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Outlook on IT infrastructure trends, challenges in 2026
In an age of AI, cyberthreats and outages, having a firm foundation for your technology is critical. Explore IT infrastructure trends and advice to keep your enterprise running.
IT infrastructure is having a moment.
From the surge in data center activity to the rise in agentic AI to the effect of cloud outages on enterprises across the world, IT infrastructure is in the news every day. For 2026, expect to continue hearing daily about data centers, AI, cloud and other important infrastructure trends.
For many years, IT infrastructure had largely operated in the background. While infrastructure has always been important, it likely wasn't top of mind all the time. But now, how can it not be? Data centers are constantly in the headlines, as they've become essential for handling ever-increasing and energy-intensive AI workloads. And any time there's a disruption to a major cloud service, such as AWS or Azure, the consequences range from frustrating to catastrophic for enterprises. Executives need to know how they can best handle all the movement, issues and innovations in infrastructure.
Here we've compiled a package of important trends in IT infrastructure for executives to track, covering the data center, cloud computing, IT operations, storage, networking and application architecture.
Data center
5 data center trends to watch in 2026
Data centers were among the biggest newsmakers of 2025, and 2026 should be no different. Key areas to consider include how to keep up with the energy burden that results from AI use and understanding the latest in cooling technologies.
6 hyperconverged infrastructure trends for 2026
The hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) market continues to grow and evolve. Explore how HCI can benefit hybrid cloud and AI deployments, simplify security and reduce IT complexity.
Cloud computing
5 cloud trends to watch for in 2026
If you're using just one cloud, you might be behind. A multi-cloud approach provides several benefits, such as stability in the event of one cloud's outage and lack of vendor lock-in. Other cloud trends to note include implementing tight security and hyperscaling for AI workloads.
Cloud outages expected to be the new normal in 2026
Pretty much the moment a major cloud outage happens, enterprises know about it because they lose access to a critical platform. Unfortunately, the trend of outages will likely continue in 2026, but there are proactive steps a business can take to alleviate the issue.
AI will heavily influence cloud-related decisions in 2026
Al has hit all segments of tech, and cloud is no exception. Explore the new platforms of AI-native clouds and neoclouds and read how hybrid serverless computing will be the strategy of choice for agentic AI.
IT operations
12 key IT operations trends to watch in 2026
IT ops is one of the areas where AI has had the biggest impact. Key trends include AIOps driving infrastructure management, hybrid cloud, hyperautomation and sovereign AI.
Top 8 observability trends to watch in 2026
"The move to the cloud and now AI is generating more data every second than we could have ever imagined," said Carlos Casanova, a principal analyst at Forrester Research. As a result, the right observability tools are key for enterprises. Check out why more executives view observability as a business necessity and major trends in this area.
3 essential transformations to escape AI stagnation in 2026
For years, AI has had a lot of hype but not enough payoff for businesses. Is 2026 the year it turns around? Omdia analyst Scott Sinclair deals with that question and details a few ways organizations can set themselves up for success with AI.
Storage
5 storage industry predictions for 2026
Yes, being AI-ready will be key in the storage department, as it will in many other areas of tech and IT infrastructure. But cyber-resilience and digital sovereignty are also critical for enterprises in 2026.
Ransomware trends targeting storage systems in 2026
Speaking of cyber-resilience, take a deep dive into how to protect your primary storage from cyberthreats. Zero-trust security and AI are just two of the ways enterprises can guard against the daily attacks.
Networking
The top networking trends shaping business in 2026
Efficient networking is critical for enterprises due in part to the increased importance of resilience and cost control. Get ahead with a look at these networking trends, including network as a service, private 5G and Wi-Fi 7.
6 networking resolutions for 2026
There's still time to make resolutions for 2026. Omdia analyst Jim Frey advises executives to get their networks ready for AI and the increased activity that comes with it -- plus a look at Kubernetes, enterprise 5G and NetSecOps.
Advanced skills drive networking job market in 2026
Hiring for enterprise networking jobs in 2026 might look a little different from previous years. Explore why specific skill sets might win out over generalist jobs.
Application architecture
How to modernize software quality strategy in 2026
"Software quality is a board-level concern tied to revenue, brand trust and resilience," writes expert Damon Garn. Explore how enterprises can take a modern approach to software quality and delivery.
Software development in 2026: A hands-on look at AI agents
It's shaping up to be the year of AI agents. In this firsthand account, find out how an AI agent can aid production but also why users must stay aware of issues that will come up.
Software testing strategies in 2026
Finally, it often comes down to testing. Explore techniques that your teams can use to test software and improve quality.
Paul Crocetti is editorial director of Informa TechTarget's Infrastructure sites, which include SearchStorage, SearchDataCenter and SearchITOperations. Since starting at then-TechTarget in 2015, he has also served as editor on the SearchStorage, SearchDataBackup and SearchDisasterRecovery sites.
