Due to the scarcity and increasing costs of IT equipment, IT maintains an increasingly diverse laptop fleet. The scarcity of laptops and other computing devices has evolved from a temporary downturn in the early pandemic to a lasting problem for technology leaders. Semiconductor shortages, which are a major blow to the automotive industry in particular, are also limiting IT leaders in the corporate world. Gartner. In addition, the problem shows no signs of easing in the short term, and is expected to last at least until the second quarter of 2022. The lack of IT tools threatens the ability of companies to operate efficiently. IT organizations under pressure due to shortages are expanding the types of devices they are deploying and modifying their needs to make up for the shortage of assets as CIOs gain new insights into the supply chain situation, writes CIOdive in its review.
The problem multilayer. There is the actual semiconductor shortage resulting from the mismatch between supply and demand, geopolitical tensions and labor shortages in manufacturing. Supply chains transporting the material during the process are also facing headwinds, a symptom of wider disruptions in global logistics.
According to Gaurav Gupta, Vice President of Research at Gartner, tools are available in some cases, but testing or packaging sections have bottlenecks. Whatever the reason, the point for IT organizations is that the technological tools needed by businesses are not available. “Many companies are unable to procure laptops, PCs and servers for their own internal IT use,” said Gupta. Continuous supply chain problems bring with it another layer of complexity.
Aternity reports that since May 2021, the number of different computer models installed at the company has increased by 15 percent. Companies have expanded their fleet with 25 models per month since April 2021.
“Typically, an IT organization has a device catalog that has been tested and is thoroughly known. When they acquire a device, one in five or ten one, “said Jon Hodgson, vice president of product for Aternity. This model simplified support because IT teams had a deeper view of a smaller number of computers. Now the new device models are put into the device park in odd-sized items. “This means that there are challenges in terms of eligibility,” said Hodgson. causes stress. “While device management solutions can help alleviate some of the challenges of maintaining a wide range of devices, there can still be problems. If a drive fails in a PC and it’s an HP PC, we may have a set of parts for Dell PCs, but It’s not for an HP PC. This kind of complexity really hampers the efficiency of IT, “pointed out Glenn O’Donnell, vice president and director of research at Forrester.
The shortage of laptops shows the growing space for CIOs conquering activities within the company. First, he has evolved from a head of back-office functions to a reliable business consultant in the field of technology. Added to this is a look at the supply chain, as their job is to manage the procurement of critical laptops. CIOs need to follow a number of strategies while helping the business respond to the bottleneck, but all can be traced back to the concept of flexibility. For example, to turn to alternative service providers if necessary, writes CIOdive.
“We now see that many companies need to develop their systems and processes to be much more agile, flexible and resilient than they used to be. This means looking at not only their main suppliers, but also alternative suppliers, “said Jeff Wong, EY’s Head of Global Innovation.
CIOs need to be flexible to meet the desired needs. specifications and should adapt expectations to what is readily available. According to O’Donnell, a particular configuration of PCs may no longer be available, so they may try a different configuration, may have a different processor, may have a slower processor, and may not get what they are looking for. Supply chain difficulties have even led some companies to look for refurbished equipment in the secondary market, which can be useful when nothing else helps.
“For smaller companies, this is certainly because they simply don’t have their pockets deep enough to pay the extra price. Purchasing a refurbished machine is good for a while and will probably work well enough for them to get through this situation long enough, “the specialist added.
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