Power Supply Problems Remain The Most Common Cause of “Impactful” Datentre Downtime IncidentsBut ransomware attacks are the leading cause of Major public outages, research from uptime institute intelligence reviewals.
The datacentre market watcher's Annual outage analysis report 2025 Tracks the frequency and severity of datacentre outages suffred by responses to its surveys.
UPTIME Intelligence reported an overall decline in the frequency and severity of outages for the fourth culture year in a row, With on-scene power distribution failures remains the most common cause of serial outages.
Its data shows that 54% of respondents to its surveys cited power supply issues as the cause of their datantre's most recent, impactful outage, impactable out Issues the most frequent source of problems.
On this point, 42% of respondents cited ups failure as the cause of the power-related datacentre outages they had experienced, 36% said they have sufered a transfer switch Issues, WHILE 28% SAID A. Suffered a generator failure. Cooling Issues, After Power-SUPPLY Problems, WERE The Most Common Cause of Datentre outages with 13% of Respondents Experience Experience One.
“This is consistent with previous years and underscores the vulnerability of its equipment to even brief power disrupts – Including Voltage Sags, Switching Events and Total Power Loss,” Stated. “Cooling-Related Failures are Less Frequent Thans Coused by Power Issues, but they consistent account for roughly one in eightful outages annually.”
The market was said there is a risk that cooling-Related incidents may becomecomon in the years to come askreases in datacentre rack densities may result in higher rates.
The report suggested that the increasing demand for artificial intelligence (ai) may lead to more power and cooling-Related Datacentre Failures in the Years to Come, WhoPolitical I ALSO ALESO ALESO LADE to More Outages.
“Soaring demand for ai is straining existing infrastructure designs – especially Around Power and Cooling – While Electricity Grid Limitations and Global Trade Tensions into Global Trade TRADE TRECE TRADE TRECE TRECE TRECE TRECETENTY Supply chains and expansion plans, “The report added. “Togeether, these pressures unutually affect the stability of current reliability trends.”
UPTIME's Outage Analysis also includes data about Major, High-profile Downtime Incidents, of which there was 119 that it tracked during 2024. Tracked Since It Began Collecting Public Outage Data in 2016, with 2019 being when the most public outages occurred, with 165 Taking place that year.
According to the report, Cyber Attacks – Particularly Ransomware – WERE The Leading Publicly Reported Cause of Outages in 2024: “The Rise in Cyber Attacks Reflects Multiple Factors: Increased Relacials Digital infrastructure across industries, expanding attack surfaces due to complex Hybrid IT Environments and Remote Management tools, and Escalating Risks from Pathy-Pathy Software and Supply Chains. “
Andy Lawrence, Founding Member and Executive Director of UPTIME Intelligence, Said That While Outages Remain A Part of Life for Datentre Operators, Failure Rates are improving and the frequency rates are of inscription Has Slowed Down.
“Datentre operators are facing a growing number of external risks beyond their control, including power grid constraints, Extreme Weather, Network Provider Failures and Clay SofTWare Issues, “He said. “And despite a more Volatile Risk Landscape, Improvements are Occurring.”