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posted on 06 August 2008 07:12

UK: August 6 2008 -- With the recent spate of high profile data losses well documented, it is more than a little worrying to watch the Luddite retort of, “Smash it up,” as a solution for every data-bearing asset when it reaches the end of its corporate working life.

Like an over-zealous life insurance salesman sheltering you from every conceivable peril, we are told that the only prudent way to protect your data is to shatter your hard drives into smithereens, bury the remnants in a hole in the ground, pay someone to do it for you and add a little unnecessary extra cost to your disposal project.

The alternative, according to Tier 1 Asset Management’s Jon Selby, is equally guaranteed to safeguard your precious data, far better for the environment and just as importantly, can actually result in your disposal process adding to your bottom line as opposed to being a cost.

The IT disposal specialists are well aware that two critical factors exist that influence UK corporates’ decisions about secure data and hard drive disposal; cost and risk. “What we have in common with companies who specialise in hard drive destruction is that we always recommend that organisations use a specialist supplier, “says Selby. “IT and data disposal is not a DIY project.”

”Most IT Departments do not have the hours or staff to accomplish such a task without impacting on their core functions within the business. At the same time, risk is probably one of the major influences on a company’s actions, as most organisations are aware of the significant issues associated with breaches of private information. When a Government or corporate organisation does not properly sanitise existing data storage devices, they expose themselves to a whole host of legal, public relations and business repercussions should any information be lost.”

“Tier 1’s solution is to erase data to the same INFSOC standards of accreditation that the destruction and degaussing specialist work to. This way, not only can we guarantee the secure erasure of your data, but we can also re-use your end of life equipment, generate remarketing revenue wherever possible or even donate the equipment, fully cleansed and refurbished, to charitable causes. Last year, 73% of the equipment Tier 1 handled was re-used in its original form and we’re expecting that figure to be higher in 2008.”

As a further incentive for companies to use secure data erasure rather than hard drive destruction, 85% of Tier 1’s clients do not pay for their secure IT disposal service, with the vast majority receiving some revenue back in addition. “As well as paying for a destruction service that creates waste, companies also have to pay for a waste disposal service,” said Selby. “At a time when there is a perception of green services costing a premium, we are delighted to be able to tell customers that our’s is cost neutral. What’s more, while we are aware that IT bosses do not have a ‘green’ pound in their budgets, the remarketing revenue that generates a ‘black’ pound is eagerly accepted by the CSR Department for their projects and doesn’t affect next year’s IT spend.”

Tier 1 Asset Management Ltd Profile

Tier 1 Asset Management Ltd is a leading UK company specialising in managing the disposal and remarketing of redundant IT equipment, handling some of the largest and most sought-after projects in the country. Within a secure, ethical and environmentally sound framework, Tier 1 place emphasis on re-use solutions that extend the life of redundant IT equipment in its original form as far as possible before looking for a recycling solution. This attitude helped Tier win a 2008 Green IT Award for Market Leadership. The company is authorised by HM Government to handle data classified up to and including ‘SECRET’ and is both INFOSEC 5 and ISO9001 accredited. Tier 1’s attitude to the environment underpins the business as a whole and is demonstrated through both ISO 14001 certification achieved in February 2006 and prestigious ICER-accredited WEEE Refurbisher status granted in January 2007.

Web: www.tier1.com.

^{[Formatted by Paul Warren.]}

Press contact:

Mick Thorburn

Email: mick@thorburnmedia.co.uk
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