SHI’s Research Breakdown

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 is joined by Adam Reiser, Associate Vice President of End User Compute, and Dave Gruver, 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 — featured in the February 20th edition of SHI's Research Roundup newsletter — 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 
SHI's Research Roundup newsletter (February 20th edition): Available on SHI's LinkedIn page 
Learn more about the memory shortage and how to navigate it with SHI here

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 and SHI Field CTO Steve Troxel. Drawing on Steve’s original research (featured in the February 20th edition of SHI’s Research Roundup), 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, Lead Field CTO, and Steve 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, which we featured in the February 20th edition of the Research Roundup 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 is again joined by SHI colleagues Brad Pollard, Field CTO, and Marc Yoder, Field CISO, to continue unpacking 2026 technology predictions from InformationWeek and InvestorPlace that we featured in the January 23rd edition of the Research Roundup 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? 

Big Shiny Distractions: 2026 Trends and Predictions - Part 1

In this episode of SHI's Research Breakdown, host Victoria Barber is joined by SHI colleagues Brad Pollard, Field CTO, and Marc Yoder, Field CISO, to unpack two bold prediction pieces: The Year Tech Reinvents Itself: Five Predictions for 2026 from Information Week and Tech Predictions for 2026: The Year Software Crawls into Physical Reality from InvestorPlace, both of which were covered in the January 23 edition of the Research Roundup LinkedIn newsletter. 
From domestic chip production and AI silicon to humanoid robots, autonomous vehicles, and the ever-growing power demands of data centers, the headlines suggest a year defined by breakthrough innovation. But as Brad and Marc make clear, not every “shiny” technology deserves executive attention. 
Part one of this two-part series centers on resiliency, core competencies, data quality, and the role of trusted partners in navigating transformation. What does it really mean to “transform” as an organization? Are you becoming a butterfly, or just bolting wings onto a caterpillar? 
For CIOs, CISOs, and executive leaders feeling pressure to respond to every emerging trend, this episode offers an important lesson: focus less on hype, more on foundations. 
Discussed in this episode: 
Why data center power and chip supply are executive-level concerns, but not always directly controllable 
The risks of vendor fragility in tight supply environments 
AI savings headlines vs. the reality of multi-year transformation journeys 
Why “AI” is often a proxy for deeper data quality problems 
Lessons from manufacturing, mining, and gaming on practical automation 
The difference between true transformation and surface-level modernization 
Why most organizations shouldn’t be building their own AI solutions 
The importance of knowing your organization’s core competencies before chasing trends 

Deepfakes, DMs, and Deception: Dune Security on Human Cyber Risk

In this episode of SHI’s Research Breakdown, host Victoria Barber and SHI Field CISO Brad Bowers sit down with David DellaPelle, CEO of Dune Security, to unpack how social engineering has evolved faster than awareness training can keep up.
Drawing on insights from Dune’s Inside Access research report titled CISOs on the Emerging Threats Redefining User Cyber Risk, the conversation explores how AI is supercharging phishing, how multi-channel “hybrid” attacks are reshaping the threat landscape, and why most organizations still can’t see what’s happening across encrypted or informal apps like Slack, Teams, and WhatsApp.
They also dig into the cultural blind spots keeping CISOs from tackling these risks, the rise of insider threats and nation-state job applicants, and the importance of collaboration among cybersecurity leaders to outpace increasingly organized and professionalized adversaries.
For more research like this, subscribe to SHI's Research Roundup newsletter on LinkedIn.
Discussed in this episode:
AI-driven phishing that’s three times more effective than traditional campaigns
Hybrid social engineering attacks spanning email, chat, video, and voice
Why encrypted channels remain a major blind spot for CISOs
Adaptive training and user risk scoring as smarter defense models
The growing insider threat from remote and nation-state actors
How cybercriminals collaborate, and why defenders must do the same

Kindred Spirits: Analyzing Gartner's Report on ITAM + FinOps

Welcome to another episode of SHI’s Research Breakdown, where we unpack complex analyst reports into conversations that matter for IT leaders. In this episode, host Victoria Barber is joined by Shane Cronin, Head of ITAM and FinOps at SHI, and Kevin Wade, Manager of FinOps at SHI, to discuss Gartner’s report Control Software, Cloud and AI Costs by Integrating ITAM and FinOps that we covered in the August 22nd edition of the Research Roundup newsletter. 
Gartner highlights the potential to cut software, cloud, and AI costs by up to 30% within two years, but only if organizations stop treating ITAM and FinOps as separate silos. The team explores what this convergence really means, why governance and accountability matter more than tooling, and how CIOs can prepare for the inevitable integration of disciplines like ITAM, FinOps, and TBM. 
If you’re a CIO, ITAM lead, FinOps practitioner, or anyone navigating rising technology costs, this episode will help you understand not just the “why” but also the “how” of bringing these practices together. 
🔗 For a limited time, you can access a complimentary copy of the Gartner report discussed in this episode here: https://shi-intl.com/ui2V3 
Discussed in this episode: 
Why 30% savings is realistic, but only with major changes 
How AI spend complicates visibility and accountability 
Why tools alone won’t fix ITAM/FinOps challenges 
The skills, roles, and leadership needed to drive integration 
What happens if your competitors achieve 30% savings and you don’t 

A Sword and a Shield: 2025 Cost of a Data Breach Report

In this episode of SHI’s Research Breakdown, host Victoria Barber is joined by SHI Field CISOs Brad Bowers and Rob Forbes to unpack the 2025 Cost of a Data Breach Report from the Ponemon Institute and IBM. We also covered this report in the August 8th edition of the Research Roundup newsletter and a recent blog post on the SHI Resource Hub.  
Throughout the conversation, they explore how AI is reshaping both attack methods and defense strategies, why breach costs are trending differently in the U.S. compared to the rest of the world, and what CISOs and boards can do to move from reactive to proactive strategies. 
They also dive into the dual role of AI as both a weapon and a shield, the critical governance gaps organizations still face, and the business decisions behind paying (or refusing to pay) ransomware demands. 
Discussed in this episode 
Global data breach costs decline for the first time in five years 
How AI is being used by both attackers and defenders 
Shadow AI and the risks of poor access controls 
Why U.S. breach costs continue to climb past $10 million 
Business decision-making around paying ransomware demands 
The importance of AI governance and security at the board level 
Shifting from reactive spending to proactive cybersecurity strategies

Cybercrime, Incorporated: CrowdStrike’s 2025 Global Threat Report

In this episode of SHI’s Research Breakdown, Victoria invites SHI Field CISOs Brad Bowers and Rob Forbes to discuss CrowdStrike’s 2025 Global Threat Report, which we covered in the April 18th edition of the Research Roundup newsletter. The report is one of the year’s most cited resources for understanding the evolving cyber threat landscape. The conversation covers the data and insights that matter most to enterprise IT leaders, including the growing influence of adversary tradecraft, the rising use of valid credentials in breaches, and why speed is still the most important factor in cyber defense. 
Whether you’re a cybersecurity professional, IT leader, or just curious about the current state of digital threats, this episode delivers a clear-eyed look at what defenders need to know (and do) right now. 
Discussed in this episode: 
The growing sophistication of adversaries, including increased use of identity-based attacks and legitimate tools for lateral movement 
Why over 75% of intrusions now involve valid credentials, making MFA and identity protection more critical than ever 
The importance of “breakout time” and how defenders can reduce response delays 
How endpoint detection and response (EDR) strategies are evolving in response to faster, more covert threats 
Why adversary tradecraft—not malware—is now the primary concern for defenders 
Tips for operationalizing insights from the report to strengthen your cybersecurity posture 

Zooming Out: Gartner’s Hype Cycle for Trends Beyond Technology

In this episode of SHI’s Research Breakdown, Victoria Barber, Head of Strategic Insights at SHI, sits down with Field CTO Dave Gruver to unpack one of Gartner’s most thought-provoking reports—the Hype Cycle for Trends Beyond Technology, which we covered in the very first edition of the Research Roundup newsletter.  
Unlike traditional Hype Cycles focused on specific tools or disciplines, this one zooms out to examine the broader forces shaping our world: from geopolitical shifts and generational divides to workforce transformation and the erosion of critical thinking in an AI-saturated landscape. 
Victoria and Dave explore how businesses can build frameworks for smarter decision-making in an era of information overload and technological acceleration. They touch on everything from the rise of global talent pools to the role of curiosity in future-proofing your career. 
For more analysis on research like this, be sure to subscribe to SHI’s Research Roundup on LinkedIn. 
Discussed in this episode 
Gartner research that tracks non-tech forces that impact tech decisions 
The balancing act between innovation and information overwhelm 
How global demographic shifts will redefine work and talent sourcing 
Why curiosity may be the most important skill in the AI age