2.5 Admins 2.5 Admins 270: Storage Shortage
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Oct 23, 2025 The discussion kicks off with the impact of AI on HDD and SSD shortages, prompting manufacturers to raise prices. Self-hosting is challenged as a viable future option, with arguments against it for most users. The hosts recommend small cooperatives or manageable providers as realistic alternatives. They also offer practical advice on setting up a server for virtualization on a budget, detailing the benefits of using older hardware like mini-PCs or off-lease servers. Lastly, there's a push to empower non-engineers with accessible tech solutions.
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AI Drives Storage Market Volatility
- AI-driven demand causes real shortages across HDD, SSD, and RAM markets, and manufacturers avoid overbuilding capacity.
- Manufacturers prefer price hikes and cautious supply than risking excess inventory if the AI demand fizzles.
Verify Drive Provenance Before Buying
- Be very careful sourcing drives and prefer vendors with provenance controls to avoid tainted used drives being sold as new.
- Check manufacturer data (like Seagate farm data) and buy from authorized channels to reduce fraud risk.
Prioritize Redundancy And Backups
- Always design for redundancy and have backups; those measures will save you during shortages or failures.
- If you lack redundancy and backups, you will suffer data loss regardless of drive sourcing.
