At the heart of the findings is the acknowledgement that most enterprises operate a multi-cloud strategy. Nearly all surveyed organizations use multiple public clouds, yet a sizable proportion also deploy private clouds for high-value and sensitive workloads. Only about one-quarter of respondents store all their data exclusively in public cloud environments, while critical data-such as financial, customer, and IoT sensor data-is increasingly housed in private clouds or retained on-premises. This hybrid approach helps companies achieve reliability and scalability while ensuring security, compliance, and control over sensitive information.

Spending trends are among the report's most compelling findings. While public cloud expenditure remains relatively flat, organizations spending over US$10 million show divergent patterns: public cloud spend is projected to grow moderately, whereas private cloud investment is expected to nearly double its growth rate. This trend toward cloud repatriation is driven by concerns over unpredictable costs, vendor-lock-in, and regulatory compliance. Moreover, although most respondents keep SaaS spending below US$5 million, anticipated SaaS expenditure is set to rise significantly in 2025.

The white paper also delves into the myriad challenges associated with cloud migration and management. Almost 95% of organizations report experiencing difficulties, with technical skills deficits and migration feasibility being top concerns. Enterprises struggle particularly with migrating legacy applications, container-based workloads, and managing post-migration cost optimization. These challenges underscore the complexity of transitioning workloads across varied environments and highlight the need for specialized expertise. In response, many organizations are increasingly partnering with Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to navigate these obstacles. MSPs offer critical support in cloud design, migration, and ongoing management, thereby helping companies streamline operations and enhance security across multi-cloud environments.

In addition to migration challenges, the report examines how enterprises are adopting multi-cloud tools and cloud-based services. Key tools focus on security, cloud management, and AI-enhanced applications, with many companies using advanced solutions for compliance, cost optimization, and governance. Cloud-based services such as Database as a Service (DBaaS), Network as a Service (NaaS), data warehousing, and big data processing are widely used, reflecting the industry's move toward integrated, flexible IT solutions. Moreover, secure networking technologies remain critical, and although advanced solutions like SD-WAN and SASE have moderate adoption rates, they are essential to maintaining robust and resilient cloud connectivity.

Prioritization of cloud initiatives is another central theme. The majority of respondents identify cost optimization, developing a cloud-first strategy, and enhancing financial reporting on cloud usage as top priorities. To manage these initiatives effectively, many organizations have instituted central cloud teams and FinOps units that consolidate governance, budgeting, and performance monitoring. As generative AI gains traction, enterprises face additional pressure to align cloud strategies with evolving business needs, ensuring that investments in AI are supported by scalable, secure, and cost-efficient cloud infrastructures.

This white paper presents a comprehensive view of an evolving cloud environment. Enterprises are increasingly adopting hybrid strategies-balancing the benefits of public, private, and on-premises solutions-while managing complex migration challenges and shifting spending patterns. With rising reliance on MSPs and integrated security and management tools, companies are better equipped to optimize costs, improve performance, and drive innovation as they navigate the next phase of cloud evolution. Overall, these insights are truly invaluable.

Network as a service powerfully brings together network virtualization, SD-WAN, cloud, and security. The pace of change is speeding up: services need to keep pace by being flexible and easy to consume.

Businesses are widely upgrading to virtual SD-WAN, routers, and firewalls. They will next focus on virtualizing security to protect hybrid working, cloud-based applications, and the shift from private WAN to public internet connectivity.

Businesses rarely virtualize their networks without the help of service partners. Omdia sees just 3% of adopters deciding to go it alone, and do-it-yourself satisfaction runs low. Large modern networks are complex, and a do-it-yourself model is risky.

Virtualized networking at scale can be complicated. Managed services partners let the business offload complexity and focus on their in-house priorities. More than three-fourths of large enterprises (77%) turn to partners to manage underlying network platforms. Managed orchestration sets up and adjusts environments, handles licensing, and loads and keeps package software up to date. Enterprises want to virtualize custom applications they are currently running on dedicated hardware and want to move forward with the adoption of virtual functions for network monitoring, optimization, and load balancing.

Managed services do much more than just configure network gear. Services partners can take on a range of tasks. These expert partners make for better outcomes.

Network services providers make good partners. They know networks and have long-term commitments instead of project mindsets. Look for partners that support advanced, dynamic services and give clients personalized attention.

Download the Omdia report for more information.

GTT Communications briefed ISG analysts on Security and SD-WAN network capabilities, specifically giving in-depth information on its Secure Connect solution. GTT's strategy combines a modern connectivity experience with next-generation cybersecurity capabilities and a zero-trust approach to create an agile, secure, and user-friendly experience - all managed by networking and security experts. The company is partnering with recognized brands specializing in the field and, by doing so, has included and launched a plethora of security options in its software-defined and underlay-based network offerings.