A practical guide to data center hardware refresh cycles, starting with storage and working up through storage systems, servers, and AI infrastructure to help determine when to refresh, redeploy, or retire assets.
For years, data center refresh cycles were discussed …
When it comes to hard drive reuse, the attention is almost always on sanitization. But firmware, the embedded software that governs the “how” of data storage devices, deserves careful consideration too. On secondary market drives, firmware is frequently outdated, and …
In January 2025, German tech publication Heise covered a sinister trend: heavily used hard drives being resold as “new” devices. As the number of reported cases increased, it became clear that bad actors had tampered with hard drives to hide …
Calculating total cost of ownership (TCO) is an effective way for IT managers to gain visibility into the true cost structure of hard drive storage, supporting better informed decisions about current and future investments.
By most accounts, we’re in an …
As storage needs scale, coaxing companies to minimize the electronic waste (“e-waste”) associated with used storage devices is a perpetual challenge. Given the rising complexity of hardware components, sustainable storage lifecycles require innovative solutions for efficient hard drive recycling and …
Stephen Buckler is chief operating officer of Horizon Technology.
When it comes to lowering your total cost of storage ownership, factory recertified drives make for an attractive, sustainable option. By understanding more about recertified drives, you can help your company …
“Know Thyself,” Socrates once said. While this Greek philosopher didn’t have hard drives in mind, he may as well have. Modern HDDs are able to capture data about their own performance in the form of SMART attributes.
“S.M.A.R.T” stands for …
New advancements in storage technology mean new challenges for data sanitization. In the face of a changing landscape for storage media, the IEEE 2883 standard gives forward-thinking guidance on the matter. Released in 2022, it clarifies terminology to remedy confusion …
Fighting e-waste due to discarded hard drives is a team effort. On the manufacturing end, OEMs are feeling pressure to design for longevity in order to reduce embodied carbon. But data centers have a crucial role to play as consumers …
