Everything that must happen between 'we're closing the room' and the final wire: inventory, data destruction, de-installation, freight, settlement. Print it before you sign anything. · Published July 26, 2026 · Industrial Surplus World desk
Every failed decommission we've been called into went wrong the same way: the project started with de-installation instead of documentation. Before anyone touches a rack, the paper has to be right. This checklist is the condensed version of what we run on facility projects — print it before you sign anything.
Inventory & valuation (items 1–8). Full asset inventory with serials, host names scrubbed later but recorded now; configuration detail per host (CPU/RAM/drives/GPUs); network and storage layer documented complete with optics, line cards, and drive complements; photographs of nameplates and rack elevations; check ranges against a published price index; obtain written offers priced per line item, not lump sum; confirm the buyer purchases as principal (brokers re-shop your list); agree settlement terms — payment on verification, not on resale.
Data security (items 9–14). Identify every data-bearing device including switches with configs and arrays with cache drives; choose sanitization standard (NIST 800-88 clear/purge/destroy); require per-serial certificates in the settlement package; NDAs signed before inventory sharing; chain-of-custody documentation from dock to destruction; compliance sign-off before trucks roll.
Logistics & settlement (items 15–27). Insured freight with declared values; packaging plan (GPU systems ship in original or foam-lined crates — this alone moves offers 10%+); de-installation crew scheduling and site access; elevator/dock reservations; power-down sequencing with IT; rails, cables, bezels, and documentation kept with their systems; final walk-through; per-serial receiving verification; grade reconciliation against the offer; certificate delivery; wire confirmation; post-project reporting for finance; and a named single point of contact on both sides throughout.
We run this entire sequence as one engagement — valuation through wire — for rooms from a single cage to a full facility. Start with the decommissioning program or call (954) 488-0700.