Almost nine in 10 channel partners (87%) are taking steps to protect customers and keep projects on track amid hardware pricing volatility and memory shortages, according to new research from Westcon-Comstor.
From a survey of its global Tech Xpert Community, the distributoror found that partners view project delays as the single biggest risk arising from supply constraints and pricing pressure.
Much of this risk stems from the need to redesign or revalidate solutions when components become unavailable or specifications change, adding time and complexity to project delivery.
In response, partners are adopting a series of mitigation measures.
Nearly one in three (29%) have already switched vendors or platforms in response to availability constraints.
Other steps being taken include increased use of managed services and optimisation techniques to reduce reliance on memory-intensive workloads.
Improved infrastructure capacity planning emerged as the most widely adopted action, cited by 60% of partners as they seek to better align supply with customer demand.
Buying behaviour is also shifting.
While more than half (52%) of respondents said they or their customers have accelerated hardware purchases to mitigate risk, almost a quarter (23%) reported delays or cancellations.
This reflects a fragmented market as organisations balance urgency with uncertainty. Overall, three quarters (75%) reported some change in buying behaviour.
Hardware availability is also influencing workload placement, with 45% of partners reporting accelerated cloud adoption and 7% noting a shift back to on-premises environments.
The research reveals that disruption is being felt across the infrastructure lifecycle, particularly in hardware refresh cycles, new procurement, and system expansion.
Other key findings from the survey include:
- 27% of partners are using storage tiering or caching to reduce RAM reliance.
- 25% are moving workloads or components to managed services.
- 24% cite inability to scale capacity as a key risk.
- 39% highlight technical risks including performance instability, degraded user experience, increased operational complexity and reduced resilience.
- 47% say willingness to switch vendors depends on the specific situation.
“Hardware pricing volatility and supply constraints are reshaping customer buying decisions and having a profound impact on the IT channel,” says 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.
“That ability to balance immediate performance and long-term requirements is becoming increasingly critical,” McGregor adds. “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.”