How to Set Up a Hybrid Data Destruction Policy

A “hybrid data policy” refers to a combination of onsite data destruction and the use of a secure offsite facility operated by a third party. Both solutions work well, but they aren’t optimal in every situation.

Hybrid data destruction allows organizations to pick and vary their destruction methods.

Benefits of Destroying Data On-Site

The primary benefit of on-site data destruction is convenience — this method requires no transportation, and regular (trained) employees can perform it. It also provides additional security, as supervisors have immediate visual confirmation of destruction and can document based on internal standards.

What Sets Offsite Data Destruction Apart

The cost-effectiveness of onsite data destruction falls as data volume increases.

Professionals can churn through many destruction processes in less time. They also encounter more unusual scenarios because they handle destruction every day. These edge cases include odd compliance regulations, bizarre hardware, or particularly stubborn data.

Where a business might stumble, the service can continue without issue.

When to Use Hybrid Data Destruction

With hybrid data destruction, businesses send hardware off-premises as needed. Here are some factors to account for when considering adopting a hybrid data destruction system.

Varying Data Sensitivity

Non-sensitive data can be destroyed offsite at cheaper rates, while data requiring more security can remain on-premises.

Cost-Security Balance

An offsite facility can save budget-conscious businesses money when they must destroy large volumes of data. However, single-device destruction may not be worth the transportation costs.

Regulatory Compliance

Some data and industries require onsite destruction for sensitive data. A hybrid policy maintains compliance but still allows for the cost-effective destruction of low-priority data.

Component of a Hybrid Data Destruction Policy

A policy puts data destruction goals and procedures in writing. Everyone can refer to the same resource, which leaves little open to interpretation.

Policy Objectives

The policy should open with a statement of the company’s objectives and the problems the hybrid policy hopes to resolve.

Catalog of Data

A complete inventory of the data types and where they’re stored is necessary to determine how and where to destroy data. It should also discuss which compliance regulations govern each data type.

Roles and Responsibilities

Assign specific job titles to determine which employee(s) are responsible for the destruction.

Destruction Methods and When to Use Them

The policy should also list the type of destruction applicable for each data type. Guidelines on when data can or should be destroyed based on previous experience and industry standards also appear in this section.

Training Guidelines

Training materials for onsite destruction help employees destroy information without risk to their safety.

Verification Procedures

The policy should outline the information to be recorded about each destruction instance — when and where it was done, the approving supervisor, who performed it, etc.

Policy Update Requirements

No policy should remain static. Guidelines on how incidents and audits should alter the policy allow it to develop with new business needs.

Incident Management

If data destruction fails or verification falls through, the policy should cover ways to compensate for mistakes, gather necessary information, or otherwise correct the errors.

Trust SEAM to Destroy Your Offsite Data

After establishing your hybrid data destruction procedures, take advantage of SEAM’s Sioux Falls, SD, data destruction services. The only certified provider in both North Dakota and South Dakota, we have a long record of compliance excellence, meaning your data is in good hands.