one standard, with endpoint protection, encryption and patching scheduled around production windows.

Cloud, infrastructure and networks

Servers, storage, Azure and Azure Local for ERP and production systems, chosen for how each workload behaves. We moved PPK Mining Equipment off VMware onto Azure Local. SD-WAN, firewalls and failover connect plants, warehouses and offices, with production networks segmented from office traffic.

Backup and recovery

Immutable backups across Microsoft 365, ERP databases, production servers and file shares, with restores tested. Systems are restored in the order production needs them, with runbooks that match the way the site runs.

Vendors and OEM access

ERP providers, machinery OEMs, integrators and support partners get named accounts, MFA, time-bounded access and logged sessions. Shared VPN logins, always-on tunnels and stale accounts are removed, and we coordinate with each vendor.

Cybersecurity and production data

Identity, endpoint and email security, patching and privileged access are part of the service, with SOC and MDR where production can’t afford a slow response.

Copilot, AI and automation

We check who can open drawings, quotes and pricing before Copilot can surface them, reviewing SharePoint and Teams permissions before rollout. We also build AI agents and automation for production reporting, maintenance requests, quoting and document search, inside clear data boundaries.

Platforms we operate
MicrosoftFortinetCiscoSentinelOneProofpointNakivoIBMLenovo
Recent work

See the outcomes we’ve delivered for our clients

Refrigeration & climate technology · Networks & SD-WAN
Beijer Ref
National SD-WAN rollout
We designed, supplied and deployed SD-WAN across Beijer Ref’s national branch network, with branches trading as each site moved across.
Read the Beijer Ref case study →
Manufacturing · AI & Automation
Questas
Custom applications for manufacturing operations
Custom applications covering manufacturing, equipment maintenance, quotations and production planning, owned outright by the client.
Read the Questas case study →
Common questions

Questions we get asked

How do you control vendor and OEM remote access without slowing equipment support?
By replacing shared and always-on access with named accounts, MFA, role-scoped permissions and time-bounded sessions that are logged. Vendors still get in when they need to, through an approved pathway, and access is reviewed and removed when the work ends. You can see who connected, when and to what.
How quickly does ERP need to come back after an incident?
That depends on what stops when it’s down. For most manufacturers, ERP comes back within the first few hours, straight after identity and Microsoft 365, because orders, stock, purchasing and dispatch all depend on it. We agree target times with you for ERP, MES, quality and warehouse systems, build the restore order around production and test it.
Can our ERP move to the cloud?
Often, though not always all at once. Many ERP platforms now run well as SaaS or on Azure, which removes the plant-room server and simplifies backup. Others still depend on local links to MES, scanners, label printers or machinery, where a hybrid setup or Azure Local keeps those connections fast and reliable. We map the dependencies first, then recommend where each part should run.
Do you work with businesses that have OT, SCADA or industrial control systems?
Yes, on the IT side of the boundary: identity, endpoint security, Microsoft 365, network segmentation, vendor access, firewalls, backup, monitoring and escalation. Work inside OT engineering, SCADA configuration, PLC programming or control-system design stays with your OT engineers and equipment vendors, and we coordinate with them. The line between IT and OT responsibility is documented before any change is made.
Can you help with IT-OT segmentation?
Yes. We design and run segmentation, firewall policy, controlled access paths, site-to-site connectivity and boundary monitoring, and document and monitor the data flows production legitimately needs.
Can Essential Eight apply in an industrial environment?
Yes, with judgement. Some controls apply cleanly. Others need adjusting because of legacy systems, vendor support limits, production windows or equipment constraints. We apply controls where they fit, use compensating controls where a standard setting would create operational risk, and document risk acceptance where a system can’t be changed safely.
How should a manufacturer protect drawings, pricing and customer data?
Start with who can open what. We structure SharePoint and Teams around customers, jobs and departments, apply sensitivity labels to drawings, quotes and pricing, and use data loss prevention (DLP) to check files before they leave by email, Teams or a shared link. Immutable backups and endpoint protection add a further layer against lost laptops and ransomware.
What does the 72-hour ransomware payment report mean for us?
Businesses with annual turnover above $3 million, and critical infrastructure entities of any size, that make a ransomware or cyber extortion payment must report it to the Australian Signals Directorate within 72 hours. Payment decisions, evidence, insurer engagement, legal advice and recovery may all be happening at once, so we build the reporting step into your incident response runbooks and escalation paths before anything happens.
What reporting and reviews do we get?
You can check the health of your sites at any time through your support portal, and you get a monthly snapshot of support, security and backup activity. Each quarter we meet to look ahead at new lines, sites and staff, server and workstation replacements, ERP upgrades, licensing and security improvements, so upgrades are budgeted before they become urgent. The reporting and meeting rhythm is set to suit your business.
How much does Managed IT cost for a manufacturer?
The price depends on users, sites, the technology being managed and security requirements. Microsoft licensing, hardware, site connectivity and project work are identified separately. Use our Managed IT cost calculator for an indicative estimate.
How does onboarding work for a manufacturer?
We start by documenting your environment: access, ERP and production-supporting systems, site networks, vendor access, security controls and any open issues. We then bring each area under management in stages, beginning with monitoring and backup, and schedule changes around production windows.
How do you protect machines still running old versions of Windows?
Many production machines run Windows versions the equipment vendor won’t let you upgrade, so we don’t force patches onto them. We isolate them on their own network segment, allow only the connections each machine needs, block internet access, control USB use and monitor the traffic around them, and we document the remaining risk with you. That reduces the risk until the vendor supports an upgrade or the equipment is replaced.
Will security monitoring interfere with production?
It’s set up to avoid that. On the OT side of the boundary we use passive monitoring that observes traffic without sending anything to controllers, and endpoint agents only go on machines the equipment vendor supports.
Related services

Explore the services we provide

Next step

Secure the line between IT and OT

We’ll map how production systems, vendors and site networks connect, and agree where segmentation, vendor access and recovery need strengthening.

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Prefer email? contact@inlightit.com.au