In its activities, any modern company uses many gadgets and technical solutions. However, technology does not stand still, so from time to time, you have to change it to newer and more efficient ones. However, the question arises: what to do with old equipment? The answer is in the ITAD program; now, we will look at what it is and why you should implement it in your activity.
ITAD Principles
Most businesses recognize that IT asset decommissioning involves more than just managing e-waste. Company owners know firsthand that to reduce the risk of confidential data leakage, reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO), and ensure sustainable business processes, an integrated approach to the life cycle of IT assets is required for their effective management based on the specifics of the activity and current policy in the field of information technology.
As practice shows, the record growth in the number of PCs and the demand for modern devices, combined with the indicator of a distributed workforce, contributes to a significant increase in the level of risk. A well-designed IT asset decommissioning management program ensures safety and meets all existing regulatory requirements.
In-House or Outsourcing
You can independently develop and integrate the program in your company or hire specialists for asset disposition. Both paths have pros and cons. However, it is worth considering that to implement such a serious project. You will have to study a lot of information and put in significant effort. Hiring ITAD services will be the best solution if you do not have such resources.
ITAD Program Integration
The most crucial part of building an ITAD program is developing a structure and process for managing decommissioned assets that provides a secure chain of action – a recorded document that establishes procedures for the control, transfer, and final disposition of all equipment and magnetic media.
It is fundamental to the success of ITAD as it ensures compliance, reduces risk and facilitates cost management. From then on, ITAD is designed to fully meet your business needs, successfully integrating your organization’s sustainability, environmental, data privacy, and industry and government compliance goals.
Basic steps to implement the ITAD program:
- Assembling a team to develop, launch, and maintain the program.
- Internal control includes measures to prevent access to devices being taken out of service and still containing undestroyed data.
- Decommissioning: Whether the decommissioning is on-site or off-site, you should use vendor audit checklists and reports to confirm that nothing was missed during the asset decommissioning process and that proper policies were followed.
- Control over the removal of assets from the territory of the enterprise.
- Verification of processing certificates.
Completing these steps will ensure a reliable and workable program to dispose of IT assets safely.
Conclusion
ITAD will increasingly become essential to IT asset management, data security implementation, and environmental, social, and government strategies. Therefore, take care of this aspect of the company’s activities today and integrate the program as soon as possible. You can do this yourself or hire the appropriate services. In any case, the long-term effect will pay off the investment.
