Storage
STORAGE STRATEGY SHAPES CHANNEL GROWTH
Seagate’s Samehra Malik explains how data driven expansion now hinges on smarter, scalable storage architectures and tighter collaboration across the channel, as partners adapt to rising workloads, AI adoption and shifting customer expectations.
A
s the technology industry converges around AI, edge computing, and connected environments, one reality is becoming impossible to ignore: data is growing at a pace
that is redefining infrastructure expectations. At the centre of this shiſt is storage; not as a background
component, but as a critical enabler of development, scalability, and business resilience. For the PC Reseller channel, this moment represents both an opportunity and a challenge. Demand is rising fast. Availability is not always guaranteed. And
success is increasingly determined by how effectively the channel can plan, collaborate, and adapt.
The AI-led surge in data demand Artificial intelligence has moved from concept to core business driver, and with it comes an unprecedented increase in data creation and retention. AI workloads require vast datasets to train models and generate
insights. Tese datasets must be stored, accessed, and retained over time, oſten at scale. As a result, enterprise storage demand is rising significantly. At the same time, hyperscale environments are expanding
rapidly to support these workloads, placing sustained pressure on storage supply and capacity planning. Tis is not a short-term spike. AI is expected to remain a
core driver of storage demand for years to come, fundamentally reshaping how organisations think about data infrastructure. For resellers, this means one thing: storage is back at the centre of every conversation.
IoT and the expanding data footprint Alongside AI, the Internet of Tings is continuing to accelerate data growth across industries.
38 | July/August 2026 From security systems and smart retail to industrial
environments and connected cities, billions of devices are generating continuous streams of data. Global IoT deployments are already in the tens of billions, with significant growth still ahead. Each of these devices contributes to a growing storage
requirement; data that must be captured, stored, analysed, and oſten retained for extended periods. Tis has created a more complex storage landscape: • Data is increasingly generated at the edge, not just in centralised data centres
• Workloads demand a mix of high-performance and high- capacity storage
• Long-term retention is becoming standard across multiple verticals
For the channel, this represents a shiſt from simple product supply to architecting fit-for-purpose storage environments.
Demand is accelerating – and access is becoming more strategic As AI adoption drives unprecedented growth in data creation, demand for high-capacity storage continues to increase. In this environment, supply is tightly allocated, reflecting the rapid scaling of AI infrastructure and broader pressures across the data centre ecosystem. Tis does not mean availability has diminished, but rather that
access is increasingly shaped by long-term planning, customer alignment, and portfolio prioritisation. In this context, supply assurance becomes a key differentiator. For resellers, the ability to reliably deliver the right capacity
at the right time goes beyond transaction – it enables customer projects, supports business continuity, and builds lasting trust in an environment where data infrastructure is critical to growth.
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