Optimizing OT Infrastructure Performance at a Big Pharma Site

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Challenge  

A big player in the pharma sector with an expansive 100,000 m² manufacturing facility was experiencing critical operational technology bottlenecks. As a leading generic pharmaceutical manufacturer with over 175 molecules in its portfolio, its OT infrastructure struggled to keep pace with growing data demands. Equipment memory constraints created reliability issues, while sluggish data transmission impacted real-time monitoring capabilities.

These performance issues threatened to compromise its manufacturing efficiency and data-driven decision-making.

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Solution

AG Solution's OT team implemented a targeted infrastructure optimization strategy that addressed both immediate performance issues and long-term monitoring needs:

• We deployed Zabbix monitoring across their OT landscape, creating visibility into critical equipment performance – from OPC servers to network switches and firewalls. This comprehensive monitoring approach gave the customer’s team real-time insights into their infrastructure health.
• Our technical team performed a detailed analysis of their Kepserver OPC configurations, identifying and resolving bottlenecks hampering data flow. This optimization work required a deep understanding of OT protocols and pharmaceutical manufacturing requirements.
• Rather than just implementing tools, we focused on empowering the customer’s team through hands-on training and knowledge transfer, ensuring they could maintain optimal system performance independently.

Results  

The impact was both immediate and substantial:

• The Zabbix implementation transformed their approach to infrastructure management. Teams now had clear visibility into equipment status, with proactive alerts preventing potential issues before they affect production. This shift from reactive to preventive maintenance significantly improved system reliability.
• Optimizing OPC configurations eliminated data transmission bottlenecks, resulting in faster and more reliable data flow. This improvement cascaded effect, enhancing performance across their entire data pipeline.

Most notably, these improvements were achieved rapidly, delivering immediate value to our customer’s operations while establishing a foundation for sustained infrastructure performance. The solution's success demonstrated how targeted OT optimization can deliver substantial operational benefits without disrupting pharmaceutical manufacturing processes.