The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) trend is facilitating a growth in connected devices on networks as well as increasing the scope and complexity of industrial control networks as they converge with traditional IT networks. More than ever before, concerns about security, availability, and performance are having an impact on these industrial control networks. A consequence of the IIoT trend means that simply purchasing devices for your network isn’t the end of your expenditure. In fact, it is often only the beginning. Network operators are discovering a host of associated direct and indirect costs that can often exceed the initial investment in networking hardware.
This whitepaper will consider some often overlooked costs as well as suggest some best practices and tips on how to lower the total cost of ownership (TCO) for industrial control networks.