Observations from a Key Annual Data Center Operations Survey

As an operator of a multiple megawatt colocation data center serving dozens of customers, Direct LTx has a keen focus on operations and availability.   Part of that focus involves paying attention to data on availability and uptime from a variety of sources.   

One publication we particularly look forward to each year is the annual survey of data center operations professionals by Uptime Institute.   It usually offers perspectives similar  to what our customers share with us and when it is a little bit different we pay attention, as the Uptime survey’s research is not conducted in a haphazard fashion. 

Let’s take a look at some of the findings we noticed in the recently released Uptime Institute Global Data Center Survey 2025. 

Cost and Capacity Forecasting Remain Worries:   Unsurprisingly given inflation, the high cost of cloud, and the expense of new technologies, 76% of respondents are either “very concerned” or “somewhat concerned” about cost.   The ability to forecast future capacity requirements has 71% very or somewhat concerned, with AI serving as a potential disruptor of future requirements for a wide variety of organizations.  

Standard Densities Remain Dominant: While high density is still the talk of the industry, and is definitely on the way, 74% of respondents still have a single-digit kW figure as the most common rack density in their data center(s).  Another 14% have list 10-14 kW as most common.  That leaves only 13% running 15 kW or more as their most common modal average.  These numbers are trending higher but typical traditional densities are still most common.  For now, anyway.   

Outages Decreasing in Frequency:  Only 50% of respondents had suffered an “impactful” outage in the previous three years, which is an improvement over previous editions of this survey.  But Uptime observes that there we are all operating in a “more complex risk landscape” and “even infrequent outages now affect a greater number of stakeholders.”  So, fewer outages but those that occur are potentially more damaging.   

There is more worthy of sharing, but this serious survey is well worth obtaining from the source.  At Direct LTx we will continue to review it for marketplace insights for us to evaluate as we move into 2026.   Thank you to Uptime Institute for their work on the report as well as for once again including Direct LTx as one of the 1800+ participants in their annual survey.