Following the 2014 iron ore price collapse and a company-wide $5 billion cost-saving initiative, I led a critical project to curb escalating network maintenance expenses across a vast global infrastructure supporting remote operations.  A detailed global CMDB audit revealed a projected 229% cost increase due to hundreds of untracked assets, making traditional Cisco-only support unsustainable.

I designed and implemented a hybrid support model retaining Cisco coverage for mission-critical assets while shifting appropriate infrastructure to qualified third-party vendors. This balanced operational risk with aggressive cost reduction Through contract analysis, asset criticality mapping, competitive RFP processes, flexible negotiations, robust escalation protocols, and extensive stakeholder engagement (IT, Operations, Finance), the model was successfully rolled out.

The initiative exceeded its $1.5 million savings target over three years with zero disruptions to network reliability. Improved CMDB accuracy eliminated future surprises, and the hybrid framework became a sustainable standard for network maintenance.  This project proved that substantial IT cost savings are achievable in high-stakes environments when grounded in accurate visibility, careful risk management, and cross-functional alignment.