Data centre decommissioning is one of the most important processes a business can undertake. There are various considerations to manage in this process, such as mitigating risk while maximising return on investment, complying with industry and government regulations, and ensuring all your assets are audited and accounted for throughout the process.
Before embarking upon the process of data centre decommissioning, there are a number of things you should consider. We cover some of the most important ones below.
1.Choose a Vendor with Decommissioning Experience
Perhaps the most important step to successful data centre decommissioning is in choosing a reliable and experienced vendor. Data centre decommissioning is a highly complex and specialised process, often requiring the expertise and resources of a specialist IT asset disposal company. Identifying a reliable ITAD vendor to decommission your data centre will ensure that your equipment and sensitive data are handled and disposed of safely, securely and in compliance with all relevant industry and environmental regulations.
2.Consider the Return on Investment
A specialist IT asset disposal company will also be able to ensure that your company receives the maximum value in return your old hardware. The average data centre comprises innumerable pieces of equipment and components, from plugs and cables through to servers and hard drives. It is important to choose a partner who understands how to maximise value from this hardware. Even if the equipment is out-dated, or in poor repair, a good ITAD vendor will find ways to maximise value by breaking the equipment into components which can then be resold. Equally, a high quality IT asset disposal company will be abreast of the market rates for devices and equipment and will be able to sell your assets in the right channel, at the right time, to generate the highest possible return for your company.
3.Track and Audit Decommissioned Assets
Decommissioning your data centre will represent a period of great upheaval for some of your most valuable and sensitive data bearing assets. With the introduction of GDPR in 2018, it is imperative that the entire process is tracked and audited in detail, providing your company with a robust chain of custody for each and every asset which has been decommissioned. Tracking and auditing is a crucial, but highly specialised process, and it is not generally something that should be undertaken without the assistance of an experienced vendor.
4.Ensure Data Security is a Priority
As we have stressed throughout this article, ensuring the data security of your assets in the data centre decommissioning process is imperative. Many assets in the decommissioning process will inevitably bear sensitive data, which could potentially be breached if care is not taken to sanitise each asset before disposal or recycling. A data breach in 2019 could see you in violation of the GDPR, which could, in turn, result in fines of up to 4% of annual global turnover or €20 million – whichever is greater. Once again, this emphasises the need to entrust this process to a reliable ITAD vendor, who are experienced in the handling and disposing of data bearing assets.
Whatever the nature or scale of your data centre migration, tier1 can help you with the decommissioning of your previous solutions. With over 25 years of experience, the team of accredited engineers can safely and securely decommission, as well as dealing with any ITAD needs as part of the process.
Contact us today on 0161 777 1000 or visit tier1.com to find out how we can help you decommission your data centre safely and securely.
