Zero Trust Platform Consolidation Payback Calculator

Stack legacy security licensing against a consolidated zero-trust platform, account for migration spend, and surface annual savings, payback timing, and first-year net impact so CISOs can brief finance on the business case with defensible numbers.

How many standalone products will be retired once the platform is live and contracts lapse.
Include maintenance, support retainers, and add-on modules tied to the legacy contract.
Quote for the consolidated zero-trust or SASE platform covering the same user and site scope.
Include internal labor backfill, professional services, licensing overlap, and change management.

Validate consolidation plans with your security architecture and finance teams; results do not include risk adjustments or productivity gains.

Examples

  • 7 tools at $68,000 each, $210,000 platform, $140,000 migration ⇒ Legacy spend $476,000.00 vs platform $210,000.00, annual savings $266,000.00 (126.67% of platform spend), payback 6.32 months, first-year net $126,000.00.
  • 4 tools at $45,000 each, $180,000 platform, $80,000 migration ⇒ Legacy spend $180,000.00 vs platform $180,000.00, annual cost increase $0.00, first-year net impact -$80,000.00 after migration.

FAQ

Should I include hardware maintenance contracts in the average cost?

Yes. Fold appliance support fees into the per-tool spend so the comparison captures the full cost you eliminate when migrating to a cloud-delivered platform.

How do I handle multi-year agreements with step-up pricing?

Use the blended annual cost over the agreement term or run the calculator separately for each year to show how savings evolve as price escalators kick in.

Can I factor in SOC labor savings?

Add expected annual labor savings to the annual savings figure manually or adjust the average cost input upward to capture analyst hours freed by automation.

What if the migration budget is funded as capex?

If capitalized, divide the migration cost by the amortization term and add that amount to the platform subscription before re-running the analysis for an apples-to-apples opex comparison.

Additional Information

  • Annual savings compares steady-state spend only; layer in SOC staffing adjustments or decommissioning costs separately if you expect headcount changes.
  • Migration cost is treated as a single outlay; amortize internally if you prefer capital treatment across multiple fiscal years.
  • Payback period is a simple ratio and does not discount cash flows; use NPV analysis or hurdle rates for board-level investment cases.
  • Update inputs when vendors adjust pricing, contract terms change, or new point solutions are added to the consolidation scope.

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