Data Center Decommissioning FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Managing removal of obsolete equipment from a data center requires a systematic and disciplined approach.

SLS helps data center managers plan for systematic removal of obsolete equipment from the data center. We routinely work in live data centers and plan and implement complete data center shutdowns. Behind the scenes, we have full service processing facilities where equipment is shipped and prepared for resale or recycling. We track our work at every step of the way. We provide detailed financial reporting and chain of custody reports. Companies have confidence that resell is handled quickly, maximizing financial return and recycling is done compliant with all regulations.

Because we operate in a specialized industry, we frequently are asked questions about the services we offer. Some of the more common questions are listed below.

What is data center ITAD and how does it work?

Discover the process of systematically decommissioning IT equipment from your live data center environment. Equipment is packed and shipped and resold or recycled.

How do I compare different decommissioning vendors?

Use this convenient checklist to ensure equipment is handled consistent with your company’s compliance and data security policies.

What types of data center equipment does SLS take?

Working with our sister company, Sims Metal, we reuse and recycle IT equipment including racks and servers, mechanical and electrical equipment.

Will my company get paid for decommissioned servers?

In most cases, yes, depending on age and condition. Explore how SLS can improve the financial return on your IT equipment.

How do I prepare decommissioned equipment for pick up?

We offer instructions on how to do it yourself, or SLS can help decommission, inventory, pack and ship your data center equipment.

Does SLS take broken and obsolete data center equipment? Will you recycle network and power cables?

SLS offers on-site services, including decommissioning and data destruction. At our Circular Centers, we offer resale, redeployment and recycling services.

What happens to my equipment after it is picked up?

View how equipment is handled at our Circular Centers. We destroy data, prepare equipment for resale, redeployment or recycling and provide complete reporting.

What happens to data bearing assets? How do I know data is destroyed?

SLS destroys data on all data bearing assets and Certificates of Data Destruction.