Industrial Cybersecurity & OT Risk worked example

Network Segmentation ROI with segmentation project investment of 120,000 $: a worked example

This worked example runs the network segmentation roi numbers for a tougher week than the baseline: segmentation project investment of 120,000 $ instead of the typical 240,000 $. Estimate payback for OT network segmentation using project investment, annual risk reduction savings, and annual support cost.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Segmentation project investment: 120,000 $ (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 240,000)
  • Annual risk reduction savings: 95,000 $ / yr (held at the documented default)
  • Annual segmentation support cost: 26,000 $ / yr (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Net annual segmentation savings = annual risk reduction savings - annual segmentation support cost.
  • Network segmentation payback period works out to 1.74 yr at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Net annual segmentation savings works out to 69,000 $ / yr at these inputs.
  • Segmentation project investment works out to 120,000 $ at these inputs.
  • Five-year net segmentation value works out to 225,000 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where segmentation project investment sits at 240,000 $ and the headline result is 3.48 yr, this scenario comes in 50% below the baseline at 1.74 yr.
  • Use it when scoping a segmentation initiative or defending the capital request to finance, before committing to firewall, switch, and architecture spend. A result at this level usually justifies acting on the stressed input before touching anything else, because every other figure in the table is downstream of it.

Results at a glance

  • Network segmentation payback period: 1.74 yr (headline result)
  • Net annual segmentation savings: 69,000 $ / yr
  • Segmentation project investment: 120,000 $
  • Five-year net segmentation value: 225,000 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Network Segmentation ROI calculator, set segmentation project investment to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.