Start with a full asset inventory
If you are preparing for a data center decommission or just getting rid of old or outdated IT assets, the first step is to know what you are disposing of. You need to be diligent in drafting inventory lists for each asset that needs disposal. Once your list is complete, you can make it more useful by enriching it with coordinates, a grid-based map and hardware & software categories. By keeping an up-to-date list of these assets, it will be easier to locate them all the way down to the level of an individual rack or a cabinet. It’s up to you as to how much detail you want to go into, but you should at least include make and model descriptions along with serial numbers.
However, if you’re short on time and/or expertise, you could leave this job in the hands of a professional IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) service provider that will not only track everything down for you but give you a detailed timeline of the process.
By resorting to the use of the dedicated ITAD, they will help you record and dispose of data, stay up to date with inventory lists and streamline the data destruction process for each device it is stored on.
Restrict access to sensitive devices
Restricting servers or your entire IT storage facility can go a long way in protecting your data storage devices, particularly at sensitive sites such as data centers. Don’t be thrifty when it comes to security components – they will keep unauthorized users out if they try to access server rooms or IT equipment storage facilities.
When it’s time for your IT Refresh, OceanTech makes it easier. Simply call us to arrange a pick-up. Unlike manufacturers, we don’t need your original boxes or receipts. Our professional and expert teams will show up with all of the tools and equipment required to de-install, de-commission and disassemble even the largest data center. Our crews will safely remove and load equipment directly from wherever is it located in your facilities for secure transport back to our facility.
Destroying data on-site
OceanTech’s Destruction on Demand service can wipe hard drives and other types of data containing devices anywhere in the United States at a moment’s notice. The process is fast, secure, and most importantly, tamper proof. You will also be provided with detailed reporting that will pass any third-party audit, protecting you from millions of dollars in liabilities that come with current data protection laws.
Trusting a third-party provider with data on your devices can be a scary thought….but OceanTech is dedicated to protecting your data, including your client’s data. We have a secure chain of custody from the moment we take control of your equipment, through the transportation of equipment back to our facility. Once the equipment has arrived at our facility, we offer several levels of security from data sanitization to physical hard drive destruction. Our process ensures that all retired assets are wiped clean of any and all information, virtually eliminating the risk of a costly data breach.
Whatever your unique requirements are, we advise that you get in touch with professionals who can greatly speed up your IT security activities in advance of and during the data destruction operations.
Have a dedicated ITAD service provider
Problems can arise when the asset disposition needs to take place across various sites, many of which can reside across the globe. To keep track of all regulatory requirements at each of them, having a dedicated ITAD manager or advisor can be a handy strategy for sparing you a headache or two in the future.
In addition to making your ITAD and security better integrated, you will be able to free up your time and avoid the common challenges associated with IT asset disposal such as neglect, delays, mishandling, etc. This process as a whole will go more smoothly the more you invest in the security controls that need to complement it. And, yes, the first stepping stone on this path is choosing the ITAD provider for this task.
