IoT Big Data information management and control systems and methods for distributed performance monitoring and critical network fault detection comprising a combination of capabilities including: IoT data collection sensor stations receiving sensor input signals and also connected to monitor units providing communication with other monitor units and/or cloud computing resources via IoT telecommunication links, and wherein a first data collection sensor station has expert predesignated other network elements comprising other data collection sensor stations, monitor units, and/or telecommunications equipment for performance and/or fault monitoring based on criticality to said first data collection sensor station operations, thereby extending monitoring and control operations to include distributed interdependent or critical operations being monitored and analyzed throughout the IoT network, and wherein performance and/or fault monitoring signals received by said first data collection sensor station are analyzed with artificial intelligence, hierarchical expert system algorithms for generation of warning and control signals.