Planning a Data Center Relocation? What to Do with Old Software and CDs

by Stephanie Faris on Monday, October 27 6:00

Server movers are familiar with the boxes of CDs and old software many businesses have collected over the years. Like the cables and other accessories that litter many server rooms prior to a data center relocation, stacks of CDs can present a problem during the weeks a business is preparing for an IT relocation.

Whether your old CDs contain professional software or data your employees have loaded on them, it's important to ensure the contents don't fall into the wrong hands. Just as you should carefully dispose of old hard drives, you should also be careful with your boxes of old CDs, as well. Here are three steps to responsible disposal of old CDs.

Determine CD Contents

Even if your employees have taken great care to write a CD's contents on it, you can't always be sure those labels are accurate. Insert each non-software CD into a nearby computer and browse its contents. If the CD contains information you might need later, copy it to a folder on the server before proceeding to step 2.

IT movers often see boxes of licensed software CDs being tossed in waste bins. This can be dangerous, since some of that software's license keys are printed directly on the CD. If that media falls into the wrong hands, it may be installed on servers or devices outside of your company, potentially violating the terms of your license agreement that prohibit transfer of ownership.

Erase the CD

Once you've determined a CD's contents, navigate to the drive in Windows Explorer and choose "Erase this CD." Once the CD has been erased, place a mark on it using a Sharpie o avoid duplicating your work.

Since time is short and you have many other duties, professional data center movers can help with this part of the process. The small fee you'll pay for the service may be worth it if you have bulk CD erasure needs.

Shred and Recycle

Once you've ensured all sensitive data has been removed from your CDs, you may be tempted to send them off to a landfill. But CDs are made of material that is in high value for recycling centers. Professional server movers can ensure your CDs end up in a recycling center instead of a landfill.

The best part of relying on data center movers for your CD recycling is that you can often have your CDs shredded before sending it off site. This ensures the CDs are unusable by anyone who should intercept them once they've been recycled. A professional server moving company has equipment that can accomplish shredding multiple CDs in a short period of time for an affordable price.

Whether you're preparing for a data center relocation or simply interested in cleaning up your office space, you should be sure you safely dispose of your CDs. Whether they contain software or business data, if the wrong person intercepts those CDs after they've been discarded, it can result in a data breach or license violation that could cost your business thousands of dollars.