Which is the Best Approach Data Center Managers can take when doing Inventory Liquidation?

As a data center manager, there are certainly a lot of things you need to mull over when opening a new data center (or restyling an existing one).

This could include issues like how best to properly design and construct the room; how to equip the center with cutting-edge equipment (yet accomplish this at the most reasonable cost); seeing to it that the center is as green as practically possible to keep overheads down while at the same time diluting the impact on the environment, among other critical issues.

It’s not lost on you that the scope of the project can get enormous and call for some critical thinking. When doing this, something else that should not be forgotten whenever an upgrade is on the cards (or shutting down shop, in some cases) is data center inventory liquidation.

This entails getting the company’s money back for the old equipment that will be deemed surplus to requirements once the new tech arrives. A good number of data center managers are not sure which is the best approach to take when doing electronic liquidation. But worry not, for that is the reason we are here.

Types of Equipment

Typically, organizations looking to redesign an existing space or move to a new one entirely have three types of equipment in their hands.

There is the old IT equipment that will no longer be needed once the new setup is complete; there is the old equipment that will still be relevant even when the new data center is complete; and there are the new IT assets that will need to be purchased (or have already been purchased) for the new data center.

Data center equipment liquidation

The old assets that will still be useful and the new assets (if already purchased) can be placed in temporary holding prior to moving to the new center. But what happens to the old equipment being retired?

A common mistake some data center managers make is to wait until project completion to dispose of the surplus assets. Avoid this. Instead, consider tackling this problem first and foremost. And the reason is pretty basic: old data center assets, on average, lose 3-5% of their value every month. That aside, keeping these assets in temporary storage is costly considering the space they eat up that could be better used by the new equipment as you await completion of the new center.

Rather than have these equipment consume what could be a sizeable chunk of your budget, consider getting in touch with tech liquidators who deal in data center surplus liquidation. They will provide a professional valuation of the assets given their experience in the market and give a quote of around how much you should expect to recover from your old equipment; no doubt welcome figures that should be worked back into your budget.

After coming to an agreement, the liquidation company should pick up the equipment – at times for free, depending on your location in relation to theirs. With the old assets out of the way, you can now now move the still useful old equipment in or store any new assets.

Seamless Transition

The process of liquidating data center equipment should not be a complex, costly, time-consuming affair. Rather, the other way around. But this depends on the approach you take, and why partnering with a reputable, experienced liquidator is recommended. In addition to the benefits listed here, a good liquidation company should also offer certified data sanitization that ensures your sensitive data is not exposed to any unwanted eyes.

Should a part or all of your IT assets have zero value in the market, the liquidation company should take care of the recycling headache for you as well, an added bonus.

Eventually, you’ll find that you’ve recovered your old assets and lessened the environmental footprint via reintroduction of equipment through resale or donation.