When a business has reached the end of its lifespan, proper decommissioning processes are critical to its reputation and security. This will prevent possible data breaches and protect all the data involved. To properly eliminate the chances of data breaches and legal penalties, you’re going to want to hire a third-party company that knows what to do when decommissioning a data center. To find the right company, ensure it utilizes the following processes.
Wipe Out all Data and Sanitize the Hardware
The first thing you want to do when decommissioning a data center is to wipe out all the data and sanitize the hardware. To effectively do this, you or the third-party company you hire must use a data sanitization platform that will utilize agent-based architecture that makes wiping out multiple drives possible.
If the company you plan to hire doesn’t use this type of platform, this is a sign you shouldn’t trust them to wipe out your company’s personal data. Here at Evergreen IT Solution, we use R2-compliant data wiping software that allows us to reassure our customers their data and security is in good hands.
When you work with us, all data and media is removed and receives either a 3-pass, 5-pass, or 7-pass sanitization process to meet client-specific requirements.
Identify the Drives That Can’t be Wiped Out and Send Them To Destruction
Once you’ve wiped all your data and software, you may have some drives that weren’t successfully wiped. This is normal. Don’t worry, there is a solution. Our product destruction services include the following:
Physically Dismantling
Deserialization
Asset Tag Removal
Shredding
Prepare Custom Decommissioning Documentation
Once everything has been either erased or securely destructed, you or your third-party collaborator must prepare a custom decommissioning process. This is where you will either record or receive all the needed recordings for your business and process.
This includes proper documentation of the certificates of destruction and erasure for hard drives. It also includes serial number recordings of inventory to allow for complete tracking. A trusted IT solution company will provide this documentation. This creates trust and transparency between the provider and client.
For that reason, here at Evergreen IT Solutions, we provide all of these features through our client portal. We provide data center decommissioning services you can rely on.
Perform Good Sustainability Practices and Maximize all Equipment Value
The last thing you or your third-party collaborator should make sure you do is practice good sustainability practices and ensure you get the best value for your assets and equipment. This is important—if you fail to properly dispose of your e-waste, legal issues and fees could arise.
If you have valuable working equipment, it’s also important you work with a company that’ll provide you a ROI full of certitude.
When you hire a third-party company, you want to ensure they know what to do when decommissioning a data center—such as the eclectic processes mentioned above. For any assistance in your company’s data decommissioning, give us a call. We’ll be happy to discuss your options and provide you with a quote.