Organizations using end-of-life (EOL) software are nearly three times more likely to fail compliance audits, and almost half of those managing Big Data report low confidence in their capabilities, according to the newly released 2025 State of Open Source Report from Perforce Software, in collaboration with the Eclipse Foundation and the Open Source Initiative (OSI).

The report, which surveyed global DevOps teams, reveals that while data technologies remain a top investment — driven by AI’s hunger for large datasets — complexity and lack of expertise continue to hinder progress. More than 75% of respondents cited lack of personnel experience or availability as their primary challenge in managing open source data technologies like PostgreSQL, Hadoop, and Kafka. Nearly 47% rated their Big Data management confidence between 0 and 2 on a 5-point scale.

“Many organizations know what data they are looking for and how they want to process it but lack the in-house expertise to manage the platform itself,” said Matthew Weier O’Phinney, Principal Product Manager at Perforce OpenLogic. “This leads to some moving to commercial Big Data solutions, but those that can’t afford that option may be forced to rely on less-experienced engineers. In which case, issues with data privacy, inability to scale, and cost overruns could materialize.”

EOL Software Still Common, Despite Risks

The report highlights that EOL CentOS Linux remains in use by 40% of large enterprises, making it the third most-used Linux distribution globally and the most used in Asia. Of those using EOL CentOS, 83% expressed concerns over security and compliance. While only 14% of all respondents reported failing a compliance audit, the failure rate nearly tripled for organizations using outdated platforms like CentOS and AngularJS.

Cost Savings Drive Adoption, but Skills Gaps Slow Growth

Open source adoption is still largely driven by cost savings, which spiked from 37% in 2024 to 53% in 2025. However, skills shortages and lack of support remain significant barriers:

• 57% cited not enough personnel
• 54% pointed to lack of experience and proficiency
• 52% lacked real-time support

To address this, half of organizations are investing in training, while others rely on external contractors (30.95%) or partner with third-party vendors (25.24%).

“Open source is the engine driving innovation in Big Data, AI, and beyond—but adoption alone isn’t enough,” said Gael Blondelle, Chief Membership Officer of the Eclipse Foundation. “To unlock its full potential, organizations need to invest in their people, establish the right processes, and actively contribute to the long-term sustainability and growth of the technologies they depend on.”

Smaller Organizations Lead in Open Source Contributions

While large enterprises (5,000+ employees) are more likely to have Open Source Program Offices (OSPOs) and generate Software Bills of Materials (SBOMs), smaller organizations (20 employees or fewer) are leading contributors to open source projects and foundations.

“The State of Open Source Report demonstrates that big enterprises are not necessarily more mature when it comes to their open source strategy,” said Stefano Maffulli, Executive Director of the Open Source Initiative (OSI). “It is encouraging to see that even very small organizations are committed to not just consuming open source, but giving back to the community by contributing code and supporting OSS foundations.”