IT lifecycle & ITAD glossary.

IT asset disposition (ITAD) is the process of retiring IT hardware securely at end of life: collecting it, sanitizing the data, reselling what still has value, and recycling the rest under a documented chain of custody. CTS does this as an R2v3-certified operator and returns recovered value to you.

ITAD stands for IT Asset Disposition. It covers the secure retirement of computers, servers, and other IT hardware at end of life: data sanitization, resale of usable equipment, and certified recycling of the rest.

Data destruction is permanently removing data from storage media so it cannot be recovered. It is done two ways: a logical wipe to a standard like NIST 800-88, or physical destruction such as shredding the drive. Each method produces a certificate tied to the device serial number.

Data sanitization is the deliberate, verified removal of data from a device so it cannot be reconstructed. CTS sanitizes to NIST 800-88, DoD 5220.22-M, and IEEE 2883, and issues a certificate of destruction for each serial number.

NIST 800-88 is the U.S. guideline for media sanitization. It defines three methods: Clear (overwrite), Purge (cryptographic erase or block erase), and Destroy (physical destruction). Each wipe is verified and creates a certificate.

DoD 5220.22-M is a U.S. Department of Defense data-wiping specification that overwrites storage media multiple times to prevent recovery. CTS sanitizes to DoD 5220.22-M alongside NIST 800-88 and IEEE 2883.

IEEE 2883 is a modern storage-sanitization standard covering clear, purge, and destruct methods across HDDs, SSDs, and other media. It is one of three sanitization standards CTS wipes to.

R2v3 is SERI's Responsible Recycling standard, version 3. It requires a documented chain of custody, data sanitization to NIST 800-88, and downstream-vendor due diligence. It is the certification a software-only vendor cannot hold.

A certificate of destruction is a document proving a specific device's data was destroyed. CTS issues one per serial number, so your audit trail maps to individual assets rather than a single bulk statement.

Chain of custody is the documented, unbroken record of everyone who handled an asset from pickup to final disposition. It is what lets you prove, during an audit, exactly where a device and the data on it went.

Device as a Service (DaaS) bundles hardware, deployment, support, and end-of-life recovery into one recurring service instead of an upfront purchase. CTS delivers the deployment and recovery side as an R2v3-certified operator.

E-waste is discarded electronic equipment: computers, servers, phones, and peripherals. Handled responsibly, it is sanitized, resold, or recycled through certified channels rather than sent to landfill.