4.2.6 Potential constraints
Constraints can and do affect IoE implementations and should be identified early when implementing a solution. The relative importance of the constraints varies from project to project. Budget constraints are not always the main consideration for a large project (Table 6).
| Budget | Legacy systems | Technical expertise | Policies | Culture |
| Limited resources may require some compromises in design due to the costs of equipment, software, or other components. | Businesses may have large capital investments in existing systems. | The lack of trained personnel to implement an IoE solution is a major constraint. | The design must account for existing policies regarding protocols, standards, vendors, and applications. If necessary, these policies need to be refined or removed. In some cases, new policies must be created to facilitate the IoE implementation. | The change over to an IoE implementation requires a collaborative environment with open communications between traditionally segmented departments. |
In addition to these common constraints, business managers must also consider the complexity of any existing IT and OT designs when converging IT and OT in the new IoE implementation.