Software Solutions Made in Germany
Cyber Resilience - Digital Sovereignty - Future-Proofing are goals worth turning your company upside down for.
A well-managed IT/OT system landscape is essential for the performance and success of the company.
⇒ APILANi is your Alliance Partner to get your IT/OT landscape in shape.
Software Solutions Made in Germany: What does it do for you?
Fraunhofer IESE's assessment on the importance of German software products:
The advantages of German software lie in its quality, innovation, and security. German software companies are known for their thorough testing and quality control, which ensures that products meet the highest quality standards. These extensive testing procedures are an essential part of German development processes and form the backbone of software quality.
Germany stands not only for quality, but also for innovation. The German software industry is known for its ability to constantly evolve and set new standards. A key factor in Germany's innovative strength is its extensive focus on research and development (R&D). German companies invest considerable resources in R&D to stay one step ahead and develop new technologies. These investments are crucial for maintaining competitiveness in the global market. Through continuous innovation, German software companies can tap into new market niches and remain at the forefront of technological developments.
How IT/OT Infrastructure Management impacts your business goals.
IT/OT Infrastructure Management:
The IT/OT infrastructure encompasses all physical and virtual components – hardware, software, and networks, both on-premises and at the edge or in the cloud – for the deployment and operation of digital applications and thus for the smooth running of business processes. If even a single cog in this gear fails, the entire system can fail. Numerous hack attacks prove this statement every day.
Good preparation for cyber resilience therefore means keeping the company's IT/OT system landscape as transparent and up-to-date as possible. This primarily includes comprehensive management, regular maintenance, and detailed monitoring of the entire IT/OT environment. Vulnerabilities should be identified and remediated early in compliance with corporate standards and security policies to ensure optimal performance of the overall system and prevent corporate goals from being jeopardized by system outages.
IT/OT Convergence:
The integration of IT and OT systems (also known as IT/OT Convergence) enables real-time data exchange, thus contributing to increased efficiency and improved decision-making in process automation. It is therefore important to establish regular maintenance cycles for both IT and OT systems. Complex infrastructures are the backbone of modern enterprises – but they also bring with them numerous operational, security and organizational challenges - especially with regard to the interoperability of the systems.
Challenges in IT/OT Infrastructure Management - and effective Solution Approaches
| Challenge | Impact | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Complexity & Heterogeneity: multiple systems, versions and vendors create fragmented structures (no standardization) | 📌 high maintenance effort and integration issues | ✔️ Standardization, platform management, automation (e.g. Infrastructure-as-Code), centralized monitoring and asset management |
| 2. Lack of Transparency: no central visibility of assets, dependencies or system status | 📌 delayed troubleshooting, hidden risks | ✔️ Implementation of CMDB, comprehensive monitoring & reporting |
| 3. Security Vulnerabilities: unpatched systems, weak access controls, outdated protocols increase security risks | 📌 increased attack surface, operational risks, Security incidents, data loss and operational downtime | ✔️ automated patch management, Zero-Trust architecture, network segmentation and OT security |
| 4. Availability & Performance: missing redundancy, manual interventions | 📌 System downtime, production interruptions | ✔️ automated failover, performance monitoring, capacity planning |
| 5. Organizational Silos: disconnected IT, OT and operations teams cause unclear responsibilities | 📌 inefficient collaboration, duplicated work, information loss and unclear responsibilities | ✔️ DevOps and ITSM integration, centralized documentation, shared dashboards, clear accountability / role definitions |
| 6. Manual Operations: repetitive or routine tasks are still performed manually | 📌 high error rate, operational risk,time-consuming and slow onboarding | ✔️ Workflow automation, orchestration tools, scripting |
| 7. Skill Gaps & Knowledge Loss: Knowledge is not documented, dependency on key individuals | 📌 reduced efficiency, operational risk and innovation delays | ✔️ Knowledge management, automated documentation standards / policies and training programs |
| 8. Cost & Resource Constraints: high operational costs, low efficiency and slow adaptation to change | 📌 Budget pressure, delayed modernization | ✔️ Cost transparency, hybrid/cloud strategies, automation for cost reduction |
| 9. Low Agility & Flexibility: slow adaption of new requirements | 📌 reduced competitiveness | ✔️ modular architectures, CI/CD integration, agile infrastructure models |
| 10. Compliance & Governance: missing audit trails, unclear responsibilities | 📌 Compliance violations, audit risks | ✔️ Governance frameworks, documentation and audit tools |
| 11. IT/OT Integration: different system lifecycles and incompatible technologies between IT and OT systems | 📌 Security vulnerabilities, data inconsistencies, data silos and inefficiencies | ✔️ secure interfaces, unified management platforms, OT-specific security concepts and OT-compatible security frameworks |
Automated IT/OT Infrastructure Management: Bridging Technology and Operations
The performance of modern businesses depends directly on a stable, secure and scalable IT/OT infrastructure. A perfect IT/OT Infrastructure Management system ensures the secure, efficient and transparent integration of both worlds – from network architecture to data management.
When IT and OT converge, the IT/OT Infrastructure becomes more than just a technical foundation – it becomes a strategic success factor for productivity, resilience, innovation and growth through:
✔️ holistic transparency: unified monitoring of IT and OT systems
✔️ enhanced security: Protection of critical production and business data
✔️ higher efficiency: optimized processes through integrated infrastructure management
✔️ future-readiness: Foundation for Industry 4.0, cloud integration, and IIoT initiatives
✔️ Business Continuity: stable, scalable and resilient system environments
With deep expertise in technology, industry and international markets, APILANi combines strategic consulting with hands-on execution. In our section Software Solutions ‘Made in Germany’, we present effective software solutions for your IT/OT system landscape.
Introducing: UPTR™ – the autopilot for your IT/OT operations
With UPTR™ from LibOnIce we deliver an open-based infrastructure management platform ‘Made in Germany' for the automated operation of complex IT/OT infrastructures – especially for logistics, industrial and critical infrastructure companies (KRITIS).
UPTR™ handles System Provisioning, Software Lifecycle Management and DevOps integration – securely, transparently and vendor-independently.
UPTR™ helps IT and OT teams break down silos, connect data and future-proof their infrastructure – for measurable added value and sustainable growth.
UPTR™ automates your operations, reduces risks and creates auditable transparency across all systems, locations and dependencies.
Problem - Companies with large IT/OT landscapes struggle with
🔧 high manual effort in operations
🔧 heterogeneous systems & security risks
🔧 increasing compliance requirements (NIS2, KRITIS)
🔧 dependence on proprietary, expensive tools
UPTR™ USP & Competitive Edge
📌 holistic solution (provisioning + lifecycle + DevOps)
📌 open source security-first design
📌 automation reduces operating costs by up to 70%
📌 compliance-ready (NIS2 / KRITIS)
📌 vendor-neutral – maximum customer control
The Infrastructure Management Platform UPTR™ offers
✔ centralized management of thousands of systems NIS2 & ISO 27001-compliant
✔ automation Open source-based → no license costs, full transparency
✔ subscription-based usage model
✔ services optionally available as a public cloud Managed Services (24/7) or On-Premises solution
✔ Your benefit: faster rollouts, more stable operational processes and clear traceability down to the last detail.
Your benefits of a UPTR™ PoC
Your benefits of a UPTR™ PoC:
1. Minimal Risk – Maximum Insight
➜ You invest only limited time and resources.
➜ The PoC runs in isolation, securely, and under control.
✔️ You can test whether UPTR™ meets your requirements without risk.
2. Reality Check instead of Promises
UPTR™ is tested directly in the customer's own environment:
➜ real systems
➜ real processes
➜ real data
✔️ This provides objective proof that the solution works.
3. Rapid Proof of Value
The PoC measurably demonstrates:
➜ how much time automated deployments save
➜ how many sources of error are eliminated
➜ how secure and transparent updates and configurations become
➜ how heterogeneity can be reduced
✔️ The customer sees in black and white the business value that UPTR™ delivers.
4. Decision Support for Management
Through the Proof of Concept (PoC), the customer immediately receives:
➜ clear KPIs
➜ documented results
➜ risk/cost/benefit analysis
✔️ This enables you to make a well-informed investment decision.
5. Accelerated Start – Setup for later Rollout
The PoC prepares for later production operation:
➜ structures are created
➜ processes are defined
➜ integration with existing tools is tested
✔️ You save time during the later rollout because much is already in place.
6. Competitive Advantage for the Customer
Many companies today struggle with:
➜ fragmented infrastructures
➜ silos between IT & OT
➜ error-prone, manual processes & insecure and unreliable deployments
✔️ UPTR™ automates, standardizes, and creates transparency.
Choose your case: PoC for UPTR™ on IT/OT or Use Case UPTR™ + Kubernetes
UPTR™ is Open source-based, secure and vendor-independent – developed in Germany for organizations that require reliability, traceability and efficiency.
UPTR™ + Kubernetes
What is Kubernetes?
Kubernetes is an open-source orchestration platform that automatically manages how container-based applications are deployed, scaled, updated and operated.
Kubernetes solves typical problems of modern IT and OT infrastructures fully automatically:
➜ Applications no longer run on a single server, but in many small containers.
➜ Systems are distributed across multiple data centers, clouds, or edge locations.
➜ Updates should be performed without downtime.
➜ Peak loads require automatic scaling.
➜ Security and standardization must be guaranteed.
✔️ Kubernetes ensures that modern software runs reliably—no matter how large, distributed or dynamic the infrastructure is.
Why UPTR™ + Kubernetes?
UPTR™ is the automation platform for IT/OT infrastructures that works before, alongside and without Kubernetes.
While large platforms like OpenShift or Rancher address the orchestration of Kubernetes clusters, UPTR™ automates the entire technical infrastructure that actually exists in industrial, logistics and critical infrastructure environments: heterogeneous systems, physical servers, edge devices, software versions, security, provisioning and lifecycle management.
✔️ UPTR™ closes the gap that all Kubernetes platforms leave open.
UPTR™: Missing Layer between classic infrastructure, OT, Edge and the modern container/AI world.
1. UPTR™ is not a Kubernetes manager – it's the manager for everything below and alongside Kubernetes
⚠️ Kubernetes platforms only solve problems within the container world.
UPTR solves problems for:
➜ Linux images, drivers, firmware
➜ OT systems, PLC-related edge computing
➜ Software lifecycle across hundreds of applications
➜ Standardization across locations
➜ Deployment without cloud, without containers, without the internet
👉 UPTR™ is designed for companies with highly regulated, heterogeneous and mission-critical environments – not just cloud/container top layers.
2. UPTR™ complements Kubernetes platforms – instead of replacing them
OpenShift and similar platforms excel at:
➜ AI/GPU workloads
➜ Multi-cluster management
➜ Cloud-native platform operation
⚠️ BUT they require that…
➜ the servers are properly provisioned
➜ the OS is correctly installed
➜ security policies are running in a standardized manner
➜ the runtime is compatible
➜ firmware/drivers are up to date
➜ edge hardware operates reliably
👉 UPTR™ automates precisely this – and makes Kubernetes possible in industrial environments in the first place. UPTR™ automates the foundation on which Rafay, OpenShift, or Kubermatic operate.
3. UPTR™ is optimized for IT/OT environments – no cloud-first mindset
⚠️ Kubernetes platforms are built for cloud, data centers, and software teams.
UPTR™ is ideal for:
➜ Logistics centers
➜ Manufacturing
➜ Energy & Critical Infrastructure
➜ Transportation & Mobility
➜ Edge locations
➜ Plants with 500–10,000 physical nodes
➜ Mixed generations of hardware & systems
👉 UPTR™ excels where IT/OT reality is complex, disorganized, and difficult to automate.
4. UPTR™ manages not just containers – but the entire software lifecycle
from firmware → OS → base stack → middleware → application.
⚠️ Other platforms manage: clusters, deployments, containers, GPUs
UPTR™ also manages:
➜ System installations
➜ Updates / Patching
➜ Dependencies
➜ Drivers / Firmware
➜ Configuration drift
➜ OT edge rollouts
➜ Mass deployment
➜ Legacy software packages
👉 UPTR™ is the infrastructure and software lifecycle orchestrator for industry and critical infrastructure.