In its 15th year, the Uptime Institute Global Data Center Survey 2025 provides crucial insights for data center executives navigating rising operational complexities. Below, we’ve summarized key findings every executive should consider:
Top Management Concerns: Costs and Capacity Planning
Cost control remains the leading issue for digital infrastructure teams. However, the growing difficulty in forecasting future data center capacity demands has surged significantly, driven by market volatility, geopolitical instability, and persistent supply chain disruptions.
Energy Efficiency Plateaus
The industry’s weighted average Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) remains stable at approximately 1.54 for the sixth consecutive year. While incremental improvements are ongoing, legacy infrastructure and regional cooling constraints limit more substantial efficiency gains.
Rack Densities Gradually Increasing
Data center operators are steadily shifting toward racks with higher densities (10 kW to 30 kW), though extreme densities beyond 30 kW remain uncommon. This evolution reflects growing workloads and the broader adoption of advanced computing technologies, including AI.
Sustainability Metrics Stagnate
Despite increasing global emphasis on sustainability, the collection and reporting of critical environmental metrics such as greenhouse gas emissions and renewable energy usage remain static. Regulatory easing in some regions, notably the U.S., has contributed to slower progress in sustainability reporting.
AI Integration: Efficiency and Caution
Artificial intelligence remains primarily an efficiency-enhancing tool, trusted for analyzing sensor data and predictive maintenance tasks. However, skepticism persists regarding AI’s role in configuration management, direct equipment control, or staffing decisions, signaling cautious integration.
Improved Resiliency Amid Persistent Challenges
Data centers report a gradual reduction in impactful outages, though one in ten outages still results in severe operational disruptions. Power system failures, especially UPS issues, continue to be the primary cause of significant outages. Maintaining robust resiliency strategies remains critical as reliance on digital services intensifies.
Hybrid IT Strategies Endure
Hybrid IT models remain dominant, with 45% of workloads still residing within on-premises data centers. Although remote hosting solutions are increasingly attractive, data sovereignty, regulatory requirements, and cost efficiency maintain the relevance of on-premises facilities.
Talent Acquisition and Retention Remain Problematic
Nearly two-thirds of data center operators face ongoing challenges with hiring and retaining skilled personnel. While poaching talent is common, it exacerbates labor market constraints and turnover. Investing in long-term talent development and retention strategies is essential.
Moving Forward
Data center executives must prioritize comprehensive strategies addressing cost management, capacity planning, infrastructure resilience, cautious AI adoption, and proactive staffing solutions.
To discuss these insights further or explore how Network Environments can support your operational excellence, contact our team today.