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When it comes to data security, the end of the cycle is just as important as the beginning of it. After you’ve finished with a piece of electronic equipment, it doesn’t mean that you have to stop worrying about data security. When it comes to electronic equipment approaching the end of its life, one of the most popular ways to securely get rid of old data is to destroy the hard drive physically. Hard drives are the most popular devices used to store information. However, there is still the lesser-known data tape destruction that companies need to consider as well. Read on to learn more about CD and data tape destruction.
Media tape including CDs is often how companies store all of their backup information that is stored on their servers. With this in mind, data tapes are just as important when it comes to getting rid of the data securely. When old hard drives are destroyed, it is essential not to forget about their media tape counterpart, which is storing information as well. Media tapes are more often than not magnetic storage devices. Therefore, the way to securely destroy the data held on the media tapes is the same way to destroy other magnetic tape devices. Namely, through the process of degaussing. Degaussing occurs when the magnetic tape is put through a powerful magnetic field to scramble the data that is stored there. When done correctly, the strong magnetic field will have effectively destroyed all the information on the tape rendering it unreadable. To be done correctly, the media tapes must go through the magnetic field for 2-5 minutes.
Another way to destroy data tape is through the physical destruction of the tape. Many companies that offer the physical destruction of hard drives will also provide services to destroy data tape as well. Data shredding is the most secure and efficient way to destroy many electronic devices including data tape.
