Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) has released its 2026 Network Management Megatrends report, based on a survey of 352 IT professionals across North America and Europe. The key finding: only 31% of enterprises have fully successful network operations strategies that integrate AI and hybrid cloud. The remaining 69% are exposed to potential service disruptions.
The survey
The report, authored by Shamus McGillicuddy, vice president of research for network infrastructure and operations at EMA, is published every two years since 2008. All 352 participants were directly involved in enterprise network management or oversaw teams responsible for network operations. The survey covers multiple industries and organization sizes.
Key findings
- Only 32% of respondents are completely satisfied with the tools they use to monitor and troubleshoot their networks.
- 73% expect to replace some of these tools within the next two years.
- AI has become the top strategic driver for network operations initiatives, rising from the seventh-ranked driver in EMA's previous Megatrends research.
- Within the next two years, 97% of surveyed organizations expect to run AI application workloads across on-premises or cloud infrastructure.
- Few believe their tools are ready to manage networks for AI.
- More than half (52%) of respondents said hiring and retaining professionals with network technology expertise remains a significant challenge.
Persistent challenges
The report identifies three main obstacles: tool sprawl, increasing infrastructure complexity, and staffing shortages. IT leaders cannot scale operations through additional personnel alone. "Network operators clearly know they need to do better, but they aren't getting the support they need," McGillicuddy said. "They need budget to fill empty seats on their teams. They need better tools. They need more automation. They need more influence over modern architectures, like hybrid and multi-cloud networks. CIOs need to step up and give network operators the support they deserve, especially if those CIOs want to succeed with AI transformation. Networks will make or break those projects."
Best practices
The report identifies emerging best practices and strategic approaches that can help organizations improve network operations maturity and operational effectiveness. These are detailed in the full report, "Network Management Megatrends 2026: Automation, Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Networks, and AI Transformation."
Bottom line
The data is clear: most enterprises are not ready for the network demands of AI and hybrid cloud. The gap between ambition and operational readiness is wide, and closing it will require investment in tools, automation, and headcount. EMA will host a free webinar on May 27 featuring McGillicuddy presenting key findings and recommendations.