Managed IT and Shop Floor Security for Manufacturers in Northern Virginia
Office and production networks kept apart, old machines kept running safely, and maintenance planned around your shifts.
On a shop floor, a network outage stops machines, not just email, so manufacturing IT has to be planned around production.
This page is for manufacturers, fabricators, machine shops and defense suppliers that run ERP, CAD and CNC equipment side by side, often with a few machines still tied to Windows XP or Windows 7. DistrictConnects connects the office and the floor, isolates the equipment that cannot be patched, prepares defense suppliers for NIST SP 800-171 and CMMC, and schedules maintenance around your shifts.
- 2,000+Network devices deployed
- 500+Security devices deployed
- 110NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2 requirements for protecting CUI
What makes IT on a shop floor different
An office can run on a slow day. A production floor cannot, and much of its equipment was never designed to be on a network at all.
- Machines that cannot be patched. Microsoft ended Windows 7 support in January 2020, and its last paid security updates ran out in January 2023. Machines that still need it belong on an isolated network behind a firewall.
- Office IT meets operational technology. CNC machines, PLCs and sensors need different rules from laptops. NIST’s Guide to OT Security, SP 800-82 Rev. 3, sets out how to protect them, including network segmentation between business and production systems.
- Designs are the product. CAD files, drawings and formulas need role-based access, encrypted sharing with customers and backups with tested restores.
- Defense supply chain rules. Suppliers handling CUI must meet the 110 requirements of NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2. For CMMC levels and where the rollout stands, see our compliance page.
- Cameras checked against federal rules. Defense suppliers fall under the Section 889 ban on certain camera and telecom brands. We specify security cameras model by model and install them in Virginia as a licensed and bonded DCJS electronic security provider. License number available to clients on request.
- Maintenance follows the shifts. Updates and changes are scheduled into planned downtime, so IT work never becomes the reason a run stops.
Separating the floor from the office is the single change that protects production the most, and it rarely requires replacing a machine.
Risks we see in this industry
Ransomware that reaches the floor
One phished office account on a flat network can reach the CNC programming PC, the ERP server and the machines themselves. When the files that drive production are encrypted, the line stops along with the office.
Old machines on the open network
Controllers and machine PCs stuck on Windows XP or 7 because the vendor software never moved on. They no longer get security updates, and on the same network as email and web browsing they are the easiest way in.
Designs that walk out the door
CAD models, drawings, formulas and customer specifications are the business. Shared logins, open file shares and former employees who keep access put that intellectual property in reach of anyone who wants it.
Wi-Fi that dies among the racks
Metal racking, machinery and long open bays break consumer-grade Wi-Fi. Scanners, tablets and handhelds drop off mid-task, and the warehouse ends up with dead zones nobody can map.
Updates that stop a shift
A patch or a firewall change pushed at 10am can reboot a machine PC or cut a line from the ERP in the middle of a run. Maintenance has to follow the production schedule, not the IT calendar.
Cameras and sensors nobody vetted
Cheap cameras and connected sensors with default passwords and unknown cloud connections, sometimes from manufacturers federal rules bar defense suppliers from using.
Compliance and insurance requirements
- NIST SP 800-171 and DFARS Defense suppliers handling controlled unclassified information under DFARS clause 252.204-7012 must meet the 110 requirements of NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2, documented in a System Security Plan and a Plan of Action and Milestones.
- CMMC The Department of Defense program that verifies those requirements, through self-assessments or third-party assessments depending on the level and the contract. We provide readiness assessments and remediation; certification comes only from an accredited assessor.
- Section 889 equipment ban Federal agencies may not contract with a company that uses covered telecom or video surveillance equipment from Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hikvision or Dahua as an essential part of its systems. We check cameras model by model.
- Cyber insurance requirements Carriers ask about MFA, endpoint protection, tested backups, network segmentation and an incident response plan. We put each control in place and document it so every answer on the application is true.
Services that matter most
Monitoring, patching, help desk, onboarding
HIPAA, PCI DSS and NIST alignment
Deployment, rules and ongoing administration
Heat-mapped design, UniFi, Meraki, Aruba
Immutable backups with tested restores
EDR with automated isolation
AI detection, NDAA-compliant options
Structured Cabling and Low Voltage
CAT6A, fiber, racks and closet cleanup
How we start
Plant walkthrough
We walk the office, the floor and the warehouse with you and list every networked machine, controller, sensor, camera and workstation, including which ones run an unsupported operating system and why. We also note your shifts and planned downtime.
Scope the regulated data
For defense suppliers we confirm which contracts carry DFARS or FAR safeguarding clauses, where controlled unclassified information is stored and who touches it. Shrinking that footprint shrinks the work.
Findings and itemized quote
You get a plain-English list of what we found, ranked by risk to production and to your contracts, with an itemized quote for the monthly service and any one-time projects. Agreements are month to month.
Separate the floor from the office
Machines, controllers, cameras, office PCs and guests each get their own network, with firewall rules that allow only the traffic production needs, such as sending programs to a CNC from one approved workstation.
Protect the office and the data
MFA on every account, EDR on every supported computer, role-based access to design files, and backups of ERP, CAD and file servers with a tested restore. Policies, SSP and POA&M follow for defense work.
Run it around production
Patches, firmware and changes go into agreed windows at shift changes, planned downtime or weekends. Network devices are monitored 24/7, and quarterly reviews cover aging equipment and compliance upkeep.
Service area
On-site across Northern Virginia and DC.
Prince William
- Manassas
- Haymarket
Arlington and Alexandria
- Arlington
- Alexandria
DC and Maryland
Common questions
Can you secure CNC machines that run Windows XP or Windows 7?
Yes, without taking them out of service. When a machine has to stay on an old operating system because its control software needs it, we move it to its own isolated network. Firewall rules let it receive programs from one approved workstation and nothing else, with no internet and no route to email. It keeps cutting parts while ransomware on the office side cannot reach it.
Do you help with CMMC and NIST SP 800-171?
Yes, with readiness assessments and remediation. We map where controlled unclassified information lives, check your controls against the 110 requirements of NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2, fix the technical gaps and write the SSP and POA&M. We do not certify anyone; that comes from an accredited assessor. Our compliance page explains where the CMMC rollout stands now.
When do you do maintenance and updates?
Around your production schedule. Patches, reboots, firmware and network changes go into windows we agree with you in advance, such as shift changes, planned downtime or weekends. Machine PCs and production servers are updated only after we confirm the change is safe for the software that runs on them. Our team works 7 days a week, 7am to 7pm.
What happens if the network goes down during a shift?
For clients under an SLA, a production outage is handled as the top priority, with response times from 1 hour depending on the plan. Network devices are monitored 24/7, so a failed switch or firewall often shows up before the floor calls. A cellular backup line on the firewall keeps the ERP and cloud apps reachable if the main internet circuit drops.
Do you support our ERP, MRP and CAD software?
We support the systems they run on: servers, workstations, networks, backups and user access for your ERP and MRP platforms, whether they run on a local server or in the cloud. For CAD and design software we size workstations, keep GPU drivers on certified versions and make sure large files open quickly from the server. The software vendor still handles application issues.
Can you fix Wi-Fi on the shop floor and in the warehouse?
Yes. Metal racking, machinery and high ceilings need a survey, not guesswork. We measure the space, design access point placement and mounting for the real layout, and separate scanners, tablets and guests onto their own networks. After installation we check the coverage again, so handhelds keep their connection from the dock to the far end of the floor.
How much does managed IT for a manufacturer cost?
It depends on the number of users and workstations, the machines and controllers on the network, your buildings, and whether defense contracts bring NIST SP 800-171 and CMMC work. We do not publish prices. After a free assessment you get an itemized quote that separates the monthly service from one-time projects. Agreements are month to month, with no long-term contract.