Infrastructure Resiliency and Service Enablement: Focus for I&O Leaders in 2026
March 2, 2026
Written by Jeff Siok, Managing Director
As we approach the end of Q1 2026, Infrastructure and Operations (I&O) leaders in enterprise IT are at a pivotal crossroads. Rapid acceleration of AI, pressure to deliver complex initiatives, and an escalating cyber threat landscape demand a shift from a reactive posture to strategic orchestration of the environment. No longer just caretakers of hardware and networks, I&O leaders must act as enablers of business agility, innovation, and resilience.
Over the past few months, as I have spoken to I&O leaders within enterprise IT organizations, the top priorities for 2026 revolve around harnessing AI's potential while taming its complexities, revisiting and optimizing cloud ecosystems, fortifying security, enhancing visibility, and addressing technical debt through infrastructure modernization. Addressing these focus areas not only mitigates risks but positions organizations to thrive in an AI-driven economy. Below, I outline five key focus areas for I&O leaders with actionable steps grounded in what peer I&O leaders are doing to meet the moment.
AI-Ready Infrastructure and Focus on FinOps
AI is transitioning from experimental pilots to core enterprise infrastructure, but its demand for compute, data, and power poses significant challenges. I&O leaders must prioritize an architecture that supports scalable AI workloads, including high-density computing, advanced cooling, and edge capabilities to handle real-time processing. This means evaluating data center facilities for AI-specific needs like increased power density and integrating AI into operations via AIOps for automated incident response and predictive maintenance.
To ensure sustainable ROI, organizations must adopt FinOps as a cultural practice - treating cloud and AI costs as ongoing operational metrics rather than one-off budget exercises. Start by implementing consumption-based pricing controls, real-time cost dashboards, and cross-functional governance to curb sprawl. Ignoring FinOps risks ballooning expenses; instead, frame it as a value driver, aligning AI investments with business outcomes like reduced downtime or faster decision-making.
Action: Conduct an AI infrastructure assessment ASAP, focusing on high-value use cases such as automation in supply chain or customer service. Depending on the AI maturity within your organization, establishing baseline AI definitions, priorities, and strategic intent may be step one before assessing your environment.
Revisiting Cloud Operations for Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Resilience
With enterprises accelerating migrations to cloud, fiber, and 5G, hybrid environments are the norm - but fragmented operations lead to inefficiencies and risks. Standardizing governance, workflows, and ownership across on-premise, multi-cloud, and edge environments are priorities to enable seamless connectivity and agility. This is not only about cost savings; it is about building purposeful IT ecosystems that support business goals, such as uninterrupted operations and rapid scaling to meet the demands of the business.
I&O leaders are emphasizing hybrid connectivity and orchestration tools to avoid silos. These leaders treat cloud as a strategic asset, not a commodity, and invest in platform engineering for standardized tooling and shared services.
Action: Redesign cloud ops models with clear SLAs and automate migrations using tools like containerization, aiming for efficiency gains where possible.
Improved Security Posture with Zero Trust
Cyber threats are evolving alongside AI, making security a non-negotiable priority for IT leaders. I&O leaders must embed Zero Trust architectures into networks, focusing on identity-first controls, tool consolidation, and automated operations to enhance visibility across hybrid environments. Emerging risks like AI-generated disinformation require "disinformation security" measures, such as digital provenance to verify data authenticity.
Security should be proactive and data-centric, integrated into every layer of infrastructure rather than bolted on. This builds trust and resilience, especially as AI amplifies attack surfaces.
Action: Develop a Zero Trust strategy and introduce pilots in critical areas such as cloud access. Zero Trust is not a one-off engagement. It is a guiding set of principles and continuous way of operating as an organization to secure your environment.
Operational Control Through Advanced Observability
Rising complexity in distributed systems demands a move beyond traditional monitoring to full-stack observability, providing end-to-end visibility and proactive insights into the IT organization. This priority addresses the "AI paradox"—high satisfaction with pilots but low enterprise adoption - by reducing time to detect and respond to issues. Incorporate AI-enhanced tools for anomaly detection and alert fatigue reduction.
Enterprise observability is the foundation for all other priorities; without it, AI and cloud initiatives may falter.
Action: Deploy unified observability platforms that integrate metrics, logs, and traces, targeting improvements in incident resolution times.
Modernize Infrastructure to Tackle Technical Debt
Technical debt remains a top concern, always acknowledged but poorly-addressed, hindering agility and innovation. Priorities include holistic infrastructure refreshes - upgrading compute, storage, and networks—while retiring legacy systems in favor of cloud-native architectures.
Modernization is not a one-time project but a continuous evolution, balancing short-term stability with long-term scalability.
Action: Technical debt can feel overwhelming. Learn from my colleague Mike Martin how to take initial steps to address this significant concern: Avoid Technical Debt Bankruptcy.
In Conclusion
2026 demands that I&O leaders drive their teams with a vision, bridging the gap between CIO expectations and operational, day-to-day realities. By focusing on these priorities, organizations can transform IT from a cost center to a strategic powerhouse, delivering resilience, efficiency, and competitive edge. Success hinges on cross-functional collaboration, investments in talent upskilling, and a relentless focus on measurable outcomes. The enterprises that act decisively will not just survive but lead the next wave of digital transformation.
Windval partners with I&O leaders to develop the strategy, roadmaps, and execution plans to move their organizations from reactive to proactive drivers of business outcomes. To learn more about how we operate and how we can guide through these key focus areas, reach out to discuss a targeted workshop that will start your journey.