Tips for Choosing a Data Center Decomissioning Company

By far the easiest way to handle data center decommissioning is to hire a specialized company that can ensure everything goes smoothly. It may be tempting to leave this substantial project to the company’s IT department, but this is a mistake. Instead, read on to find out about how to find a company that can help with data center liquidation.

Specialized Skillset

Companies that offer data center liquidation services shouldn’t be generalized IT service providers. Instead, business owners should look for specialists who can provide adequate safety, security, and return on investment. Even IT teams that have had some experience with decommissioning of individual machines are unlikely to be able to facilitate liquidation.

Good Return

Different companies will offer a different level of return on investment for equipment. Choose a company that will liquidate everything, including all of the uninterruptible power supplies, power cords and cables, and peripheral supplies like racks and cabinets. This may increase the amount of money that data center owners make from their old equipment and will save them a ton of hassle.

Adequate Planning

Make sure to ask about how to liquidate a data center and what steps the company will take to ensure that everything goes smoothly before choosing a decommissioning service and signing on the dotted line. After all, one of the many advantages of hiring an outside service to liquidate equipment is that it should allow in-house IT teams and other employees to focus on performing their ordinary jobs.

If a representative from the liquidation service is unable to describe the process and what it entails, business owners will be unable to evaluate the extent the decommissioning process will interrupt business. Avoid the headache of dealing with scheduling issues and unnecessary risks to employees’ safety by choosing a company that takes planning seriously.

Use a Company That Follows Protocols

Data security is of the utmost importance to modern companies, especially since the decommissioning process can, if performed incorrectly, wind up leaving confidential information exposed. Choosing a decommissioning service that takes security protocols seriously is a must, as it will help to protect against potential attacks.

Most of the time, data can be completely removed from physical drives prior to liquidation. When this isn’t possible, though, the physical drives and other media devices containing sensitive data of any kind will need to be destroyed. Make a point of asking about what kind of security protocols companies employ prior to choosing which one to trust with data center decommissioning.