5 ways to cut IT costs with network digital twins

Ask any IT leader today and you'll hear the same thing: IT costs are rising faster than budgets can keep up. To pursue digital transformation initiatives like network automation, agentic AI, or SD-WAN, organizations must find meaningful ways to cut both capital and operational expenses without jeopardizing network performance.  

But there's a problem: If you can't see what's in your network, how can you optimize it? Research shows that more than half of organizations lack full visibility into their assets. Without an accurate picture of the network's devices and configurations, it's all too easy to miss cost-saving opportunities - not to mention security and compliance risks.  

But with the rise in network digital twin technology, we're seeing an opportunity to reshape the economics of IT operations. Network digital twins create a live model of your entire hybrid infrastructure, giving you the visibility to pinpoint cost savings, streamline operations, and plan projects more efficiently.  

Here are five ways enterprises are already reducing costs with network digital twins: 

1. Stop Paying Unnecessary Fees 

One of the quickest ways to cut costs is by getting an accurate view of the devices that are actually in production.  

In many cases, 20%–40% of an organization's CMDB doesn't match its network reality. This gap is a double-edged sword. If a device is taken out of production, but not removed from your CMDB, then you could end up paying licensing and maintenance fees for devices you're not even using. On the other hand, if you introduce new devices to production, but don't add them to your CMDB, those devices may present a security risk, which can be costly down the line.  

Network digital twins solve both of these issues by giving your team a way to validate your CMDB inventory against your actual network, effectively highlighting opportunities for cost savings as well as potential risks to address.  

2. Rightsize Your Network 

Networks naturally drift toward inefficiency as they grow. Over time, some areas become overbuilt while others fall behind, leaving organizations to pay for equipment that isn't delivering real value. 

In their report "Best Practises to Optimize Network Spending," Gartner found that rightsizing your network can cut IT costs by 10%–20%. For instance, an organization with $5 million in annual spend could save roughly $500,000 upfront, with substantial ongoing reductions. 

Enter: Network digital twins. By simulating your network's behavior, you can identify under-utilized hardware that can be removed without putting your network's performance at risk.  

3. Negotiate Better Prices  

With a clear view of your hardware inventory, it's easier to anticipate and plan hardware refreshes. Whether you're switching vendors or negotiating better terms with your current one, network digital twins deliver device performance insights that can be used to run a more competitive RFP. Gartner claims that this sort of edge can reduce hardware costs by as much as 20%–40%. Considering that enterprise routers often run $15,000–$25,000 each, a 20% discount across a fleet of 1,000 devices could save as much as $3–$5 million in a single procurement cycle. 

4. Reduce Tech Debt 

At the enterprise scale, tech debt grows quietly with every merger and acquisition. Over time, outdated hardware, unsupported software, and legacy configurations can consume up to 40% of an IT budget. 

Network digital twins change the equation. Equipped with a live view of your network, you can identify aging systems, understand how they support critical services, and plan upgrades with precision. This targeted approach to modernization can significantly reduce operational overhead, with many enterprises saving millions annually once legacy components are fully retired. 

5. Avoid Preventable Risks 

Networks naturally drift over time. Devices age out. Configurations change. Without continuous visibility, those issues often go unnoticed until they cause outages, breaches, or lapses in compliance.  

Network digital twins can help your team to anticipate and address risks early on by giving you a way to simulate your network's behavior. For instance, it's possible to see if a firewall is being bypassed, if a transparent firewall is blocking traffic, or if a segmentation policy isn't properly configured. This proactive approach helps not only to prevent outages, but also to strengthen your security posture over time.  

Network Digital Twins Deliver Visibility That Pays Off 

IT costs will always rise faster than budgets, but network digital twins can help close the gap. This technology provides a continuous, trustworthy view of the entire network, empowering smarter decisions, faster fixes, stronger security, and a more efficient use of resources.  

In other words: It's the hidden key to freeing up the resources you need to take on your next big digital transformation project.