SERVICE SCOPE
General-server and IT-equipment scope
Scope includes compute, storage, network, security and office IT. Begin by confirming active dependencies, data or configuration and the customer-approved destination rather than merely labeling everything as waste.
Rack and tower servers
Physical/virtualization hosts, redundancy nodes and rack compute equipment.
Storage systems
DAS, RAID, NAS, SAN, disk shelves and backup equipment.
Network and security equipment
Switches, routers, firewalls, VPNs, wireless controllers and load balancers.
Office IT assets
Desktops, laptops, workstations, displays, docks and peripherals.
Print and office devices
Printers, multifunction and label devices, including embedded storage.
Server-room supporting equipment
Racks, cabling, PDUs and UPS; dismantling scope follows the site survey.
RETIREMENT RISKS
Six retirement challenges
Refresh projects involve operations, data security, assets and site management. Include these risks before execution:
Inventory does not match reality
Transfers, upgrades and repairs can cause CMDB, purchase and rack records to differ.
Media omitted from inventory
HDDs, SSDs, boot drives, cache modules, cards and embedded flash can be spread across devices.
Configuration and credentials remain
Switches, firewalls, arrays and office devices may retain accounts, keys, networking and address books.
Operational dependencies remain active
Power, networks, redundancy, monitoring, licensing and support agreements can affect live systems if not confirmed.
Handling and site risks
Plan rack weight, floors, lifts, access, loading, packing and operating windows.
Value conflicts with data policy
Reusable assets still require approved data treatment, verification and destination controls.
COMMON SCENARIOS
Typical retirement scenarios
Server-room consolidation or relocation
Stage removal of old racks, servers and storage to reduce disruption.
Lease expiry and equipment refresh
Reconcile lease, asset and serial lists; distinguish return, retention, disposition and data treatment.
Office closure or organizational integration
Manage Server Room assets, endpoints, networking, office devices and confidential media together.
Clearing spares and failed equipment
Address non-booting, incomplete and long-stored assets so media and ownership responsibilities remain clear.
Data Center Decommissioning
Plan removal, handling, custody and closure by rack, area and change window.
Bulk IT retirement
Use batch counts, labels, packing, transport runs, disposition matrices and reports consistently.
KYI WORKFLOW
KYI six-stage retirement workflow
Execution order follows the site and change windows, but inventory, customer approval, custody and verification evidence remain necessary.
- 1
Requirements and site survey
Confirm assets, quantities, locations, access, handling route, work hours, data and reporting needs.
- 2
Inventory reconciliation and site checks
Start with CMDB/purchase/customer lists and verify asset tags, serials, slots and discrepancies on site.
- 3
Disposition-matrix approval
The customer approves reuse, return, sanitization, destruction, component recovery and exceptions.
- 4
Removal, isolation and transport
Disconnect and remove within approved change windows; pack and seal media while recording handoffs.
- 5
Data treatment and asset routing
Use approved methods for HDDs, SSDs, configuration storage and other media; assess reusable assets.
- 6
Verification and reporting
Compile discrepancies, results, imagery, custody, serial lists, destruction and ESG documentation.
ASSET INVENTORY
Inventory and CMDB discrepancy management
CMDB, fixed-asset and purchase records are important starting points, but not a substitute for the physical retirement baseline. Repairs, upgrades, loans and component swaps require on-site reconciliation.
| Comparison | CMDB / original ledger | On-site retirement inventory |
|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Operations, property or procurement management | An executable retirement/disposition baseline |
| Verification scope | Registered system fields | Tags, serials, location, slots, media, condition and missing components |
| Discrepancy handling | Recent changes may not yet appear | Record extra/missing items, serial mismatches, missing tags and customer-confirmation items |
| Delivery use | Internal system administration | Disposition matrix, custody, destruction evidence and closure reporting |
DATA & CONFIGURATION
Media, configuration and hidden storage
Inventory must include traditional drives, management interfaces, configuration, caches, cards and office-device storage. Confirm treatment against capability and policy for each item.
Printers and multifunction devices
Some models contain HDD, SSD, eMMC, image caches, fax history, address books, scan destinations and account settings. Check manufacturer erasure capabilities; where required remove the media and include it in serial and treatment records.
Network and security equipment
Switches, routers, firewalls, VPNs and wireless controllers may retain accounts, certificates, keys, configuration backups, logs and network topology. Confirm backup requirements before removing sensitive settings using manufacturer procedures.
HDD, SSD, RAID, NAS and SAN treatment
| Type | Inventory focus | Disposition considerations |
|---|---|---|
| HDD | Model, serial, capacity, slot, RAID relationship and health | Assess overwrite, Degaussing orPhysical Destruction |
| SSD／NVMe | Interface, serial, controller capability, encryption and slot | Assess supported Secure Erase, Cryptographic Erase, Purge orPhysical Destruction |
| RAID | Controllers, disk groups, spares, cache and encryption keys | Do not treat only a logical volume; map physical drives to their systems. |
| NAS／SAN | Controllers, shelves, LUNs, caches, boot media and management settings | Define separate paths for media, configuration and keys. |
NIST SP 800-88 Rev.2 reference principles
KYI uses NIST SP 800-88 Rev.2 program, risk, method-selection, verification and record-management principles in retirement planning. Actual methods depend on media, device support, policy and applicable standards.
NIST SP 800-88 Rev.2 is guidance, not KYI certification or NIST approval.
CUSTODY & VALUE
Chain of Custody and value assessment
Custody controls
Record inventory, packing, handoff, loading, transport, intake, treatment and destinations. Missing parts, serial mismatches, seal exceptions or failed methods follow the exception process and customer decision.
Explore custody FAQ →Residual-value assessment
Model, specifications, age, function, appearance, quantity, data-treatment cost and market conditions inform reuse, buyback credits, component recovery or material recycling. Values require project assessment; no fixed recovery price is implied.
Explore residual-value FAQ →Sanitization and destruction records
Identification
Asset tags, serials, media type, model, capacity and device/slot mapping.
Execution and verification
Approved method, time, result, tool/equipment records, failures and exceptions.
Deliver evidence
Handoffs, imagery, serial lists, Certificates of Destruction and customer approval.
DOCUMENTATION & APPLICATIONS
ESG documentation, industries and operating foundation
Contracted records may support procurement closure, audit, asset write-off or ESG disclosure. The enterprise must determine whether they satisfy a specific assurance or legal requirement.
Potential deliverables
- Equipment and media serial inventory
- Chain of Custody and handoff records
- Sanitization, destruction and exception records
- Site imagery and witness evidence
- Asset destinations, recovery results and ESG summary
- Estimated carbon-benefit information based on available data
Typical industries
- Finance and insurance
- Technology manufacturing
- Listed companies
- Healthcare
- Government and public entities
- Multinational operations in Taiwan
- Education and research
- Enterprise headquarters
An industry label does not imply a fixed method or automatic compliance. Controls depend on data, contracts and organizational policy.
KYI x Liansin operating foundation
KYI is the dedicated ITAD service brand/company. Its foundation draws on Liansin's more than 20 years of electronics, retirement, logistics, sorting and recovery experience. This describes the team and downstream network, not KYI's company age. KYI integrates that experience into enterprise services focused on security, traceability and documents.