3 Things to Know About Your End-of-Life (EOL) Equipment

When computer equipment reaches its end of life (EOL), it’s important to keep in mind the impact that it will have on your organization. EOL equipment typically means outdated and unreliable hardware, and potentially compromised data, which brings in security risks and costs.

Those seeking to update or improve their IT infrastructure should consider the risks associated with discarding hardware and documents that were used to store important information. Secure disposal services ensure EOL equipment is safely destroyed or recycled.

1. Outdated Support

Most EOL equipment suffers from outdated or nonexistent support from businesses and manufacturers. Because of this, important software may no longer work. This lack of support means no updates, more bugs, and increased security risks for users.

Unreliable equipment results in higher costs and lower productivity. If your company is using outdated or EOL equipment that’s no longer being supported by manufacturers, you may be introducing dangerous and easily preventable vulnerabilities into your ecosystem.

2. Insecure Data

Before disposing of old equipment, you should understand the risks presented by data storage devices. Deleting information from HDDs, SSDs, and USB drives doesn’t mean that it’s gone for good. Information can remain at the physical level, creating potential vulnerabilities.

Exposed data is a risk for businesses. Regulations and consumer protection mean legal liability if private information is leaked to the public. If you have important data on your device, you should have it professionally destroyed or wiped.

3. Recycling Services

Businesses that rely on technology for storing vital information need to understand how to safely dispose of it. Certified services offer disposal and recycling of old equipment to make it easier for businesses to securely discard old drives, devices, and documents.

Professional data disposal services often offer to recycle old equipment as well. If they are certified to standards such as R2 and/or e-Stewards, you can trust they will safely wipe the information, certify that it is gone, and resell the hardware for you or destroy it if you deem necessary. If your old equipment is still usable, don’t let it go to waste. You can save money by disposing of it through a professional reseller.

SEAM Provides Secure Data Destruction

Secure Enterprise Asset Management (SEAM) is the trusted regional expert in computer and hard drive recycling, reselling, and data destruction. If you’re in or near Sioux Falls, South Dakota or North Dakota, we’re here to process and dispose of your HDDs, SSDs, and documents.

Along with our hard drive and solid-state shredding and wiping services in compliance with strict NIST guidelines, we also provide mobile document shredding to ensure compliance with 5/8″ strip cuts. Contact us to help you get rid of any potentially compromising EOL equipment.