Case Study: Onsite Disk Erasure for Leading Pharma Company’s Data Centers Across 3 Locations in the US

/ Case Study

Case Study: Onsite Disk Erasure for Leading Pharma Company Data Centers Across 3 Locations in the US.

Client Overview:

Client: Leading Pharmaceutical Company
Industry: Pharmaceutical
Location: 3 Data Centers across 3 states in the US (California, New York, and Texas)
Scope: Onsite Disk Erasure and Data Destruction Services
Assets: Over 1000 Disks
Regulatory Compliance: NIST 800-88, HIPAA, and industry-specific data protection laws

Project Background:

Digital Infotech was tasked with performing onsite disk erasure for a prominent pharmaceutical company operating across multiple data centers in the US. The client required a secure and compliant process for data erasure on over 1000 disks spread across three critical data center locations in California, New York, and Texas.

With a focus on data security and regulatory compliance, the client needed to ensure that sensitive data on these disks was completely erased in accordance with the strict guidelines outlined by NIST 800-88 and HIPAA. The disks contained proprietary research data, patient health information, and other highly confidential business records, making the onsite data erasure process crucial for the integrity of the project.

Challenges & Issues:

  1. Data Sensitivity and Compliance:
    • Issue: The disks contained highly sensitive pharmaceutical data, including proprietary research and patient information, subject to strict GDPR and HIPAA compliance standards.
    • Impact: Any failure to properly erase data could result in severe legal and compliance violations, including reputational damage and financial penalties.
  2. Geographically Dispersed Data Centers:
    • Issue: The client’s data centers were spread across three states, posing logistical challenges for coordinating onsite disk erasure services in multiple locations.
    • Impact: Managing the process across California, New York, and Texas required careful scheduling and synchronization to prevent delays or operational downtime.
  3. Ensuring Full Data Destruction:
    • Issue: The pharmaceutical company required that all data on the disks be securely erased using NIST 800-88 compliant tools and procedures to ensure no residual data remained.
    • Impact: Failure to fully wipe the disks could expose the client to data recovery risks and breach confidentiality agreements.
  4. Regulatory Documentation and Reporting:
    • Issue: The client required full documentation for each disk erased, including detailed audit logs, certificates of destruction, and verification of NIST 800-88 compliance.
    • Impact: Inadequate reporting could result in non-compliance, audits, or even legal repercussions.
  5. Minimizing Operational Downtime:
    • Issue: The pharmaceutical company needed to ensure that the onsite disk erasure process did not cause significant operational disruptions to the functioning of their data centers.
    • Impact: Extended downtime or delays in the disk wiping process could affect ongoing business operations and lead to revenue loss.

Solution and Approach:

  1. NIST 800-88 Compliant Onsite Data Erasure:
    • Solution: Digital Infotech used NIST 800-88 compliant disk erasure software to securely wipe over 1000 disks across the three data centers. The software met the highest industry standards for data destruction, ensuring that no sensitive information was left behind on any device.
    • Implementation: Our certified team conducted onsite data erasure at each data center in California, New York, and Texas, guaranteeing that no data left the premises, thus minimizing security risks.
    • Result: The project successfully erased all data from the disks while ensuring the client was fully compliant with NIST 800-88 standards.
  2. Coordinated Project Execution Across Multiple Locations:
    • Solution: Digital Infotech’s experienced project management team implemented a strategic plan to perform the disk wiping process at each data center location without disruption. We used a carefully coordinated approach to ensure that each data center’s erasure activities were completed on time and without overlap.
    • Implementation: We deployed our teams to each location on a scheduled timeline, managing data center operations to prevent disruption during the onsite disk erasure process.
    • Result: The project was completed successfully, with no delays and no operational interruptions, keeping all data center operations running smoothly.
  3. Real-Time Monitoring and Complete Data Destruction:
    • Solution: During the disk erasure process, Digital Infotech employed advanced tools to monitor the status of each disk in real-time, ensuring that no disk was overlooked and confirming that all data was completely wiped.
    • Implementation: NIST 800-88 compliance was maintained by overwriting each disk multiple times to ensure complete data destruction. Clients had full visibility into the process through detailed audit logs.
    • Result: The erasure process ensured 100% data destruction, leaving no possibility for data recovery, meeting both security and compliance standards.
  4. Compliance Documentation and Certificates of Destruction:
    • Solution: Digital Infotech provided full documentation for each disk erased, including certificates of destruction, detailed audit logs, and proof of NIST 800-88 compliance. These reports were critical for internal auditing and regulatory purposes.
    • Implementation: Upon completion of the onsite disk erasure, we delivered a full compliance package to the client, which included all the necessary documentation required for audit trails and legal requirements.
    • Result: The pharmaceutical company received detailed compliance documentation, which ensured that all processes were verifiable and met all relevant data protection laws and regulations.
  5. Minimizing Operational Downtime:
    • Solution: Digital Infotech ensured that the disk erasure services were performed during low-traffic hours and in phases to ensure minimal disruption to critical data center operations.
    • Implementation: Our teams worked efficiently and quickly, ensuring that each data center location was fully operational by the end of each phase of the process.
    • Result: The client experienced minimal downtime during the project, with the disk erasure process completing on schedule and without affecting business continuity.

Project Outcome and Benefits:

  • 100% Data Security and Compliance: Digital Infotech successfully wiped over 1000 disks across multiple locations while adhering to NIST 800-88 standards, ensuring complete data security and HIPAA compliance.
  • Audit-Ready Documentation: We delivered detailed audit logs, certificates of destruction, and full compliance documentation, ensuring that the pharmaceutical company met all regulatory and industry standards.
  • Minimal Disruption to Operations: The onsite data erasure process was executed without any disruption to the client’s critical data center operations, maintaining business continuity throughout the project.
  • Cost-Effective and Secure ITAD Solution: Our comprehensive and efficient approach to onsite disk erasure and IT asset disposition (ITAD) helped the client dispose of sensitive data securely while ensuring cost-effectiveness.
  • Risk Mitigation: With NIST 800-88 compliant software and secure data destruction practices, Digital Infotech effectively mitigated any risks associated with data breaches or non-compliance.

Conclusion:

Digital Infotech’s expertise in onsite disk erasure for the pharmaceutical industry ensured that the client met HIPAA, NIST 800-88, and other relevant compliance requirements. By employing NIST 800-88 compliant tools and maintaining a careful, coordinated approach, we successfully wiped over 1000 disks across three data center locations in the US, ensuring complete data destruction, full regulatory compliance, and minimal disruption to business operations.

This case study exemplifies Digital Infotech’s commitment to providing secure IT asset disposition (ITAD) and data destruction services that meet the highest standards of data security and compliance for clients across industries. Whether your business requires onsite disk erasure, data center decommissioning, or secure hardware disposal, Digital Infotech is the trusted partner for your data security needs.

ITAD/DISPOSAL SERVICES