Data Centre, Server Room and Network Infrastructure Decommissioning

Infrastructure we handle

Compute and storage — rack, tower and blade servers, chassis and compute nodes, SAN and NAS storage systems, disk shelves and storage controllers, server drives and SSDs, tape drives and removable media.

Network — switches, routers, firewalls, wireless controllers and access points, network modules and cards, optics and transceivers.

Supporting infrastructure — racks and cabinets, PDUs and UPS units, patch panels, copper and fibre cabling, rails, brackets, power supplies and accessories.

Telecom and carrier — radio units, base station components, transceivers, network interface cards, modems and communications hardware.

Data centre decommissioning

Staged removal of redundant data centre equipment, working within change windows, access controls and site induction requirements. Asset-level records are produced as equipment leaves the floor, so the reconciliation is built during the project rather than reconstructed afterwards.

Server room and communications room decommissioning

Local server rooms, comms rooms and technical spaces during office relocations, cloud migrations, site closures, technology refreshes and make-good projects. Servers, storage, racks, switches, routers, firewalls, wireless controllers, patch panels, UPS and power equipment, copper and fibre cabling, loose drives, removable media, KVMs and related peripherals.

Network equipment recovery

Network hardware retains both commercial value and security risk, which is why it should not default to scrap. Switches, routers, firewalls, access points, controllers, transceivers, optics and modules are assessed for reuse or resale through established buyer channels. End-of-life or damaged equipment moves to parts recovery, commodity recovery or recycling.

Data security for infrastructure assets

Server and storage environments usually carry higher data risk than general office equipment, and the risk is not limited to obvious drives. Shield manages server HDDs and SSDs, storage array drives, loose drives, tapes and removable media, network equipment holding retained configuration, firewall and security appliances, and embedded storage within specialist hardware.

Treatment is by erasure using Blancco and Ziperase, physical destruction at our Western Sydney facility, or on-site shredding by a third-party mobile shredding provider where media cannot leave the site intact.

Value recovery before recycling

Servers, switches, routers, modules, optics, RAM, CPUs, drives, power supplies and storage components frequently retain resale or parts value. Shield's sequence is security first, then commercial recovery: reusable assets tested, graded and remarketed, and genuinely end-of-life equipment recycled through responsible downstream channels.

Reporting and chain of custody

Infrastructure equipment moves through multiple hands, locations and processing stages, which is precisely why the evidence trail matters. Reporting can include collection records, asset registers with serial numbers, chain-of-custody records, data erasure and destruction reports, Certificates of Destruction, Certificates of Recycling with serial tracking, financial reconciliation of recovery, and sustainability and diversion reporting.

How infrastructure projects run

1. Scope — asset types, site access, security requirements, loading conditions, data risk and reporting needs
2. Plan — removal approach built around site conditions, time windows, safety, packing, labour and transport
3. De-install — servers, storage, network devices, cabling, racks and supporting infrastructure removed by qualified engineers
4. Pack and record — secure packing with capture by serial number, asset tag, category and location
5. Transport — controlled movement to Shield's secure Western Sydney facility or another agreed destination
6. Sanitise or destroy — data-bearing assets treated through erasure, destruction or segregation
7. Test and recover — reusable infrastructure assessed for redeployment, resale or parts recovery
8. Recycle — non-reusable equipment processed through appropriate pathways
9. Report — reporting, certificates, recovery outcomes and chain-of-custody evidence