The workdays around a data center initiative, like a cloud migration project or a consolidation, can be very hectic. Often the sense of urgency increases as a fixed deadline for completion looms. Because of the risks involved—a data breach, for example—a cloud migration or data center consolidation should include planning for IT Asset Disposition so that nothing goes wrong.

Planning for IT asset disposition is one aspect of a data center transition that often gets relegated to later in the project, when the process is well underway and stress levels are high. Recognizing that the data center team can overlook important considerations at times like these, we’ve put together the following checklist to help transition teams plan for the IT asset disposition issues associated with a cloud migration or data center consolidation:

• Assign each piece of equipment for redeployment, recycling, or remarketing. The disposition of your assets should be determined based on factors including their capabilities, their resale value, and costs for redeployment vs disposition. An IT asset disposition partner can lend their expertise to help you make these decisions.

• Choose a sanitization or data destruction procedure for hard drives as well as tapes. You have three options: physical destruction, degaussing, or sanitization. Your company’s data security policy should be the initial reference, as well as the cost of the data erasure method vs. resale value. Also, decide whether to have data destruction or sanitization performed onsite or at your partner’s facility Additional factors include storage, space and time for these processes.

• Ask about your data destruction partner’s certification. The leading third-party certification for a secure, documented data destruction process is provided by the National Association for Information Destruction (NAID).

• Ask about your IT data destruction, recycling, or remarketing partner’s certification. If your company’s equipment ends up in a landfill or disposed of illegally, you could be held liable, even if your recycling provider did the job. Check for certification from either e-Stewards or R2/RIOS (or both) to ensure your vendor follows compliant and safe environmental practices.

• Make sure your assets are handled, packaged, shipped, and stored properly. Follow all best practices to ensure your equipment isn’t damaged before it reaches the resale market. Doing otherwise could significantly lessen its value.

• Create a strategy for handling lease returns. To save time and hassle later, be sure to segregate your leased IT equipment from the equipment your company owns. You should also identify which lease agreements are coming to an end and decide whether to buy the equipment or return it to the lessor.

Preparing for a Cloud Migration or Data Center Consolidation

The above checklist is just an overview of the IT asset disposition issues you might encounter in a cloud migration, consolidation, or other data center project.

For a more in-depth look, download our free white paper for IT professionals, “Cloud Migration, Data Center Consolidation, and IT Asset Disposition.”