Hardware shortages force channel partner rethink on infrastructure strategies

Channel partners are increasingly adapting infrastructure strategies to help customers navigate hardware pricing volatility and component shortages, according to new research from Westcon-Comstor.

The distributor found that 87% of channel partners have already taken action to reduce the impact of supply constraints on customer projects, with project delays identified as the single biggest risk created by ongoing pricing pressure and hardware availability issues.

The findings are based on a survey of more than 100 members of Westcon-Comstor’s global Tech Xpert community, comprising technical specialists and decision-makers from resellers, systems integrators, and managed service providers across EMEA and APAC.

According to the research, partners are responding to these challenges by improving infrastructure planning and adopting managed services, while some are even switching technology vendors.

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“Hardware pricing volatility and supply constraints are reshaping customer buying decisions and having a profound impact on the IT channel,” commented Callum McGregor, chief operating officer and chief financial officer at Westcon-Comstor.

“In response, partners are helping customers plan earlier, adapt architectures and stay flexible so they can keep projects moving despite uncertainty.”

Adapting mitigation strategies

In terms of mitigation strategies, improved infrastructure capacity planning was found to be the most common, cited by 60% of respondents.

Meanwhile, almost a third (29%) said they had already switched vendors or platforms in response to hardware availability constraints.

Meanwhile, 27% of partners said they were using storage tiering or caching to reduce reliance on memory-intensive workloads, while a quarter (25%) reported moving workloads or infrastructure components to managed services.

Evolving buyer behavior

The research also highlighted a shift in buying behavior, with 75% of respondents reporting some form of change.

More than half (52%) said either they or their customers had accelerated hardware purchases to reduce the risk of future shortages or price increases – although almost a quarter (23%) reported delays or cancellations as organizations weighed up growing uncertainty.

The distributor revealed that hardware availability is also influencing infrastructure decision-making, with 45% of partners stating that supply chain constraints had accelerated cloud adoption among customers and 7% reporting a shift back to on-premises infrastructure.

A balancing act for partners

According to McGregor, the ability to balance immediate performance with long-term requirements is becoming “increasingly critical” in order for partners to maintain success in the current climate.

“It also demonstrates the strategic role that channel partners, supported by distribution, can play in building resilience and helping customers navigate the pressures that have quickly become a systemic feature of the market,” he added.

Elsewhere, Westcon-Comstor’s research found that 39% of partners identified technical challenges – including performance instability, operational complexity, and reduced resilience – as key risks linked to hardware shortages.

Around one-quarter (24%) also said supply constraints were limiting their ability to scale infrastructure capacity.

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