SHI’s Research Breakdown

Perishable Like a Piece of Fruit: Omdia's Report on SHI’s DLM Services

In this episode, Victoria [https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriabarber/] is again joined by Dave Gruver [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-gruver-8491a11/] (Field CTO) and Adam Reiser [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-reiser-98869569/] (Associate Vice President of End User Compute) as they dig into the findings of The Economic Benefits of SHI Device Lifecycle Management [https://shi-intl.com/ulI2q], a report commissioned by SHI and conducted by Omdia. The report explores how a deliberate, end-to-end approach to device lifecycle management (DLM) can deliver significant cost savings and productivity gains for organizations.  The headline finding from the research is a 21% reduction in total cost of ownership. The key message throughout is that this kind of result doesn't come from any single action, but from being intentional at every stage of the device lifecycle: selection, financing, deployment, management, and end-of-life recovery.  The findings in this report are particularly timely given the ongoing memory shortage that has driven up device prices and stretched lead times across the industry. With supply constraints pushing hardware costs higher, organizations without a structured DLM approach are feeling the pressure most acutely, forced into reactive purchasing at unfavorable prices with little flexibility. The strategies discussed in this episode offer a practical buffer: extending device lifespans, timing refreshes intelligently using DEX tools and residual value calculators and leveraging flexible financing models like Device as a Service to reduce exposure to price spikes.   Discussed in This Episode  * Getting maximum residual value from retiring devices through remarketing and buyback strategy  * The risks of bulk purchasing, forward buying, and devices sitting undeployed  * Storage costs, inventory shrinkage, and warranty timing pitfalls  * CapEx vs. OpEx and the rise of Device as a Service (DaaS) models  * End-of-life disposal: financial value and legal liability considerations  * DEX tools and residual value calculators for optimizing refresh timing  * The impact of aging peripherals on user experience and productivity  * Managing device lifecycles across international organizations   Resources & Links  * The Economic Benefits of SHI Device Lifecycle Management [https://shi-intl.com/ulI2q] — Omdia report   * Subscribe to the Research Roundup [https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/research-roundup-7303126171641069568/] newsletter on SHI's LinkedIn page [https://www.linkedin.com/company/shi-international-corp-]

Punched in the Face: Gartner’s EUC Memory Shortage Report

Memory suppliers are failing to honor commitments made to OEMs, and the result is a sudden, severe shortage that's disrupting enterprise refresh cycles and blowing up budgets that were set months before the price shocks hit. In this episode, Victoria Barber [https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriabarber/] is joined by Adam Reiser [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-reiser-98869569/], Associate Vice President of End User Compute, and Dave Gruver [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-gruver-8491a11/], Field CTO, to unpack what IT buyers are actually doing to navigate the crunch and what smarter strategies look like on the other side of it.  Drawing on Gartner's report How Enterprise PC Buyers Can Prepare for the AI-Driven Memory Shortage [https://shi-intl.com/ulDom] — featured in the February 20th edition [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/shis-research-roundup-february-20-2026-shi-international-corp--ffajc/] of SHI's Research Roundup newsletter [https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/research-roundup-7303126171641069568/] — the three discuss why this moment may actually be a forcing function for smarter, more resilient IT strategy: from platform diversification and intelligent refresh cycles to asset recovery programs and DEX tooling.  Discussed in this episode:  * Why memory suppliers are failing to honor OEM commitments and how that's cascading into enterprise budgets set in mid-2025  * The parallels to the 2021 supply crunch, and why IT shops are better (but not fully) prepared this time  * Platform and vendor diversification as a risk mitigation strategy, including growing interest in Apple, AMD, and Qualcomm/ARM on Windows  * Device as a Service (DaaS) and financing models as tools for locking in pricing and smoothing budget volatility  * Asset recovery and the rising residual value of older devices; why used hardware is spiking in value (and what a well-managed return program can return)  * Repurposing aging devices as thin clients via W365, ChromeOS Flex, and IGEL  * The shift from time-based to performance-based, persona-driven refresh cycles  * Digital employee experience (DEX) tools and the explosion of players in that market  * Why telemetry and device data are now table stakes for intelligent procurement decisions  * Scenario planning over static annual plans; building flexibility into your EUC strategy for 2026 and beyond  Resources mentioned:  * Gartner Report: How Enterprise PC Buyers Can Prepare for the AI-Driven Memory Shortage [https://shi-intl.com/ulDom]  * SHI's Research Roundup newsletter (February 20th edition): Available on SHI's LinkedIn page [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/shis-research-roundup-february-20-2026-shi-international-corp--ffajc/]  * Learn more about the memory shortage and how to navigate it with SHI here [https://www.shi.com/Campaign/memory-shortage]

Availability Over Time: Effects of the Memory Shortage on Data Centers

In this episode of SHI’s Research Breakdown, we continue the conversation around the 2026 memory shortage with SHI Lead Field CTO Russ Cantwell [https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-cantwell-145a1539/] and SHI Field CTO Steve Troxel [https://www.linkedin.com/in/troxel/]. Drawing on Steve’s original research [https://blog.shi.com/strategic-insights/2026-memory-shortage/] (featured in the February 20th edition [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/shis-research-roundup-february-20-2026-shi-international-corp--ffajc/] of SHI’s Research Roundup [https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/research-roundup-7303126171641069568/]), the discussion explores how supply constraints, AI-driven demand, and manufacturing dynamics are forcing IT leaders to rethink how they plan, design, and invest in infrastructure.    Rather than reacting to FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt), the conversation emphasizes scenario-based planning. Steve outlines how SHI's Strategic Technology Office models potential outcomes month-by-month to help organizations anticipate changes in availability, lead times, and pricing.   Russ expands the conversation by introducing a shift in mindset—designing infrastructure not just for uptime, but for availability over time. With supply disruptions now occurring more frequently, organizations may need to plan three to four years ahead and assume that at least one year of procurement could fail. This challenges traditional just-in-time models and forces a broader conversation around acceptable business risk and long-term capacity planning.    Finally, the discussion highlights a critical organizational shift: navigating supply constraints is not just an IT problem. CIOs, CFOs, and executive leadership must work together to balance cost optimization with resilience. As technology becomes inseparable from business performance, this moment represents an opportunity to strengthen cross-functional alignment and rethink how organizations prepare for disruption.     Discussed in this episode  * The impact of the 2026 memory shortage on data center strategy  * Scenario planning as a tool for navigating supply uncertainty  * AI-driven demand and its effect on memory allocation and pricing  * Designing infrastructure for multi-year availability, not just uptime  * Rethinking just-in-time procurement models  * Aligning CIO and CFO priorities around risk and investment  * Treating IT as a business partner, not a service provider

Part of the Problem: Gartner’s Report on the Memory Crunch

The rapid rise of AI workloads is driving a new wave of infrastructure demand, and memory is at the center of it. In this episode of SHI’s Research Breakdown, host Victoria Barber is joined by SHI colleagues Russ Cantwell [https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-cantwell-145a1539/], Lead Field CTO, and Steve Troxel [https://www.linkedin.com/in/troxel/], Field CTO, to unpack the implications of the emerging memory shortage and the rising cost of data center infrastructure. Their discussion builds on the Gartner research report Rising Costs Ahead: Managing AI-Driven Price Increases in Data Center Infrastructure [https://shi-intl.com/ulJhO], which we featured in the February 20th edition of the Research Roundup [https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/research-roundup-7303126171641069568/] LinkedIn newsletter.    Rather than treating the memory shortage as a short-term procurement issue, the conversation explores the deeper structural forces at play. Russ explains how growing demand for high bandwidth memory (HBM) used in AI systems can create ripple effects across the broader memory ecosystem, impacting supply and pricing for technologies like DDR5. Steve adds that organizations cannot simply “buy their way out” of the problem. Instead, IT leaders will need a more nuanced strategy that includes optimizing existing workloads, understanding application-level memory usage, and aligning infrastructure investments with evolving business priorities.    The discussion also highlights how traditional supply chain approaches (especially just-in-time infrastructure procurement) are being tested by the AI boom. Russ argues that organizations may need to rethink how they design IT architectures, focusing less on hyper-efficiency and more on maintaining flexibility and control. This includes strategies such as abstracting applications from specific cloud services, diversifying infrastructure options, and designing systems that can adapt when supply constraints or pricing changes emerge.  Ultimately, the current memory shortage may serve as a catalyst for broader change in enterprise IT strategy. Instead of reacting to price increases, CIOs and infrastructure teams have an opportunity to reassess architecture, prioritize resilience, and ensure they retain the ability to pivot as technology markets shift.   Discussed in this episode:  * The AI-driven memory shortage and why data center costs are rising  * How high bandwidth memory (HBM) demand affects the entire memory market  * Why the current memory crisis may be a “supercycle” rather than a typical memory cycle  * Strategies for mitigating supply shortages, including right-sizing workloads and extending hardware lifespan  * The risks of relying on just-in-time infrastructure procurement  * Why control and flexibility are becoming critical design principles in enterprise IT  * How CIOs can rethink infrastructure strategy to navigate supply chain volatility

Quantum sans Solace: 2026 Trends and Predictions - Part 2

In Part 2 of this two-part Research Breakdown series, host Victoria Barber [https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriabarber/] is again joined by SHI colleagues Brad Pollard [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brpollard/], Field CTO, and Marc Yoder [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-yoder-294bab5/], Field CISO, to continue unpacking 2026 technology predictions from InformationWeek and InvestorPlace that we featured in the January 23rd edition [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/shis-research-roundup-january-23-2026-shi-international-corp--kwcuc] of the Research Roundup [https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/research-roundup-7303126171641069568/] LinkedIn newsletter.  While Part 1 focused on cutting through AI hype and infrastructure distractions, this episode turns to two issues that may matter even more: workforce re-skilling and the conspicuous absence of quantum computing from most trend reports. The conversation explores what organizations are actually recruiting for in 2026, why curiosity and adaptability may matter more than specific technical credentials, and how learning organizations build long-term resiliency.  Then the discussion shifts to what Marc calls “the Y2K of our era”: quantum computing. From “harvest now, decrypt later” risks to the potential breaking of today’s cryptographic foundations, the team examines why quantum is not a distant theoretical problem, but a present-day strategic concern that many organizations still are not addressing.  Discussed in this episode:  * Why workforce re-skilling must be a formal pillar in 2026 strategy  * Hiring for adaptability and learning ability versus static technical skills  * The value of cross-disciplinary backgrounds in technology leadership  * Mentorship and learning cultures as foundations of organizational resiliency  * Why quantum computing is largely missing from 2026 trend conversations  * What “Q-Day” means for encryption and cybersecurity  * The real risk behind “harvest now, decrypt later” data strategies  * Why quantum is a strategic risk even if you don’t understand the math  * The critical executive question: Who owns the quantum plan inside your organization?