When it’s upgrade time, new features and boosted efficiency have a way of making the devices that were replaced seem obsolete and unimportant. Often, however, equipment remains useful and retains significant value even after it has been retired or replaced. Although planning an IT Asset Disposition project may not seem urgent, timely disposition of retired IT equipment has three distinct benefits:
- Secure Data Sanitization
- Greater Returns in Secondary Markets
- Reduced Space and Secure Storage Requirements
Firstly, if retired devices were used with any sensitive information, they may remain a data security risk even if the storage was cleared. The data sanitization step of an ITAD project uses powerful wiping software that conforms to U.S. Department of Defense standards to ensure that residual or remanence data is destroyed and nothing can be recovered from used equipment.
Any device being resold will go through this process but in addition to reducing security threats, a prompt ITAD project will recoup the maximum value possible from the devices since they are likely to lose value over time. Some devices may even provide a greater return when sold as parts. A good ITAD partner will analyze different resale channels to decide how best to remarket your equipment.
A final consideration is the space that is needed to store used equipment. Beyond what must be saved for business continuity, used equipment may be difficult to find a place for and often needs to be secured.
