Data Destruction – more to the process than just deleting files

Data end-of-life has now become a huge challenge for most companies, especially with uncontrolled data growth resulting in new corporate policies for data storage and retention. This is largely as a result of legislation and regulations such as the Protection of Personal Information Act (PoPI).

It is often assumed that once data has been marked for disposal, it no longer requires much attention. However, it is essential for data security and the protection of personal, proprietary and confidential information that data is permanently destroyed, deleted or erased from devices.

Xperien is able to professionally erase data on retired IT assets in compliance with the PoPI Act. It offers safe and secure data destruction services, and all its data destruction methods are accompanied by certificates that will be required for an audit trail.

“Our technicians are able to perform on-site destruction of hard drives and devices using physical destruction. Our mobile shredders are able to handle 300 hard drives or cellphones daily,” says Xperien business development manager Bridgette Vermaak.

To recover value from hard-drives and devices with solid-state drive data storage, mainly cellphones and USB sticks, Xperien uses software erasure that eliminates data without physically destroying the asset’s value.

It also destroys all types of data tape media, mobile phones, libraries and CDs physically by shredding them into tiny pieces.

Degaussing is a process that uses a magnetic charge to eliminate data, and it also destroys other components of the hard-disk drive – ensuring double protection. Degaussed drives can then be recycled or destroyed.

Xperien’s DestroyData software, based on secure erase, performs advance digital data elimination that allows the hard-disk drive to be reused, making it the most environmentally compliant.

These software solutions offer the best audit trails on the market, are able to capture additional inventory criteria and produce individual disposal certificates for hard disk drives.

Software erasure is the costliest option because it is time consuming, taking up to 2 hours for a 320GB hard-disk drive. There are also license fees payable for each disposal certificate.

But it is the preferred option for newer equipment where the chargers can be recovered for the residual value in the IT equipment. The secure erase standard is not recognised by all defence agencies’ standards.

For more information contact Xperien on 011-462-8806 or e-mail itad@xperien.co.za or visit destroydata.co.za