2025 looks set to be a transformational year for the data center sector. A confluence of revolutionary technologies and unprecedented demand is coming at a time when external pressures of power provisioning, skilled staff shortages, and tightening sustainability targets are likely to present a range of marked challenges.

Of course, it’s hard not to mention the incredible change to the market caused by the widespread adoption of high-performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) and we’ve considered this both in terms of provision for users and the possibilities presented by adopting AI control within facilities.

In this report, produced by DCD with the support of networking specialist Viavi, we look at current attitudes to equipping data centers for the challenges that lie ahead, where we are, where we’re going, and hopefully learning some best practices as we go.