Reconsidering Organizations' Fundamental Approaches to Observability in 2025

The IDC Perspective on solution selection criteria in observability and AIOps explores the rapid digital transformation driven by COVID-19, leading to work models with increased automation and spatial/temporal disassociation. This shift necessitates effective tools to manage the growing complexity of digital estates, which enterprises approach with three primary strategies: build with open source, buy and integrate team solutions, and purchase a single platform. Each approach has its own benefits and trade-offs. "As organizations grapple with how to make meaningful decisions in the face of increasing technical complexity, they must first evaluate their fundamental approach to observability," said Shannon Kalvar, research director, IDC's IT Service Management and Client Virtualization Program. "That approach will require trade-offs between cost, current and future staff skills, and required technical capabilities that are not always immediately obvious."