Below are some major ways to reduce network costs. 1. Reduce MPLS circuits by using DIA circuits and SD-WAN. 2. Reduce MPLS circuits by using point to point circuits. 3. Use Whitebox network hardware running community NOS like SONiC. 4. Automate to reduce manual changes. 5. Use third party optics wherever possible. 6. Public cloud can be expensive if not planned well. Do not over provision capacity on public cloud unless absolutely needed. 7. Keep network architecture simple. Time taken to maintain a complex network has an indirect cost.

Use virtualization, cloud services, open-source software, and energy-efficient hardware. Implement load balancing, remote management, and regular maintenance. Consider a hybrid cloud approach. By implementing these strategies, you can significantly improve your network's redundancy while minimizing costs.

Conducting a Business Impact Analysis (BIA) on network architecture and leveraging the lessons learned has served me well. This is just one strategy; exploring different available technologies is another valuable approach to complement the initial strategy.

Depending on the department's size, an audit of the network may lead to some cost savings. I find that well-established networks are sometimes not reviewed and that the status quo is maintained for operational reasons. SD-WAN, Virtualization, and Cloud are all helpful, and an audit or contract(s) review to see where things are would be a great first step.

1. Prioritizing critical systems and identify the most critical components of network that require redundancy. 2. Using affordable redundant solutions such as open source solutions and virtualization. 3. Leveraging cloud services for redundancy. Many cloud providers offer built-in redundancy options that can be more cost-effective than maintaining duplicate on-premise hardware. 5. Optimizing current infrastructure using upgrades or optimizations that could enhance redundancy without significant investment. This might include better configuration or maintenance practices. 6. Monitoring and analyzing traffic to analyze network traffic and identify potential bottlenecks. This can help you allocate redundancy more effectively.