IT infrastructure shortages are real and lasting. Here’s how to cope

Lead times of nine to 12 or even 18 months. Costs rising by 35%, 45%, even 50% to 200%. More than halfway through 2026, the market for IT infrastructure that’s crucial for enterprise projects, including those involving artificial intelligence, is strapped. Memory is at the root of the shortages. Memory prices “have risen by 50% to 200%, resulting in PC prices increasing by 35% to 45% and some server prices rising over 125%,” according to Jon Forest , VP analyst at Gartner . Network switches also need memory, albeit in lesser amounts than servers, so they are not immune, with prices and lead ti