At the heart of the circular economy is a shift from a mode of production that emphasizes disposal to one based around reuse. This disruptive approach applies to most aspects of the physical world. But the application of circular principles to data center hardware holds out particular promise.
Here are seven steps you should take in the pursuit of greener data center hardware while maximizing value recovery from your end-of-life or retiring IT.
1 Have a “Reuse” strategy in place
It’s not enough to think about reuse now and again. Getting the most out of your data center hardware requires strategic, long-term thinking. This strategy should be owned by senior management and widely understood by your IT team and beyond.
Reuse isn’t just a nice term; it’s an alternative way of thinking that calls for an organizational mindshift. Ultimately, however, who doesn’t feel a rush of company pride when doing their bit for the environment?
2 Get on top of your excess inventory
Do you even know how much untapped value you have sitting in your warehouse or loading dock? Overflow hardware is a common problem for most companies these days, something that often gets pushed (quite literally) to the sidelines. Procuring IT hardware will always be a balancing act between projected need and operational reality.
But with careful monitoring and management, you will find that your excess inventory not only develops into a reliable revenue stream that goes back into your P&L but provides valuable buying insights for the next financial period. Take this information to your CIO or CFO. They will thank you for it.
3 Get more out of your existing hardware
It’s already sitting there right under your nose. You have paid for it and installed it. But are you getting enough out of your existing hardware?
From optimizing your storage capacity (think NVME-oF) to deploying AI-driven solutions to get the most bang for your data center buck, there’s no end of tinkering and re-engineering you can undertake to find additional capacities from the hardware you already own or lease.
4 Embrace factory recertified drives
It’s little understood just how much value is stored in factory recertified drives. Factory recertified drives are storage media that have been professionally tested, refurbished, and returned to service by the OEM.
Not only do factory recertified drives offer great performance and value, they are a shining example of the circular economy in action. What goes around, comes around right?
5 Ace your repair management
They say a stitch in time saves nine. Stay on top of your hardware maintenance and embrace all of the options available for repairing IT equipment when it breaks down.
Not only will it save money in the long term, it will give you a greater sense of control over your hardware assets.
Take a leaf out of Google’s playbook. The search engine giant and hyperscaler makes a point of repairing and refurbishing its data center hardware wherever possible.
Don’t worry if you don’t have at your immediate disposal the kind of repair expertise that Google maintains among its ranks. Your ITAD (IT asset disposition) partner will help you access cost-effective repair services and leverage vendor maintenance contracts to your advantage.
6 Recycle responsibly
There are times when, in spite of best intentions, it is not feasible to repair, return, or remarket failed or end-of-life hardware. In these cases, be sure to recycle responsibly. Look for IT asset disposition partners that offer trusted industry certifications such as R2 and e-Stewards.
Even then, don’t simply take their word for it. Ask probing questions to ensure your data center hardware will be handled with exactly the level of care and regulatory compliance that your supplier claims to offer. When it comes to recycling, unfortunately there are some bad actors out there. Which leads us to the final point:
7 Check out your ITAD vendor
Deciding to contract with an ITAD company with specific expertise in IT asset recovery is the best first step you can take in greening your data center hardware. The next best step is doing your due diligence.
Carefully prepare the questions you will ask when conducting your search for an IT asset disposition firm. Ultimately, you’re looking for a long-term partner who can guide you through the hardware landscape, not a one-and-done affair.
Going circular in the green data center
Adopting the main tenets of the circular economy will feel entirely natural once you get into the swing of it.
As we have seen, there are many ways you can green your data center beyond the usual focus on lowering power and water consumption. As circular proponent and computing giant HPE remarks, “Objectives aligned to Circular Economy principles like reusing end-of-life products, remarketing idle resources, and extending the life of IT equipment should be integrated into IT sustainability plans as well.”
For more information on getting the most out of your enterprise hardware, see our white paper on best practices around IT asset recovery from both the financial and environmental perspective.
