IT leaders grapple with security, efficiency, and skills evolution amid digital transformation

The role of the IT professional is undergoing a significant transformation as organisations face challenges in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud adoption, according to a new annual report titled “Paessler Perspectives”. Released by Paessler, the report reveals that 77% of IT professionals identify cybersecurity as their top concern, alongside AI (34%) and cloud adoption (27%). The report notes these forces are reshaping the skills, strategies, and priorities required of IT.

Top challenges and strategies

More than 1,500 global IT leaders were asked to rank their top challenges in the next two to three years. Cybersecurity emerged as a top concern at 77%, followed by Artificial Intelligence (34%) and Cloud Adoption (27%). IT teams will be increasingly conscious of cyber threats into 2025, with a single data breach costing organisations an average of $4.88M, along with irreparable damage to trust and reputation. The shift to cloud, though mitigating some risks, also introduces its own cybersecurity challenges.

"IT professionals are navigating a period of unprecedented change as AI reshapes cybersecurity and cloud requirements, and similarly reshapes IT roles, as teams are required to implement and secure AI-driven tools, automate processes, and address the increased complexity of AI-powered environments,” said Martin Hodgson, Director Northern Europe at Paessler GmbH. “These changes emphasise the growing need for IT professionals to develop a mix of technical, strategic, and cybersecurity skills to keep pace with technological advancements.”

When asked which strategic approaches their IT operations or monitoring team were considering, IT leaders stated that automated root cause analysis (46%) and observability (40%) were planned or under discussion. These processes remain critical when it comes to maintaining system health and minimising downtime, especially as cyber threats become more sophisticated. IT leaders now have no option but to ensure cybersecurity is integrated and considered through the entire IT stack, so teams can quickly detect, diagnose, and respond to issues before they lead to serious breaches.

Cloud vs on-premises

The report highlights that 76% of IT infrastructure is still on-premises, indicating a reliance on legacy systems, making it harder to maintain both efficiency and security – especially as the amount of data generated and processed continues to increase. Indeed, over a quarter (27%) stated that cloud adoption will be a top three challenge moving forward.

Encouragingly, most IT leaders are willing to overcome the challenges for the rewards cloud will bring long-term, with 60% of leaders believing that they will transition to the cloud in the next two years. This transition places IT professionals at the centre of managing hybrid cloud environments, and will demand new levels of expertise when it comes to securing, integrating, and optimising both cloud and on-premises systems.

“It’s clear that while cloud adoption is recognised as crucial for the digital transformation efforts and competitiveness of a business in today’s landscape, many organisations are still in the early stages of leveraging its full potential,” comments Hodgson. “Monitoring tools are essential in this shift, empowering IT professionals to track performance, identify issues, and optimise resource usage – enabling them to balance cost, efficiency, and strategic impact in their evolving responsibilities.”

The role of IT leaders in a sustainable future

IT professionals placed sustainability last on the list of potential challenges in the next few years, with just 5% identifying it as a ‘top three’ priority. What’s more, almost half (44%) of respondents are not factoring sustainability into their IT strategies. Yet, with rising regulations, IT leaders must recognise the value of sustainability, particularly in creating energy-efficient, secure infrastructures that optimise and monitor resources in real-time.

For IT leaders who are considering sustainability in their IT decisions, 62% stated that a key benefit was cut costs and increase efficiency in tandem. Meanwhile, 60% believe that sustainability is important on a personal level, whilst 37% of those surveyed stated that management plans to prioritise it.

“While sustainability may not be a top priority right now, we believe it will soon climb the agenda for IT departments everywhere”, said Helmut Binder, CEO at Paessler GmbH. “Looking to the future, robust and secure IT infrastructure is essential for achieving business goals, allowing companies to monitor resource consumption and make data-driven improvements that benefit both the business and the planet.”

Binder continues, “Despite the challenges, this is a defining era for IT leaders to drive innovation and shape a technological future that benefits both businesses and the planet. By leveraging advanced monitoring tools, businesses can simplify their cloud transitions, enhance cybersecurity, and boost efficiency. It’s a pivotal moment for IT leaders to drive meaningful change and shape a sustainable, tech-driven future."