Refreshing, upgrading, or replacing your IT hardware can be expensive and challenging for businesses to navigate. How do you ensure that you dispose of old hardware sustainably and securely?

In this blog post, our IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) experts walk you through the 5 steps for refreshing your tech.

Key Considerations For IT Asset Refresh

Before you even begin the ITAD process, consider a few crucial questions to ensure the process goes smoothly.

  • How can you dispose of your assets sustainably?
    Partner with an ITAD expert that adheres to a zero-landfill policy, and will send scrap to an R2 certified facility rather than a dump.
  • How can you maximize your IT budget during equipment refresh?
    Explore the marketplace to offset the cost of new equipment by getting maximum value for your old assets.
  • What security standards do you need to meet?
    Depending on the sensitivity of your business information, you may need to meet stringent security regulations during the ITAD process. Do you need to send your old equipment to an NAID AAA-certified destruction facility? Should your hard drives be shredded, or just wiped?

Once you’ve answered those questions, you’re well on your way to a streamlined asset refresh. At Stallard, we recommend a 5-step ITAD process: 

#1: Assessment and Valuation

Assess your existing hardware and goals for upgrade, and determine the maximum recovery value for your surplus IT assets. Partner with an ITAD provider that will buy your equipment outright and pay you upfront, rather than leveraging a revenue-sharing or consignment model.

#2: Equipment Removal

Once you’ve determined which hardware assets are surplus and can be sold, coordinate a removal time that does not disrupt your business. Ensure that certified technicians de-install, consolidate, pack, and ship your equipment.

#3: Audit and Inventory

Your ITAD provider should supply a detailed report listing what they received and what they will do with each piece of equipment. Check that report against your data and ensure that all removed hardware arrived at the ITAD facility safely.

#4: Data Sanitization and Destruction

This step is the most crucial for ensuring secure asset disposition. Request certificates of hard drive erasure by device and serial number. For especially sensitive equipment, require that it be physically shredded at a NAID AAA-certified facility.

Ask your ITAD provider how they monitor their facilities and about their chain of custody. Ensure that all sanitization and destruction is in compliance with published standards.

#5: Set Up Your New Equipment

You can use money gained through the sale of surplus assets to purchase upgraded equipment. Coordinate the installation to minimize business downtime, and consider partnering with external experts to ensure that your upgraded equipment integrates seamlessly with your existing IT infrastructure.

Want to learn more?

If you have questions about Stallard’s NAID AAA-certified ITAD facilities, our experts are happy to help. Contact us today!