A new year with IDS

2021 is over. We look back on a year full of oddities and records. On the one hand, the adaptation to the changed social conditions with all their adversities and on the other hand, the very good business situation in the ICT channel.

The need to limit social contact has caused the demand for IT equipment of all kinds to explode. At times, laptops and tablets were sold out, and even the part of the IT world that is rarely seen but is essential for the Internet and corporate network to function was selling like hot cakes. This almost gold-rush mood has given the industry and also us unprecedented record sales despite supply bottlenecks. We can look back on 2021 as the best year in our 30-year company history. We were also able to strengthen our personnel in key areas and are continuing to expand.

We see various challenges for the year 2022. The global semiconductor crisis remains at the forefront. The supply situation, which was already tight in 2021, will in all probability not improve. When purchasing new goods, customers must expect delivery times of up to one year or more. In addition, existing stocks are as good as depleted. For new products, both existing series and new developments, prices are therefore trending steadily upwards. Most manufacturers have switched to quarterly price adjustments, which makes planning long-term projects even more difficult.

In the immediate future, therefore, creativity and a willingness to compromise will be required when implementing projects. All stakeholders in a project must break away from familiar methodologies and break new ground. This not infrequently means having to leave one's comfort zone in order to find a solution that is acceptable in terms of time.

We are currently observing two trends in the implementation of network projects:

1. The runtimes of existing architectures are extended.

   Many companies are re-evaluating the need to replace their systems. Especially in the area of network technology, it is often the case that in most cases the need for a new purchase is not determined by the performance of the devices. For the most part, additional physical ports are needed due to the growth of more and more IoT devices. As a result, the device life cycles of approximately 6 to 8 years specified by manufacturers are currently being questioned by many customers. The decision to extend the service life also opens up opportunities for opex optimization by switching to independent service providers.

2. The use of refurbished hardware.

   The implementation of projects with used hardware not only circumvents the current supply problems. Particularly under the aspect of the ever more important topic of the lastingness this procurement kind permits to prevent enterprises your part to the avoidance of highly complicated waste materials. The use of examined used hardware brings with the cost and time saving thus still further positive factors along. One can win additional increase in value from the network transformation in such a way and use this matter marketing-effectively.

Having a holistic, independent partner at your side who also considers alternative solutions can be decisive in such situations.

In order to continue to operate in 2022 with the same efficiency and success rate as last year, we are increasingly relying on our long-standing expertise in the areas of enterprise networks and brokerage. Through our global relationships in the market for used and rental hardware, we are able to serve the needs of our customers despite the circumstances in two reasons. On the one hand, instead of new hardware, high quality used hardware tested by us can be used in conjunction with our SmartPact for backup. If new hardware is desired despite the delivery time, our extensive inventory allows us to provide functionally identical devices as a rental option with an all-round carefree package to bridge the gap.