Data centers are the backbone of today’s digital economy. As businesses expand their services and rely more heavily on connected infrastructure, the performance, security, and resilience of networks are mission-critical.
Opengear’s latest research report reveals an urgent reality: network outages are happening more often, causing greater disruption, and costing organizations millions.
This global study surveyed more than 1,000 CIOs, CSOs, and network engineers across the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Australia to understand how IT leaders are addressing risk, investing in resilience, and adapting to increasingly hybrid and distributed infrastructure.
Here’s what we learned.
Outages Are Rising and They Are Costing Millions
84% of IT leaders reported an increase in network outages over the past two years.
- Over half said outages had increased by 10 to 24 percent
- More than a quarter saw an increase of 25 to 50 percent
- Only 6% said they experienced a decrease
The financial impact is significant. Nearly one in three organizations reported losses of between $1 million and $5 million due to outages in the past year. Beyond the money, outages damaged reputations, disrupted operations, and eroded customer trust.
Takeaway: Outages are now regular business risks with major consequences for revenue and brand equity.
What Is Causing These Outages?
The survey revealed both technical failures and human error.
- 27 percent pointed to device configuration changes
- 26 percent cited server hardware failures
- Others mentioned power supply issues, cyberattacks, and software upgrades
As enterprises manage hybrid IT environments that span centralized data centers, edge locations, and cloud services, the chances of disruption grow and recovery becomes more complex.
Takeaway: Outages often stem from preventable issues, but complexity magnifies their impact.
How Organizations Are Responding: AI, Edge, and OOB
To reduce these risks, organizations are making targeted investments.
- Nearly one third, 32 percent, are adopting AI and machine learning for predictive analytics and automation
- Just over a quarter, 28 percent, are expanding edge computing and distributed networks to reduce latency and bring services closer to users
- One in four, 25 percent, are increasing spend on Out of Band (OOB) management, also called Smart Out of Band, which provides secure remote access and control when the primary network is unavailable
Together, these approaches strengthen infrastructure resilience:
- AI enables automation and predictive maintenance
- Edge computing distributes workloads for faster, localized performance
- OOB management ensures secure access during outages or at remote sites
Takeaway: AI, edge, and OOB form a resilient foundation for always-on operations.
Security Challenges in Distributed Infrastructure
Security risks are also growing as networks expand.
- Nearly a quarter of leaders pointed to data breaches and insecure APIs as top concerns
- Almost as many, 23 percent, flagged regulatory compliance as a critical issue
In response, IT teams are turning to:
- Automated monitoring tools
- Advanced threat detection systems
- Training and upskilling programs
Out of Band management plays a role here as well, providing visibility and control even when the production network is compromised.
Takeaway: Security and resilience are inseparable. Distributed networks demand both.
The Road Ahead: Designing for Resilience
The findings are clear: outages are increasing, infrastructure is more complex, and the cost of failure is rising.
Forward-looking organizations are responding by:
- Designing resilience into their infrastructure from day one
- Prioritizing automation, predictive tools, and secure remote management
- Embracing hybrid models that span cloud, core, and edge environments
Patrick Quirk, President and General Manager of Opengear, explains:
“Outages are no longer isolated events. They are happening more often, and the cost is hitting businesses hard. Complexity, aging infrastructure, human error, and cyber-attacks are all part of the problem. As organizations lean more heavily on data centers to power digital transformation, the stakes are higher than ever. An outage is not just downtime. It is lost revenue, lost productivity, and lost trust.”
Key Insight: Resilience Is No Longer Optional
Opengear’s research confirms what IT leaders already know: resilient infrastructure is no longer optional. It is the foundation of digital business, ensuring uptime, security, and continuity even as networks grow more distributed and complex.
From AI-driven automation that predicts and prevents failures, to edge computing strategies that reduce latency and avoid single points of failure, to secure Out of Band management that provides always-available remote access, the next generation of data center and network infrastructure is being built with resilience at its core.
Resilience is not an afterthought or a bolt-on. It is becoming a design principle that organizations are embedding into every deployment from the start.
Learn more: Download the full research report for complete findings and recommendations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes most data center outages?
Opengear’s research shows the leading causes are device configuration changes (27%) and server hardware failures (26%), followed by power supply issues, cyberattacks, and software upgrades.
How much do network outages cost businesses?
Nearly one in three organizations reported financial losses between $1 million and $5 million in the past year, with additional costs tied to reputational damage and customer trust.
Why are network outages increasing?
Outages are increasing because IT environments are more complex and distributed, spanning data centers, edge sites, and cloud services, which creates more opportunities for failure.
What is Out of Band (OOB) management?
Opengear’s Out of Band management, also known as Smart Out of Band, is a secure, independent management channel that gives IT teams remote access and control of infrastructure even when the primary network is down.
How does Out of Band management improve resilience?
OOB management ensures uptime by allowing IT teams to diagnose, access, and restore systems remotely, reducing downtime during outages or cyber incidents.
How do AI and edge computing help prevent outages?
AI and machine learning predict and prevent failures through automation, while edge computing reduces latency and avoids single points of failure by distributing workloads closer to users.
Why is security a growing concern for data centers?
As organizations adopt cloud and edge strategies, the attack surface expands. Risks such as data breaches, insecure APIs, and compliance challenges require solutions like OOB management, which adds secure visibility and control even during an attack.
