Ultra-secure SSD destruction

The challenge

A premier cloud provider required a decommissioning solution for high-density SSDs that reached 51% of their operational lifespan. Their primary concern was intellectual property theft and data recovery from proprietary chip architectures. Standard shredding was insufficient; they mandated a 2mm particle size and a “zero-metal” security protocol where assets could not leave the “Red Zone” without being rendered into dust.

The solution

Iron Mountain deployed a bespoke 18T Mobile Operation Center engineered specifically for this client. The unit features a high-torque 2mm disintegrator and seven-camera CCTV surveillance with remote viewing. Iron Mountain implemented a rigorous onsite workflow where assets are processed under the supervision of the client’s security team. To meet their massive volume requirements, Iron Mountain engineered specialized alloy blades that increased shredding capacity by 1,000%.

The result

• Scalable program: Iron Mountain now manages 75+ scheduled shredding events annually across multiple high-density data center regions.
• Throughput excellence: Increased daily processing from 40 units to 700+ drives per day.
• Environmental integrity: 100% of the shredded “dust” is captured for precious metal recovery, ensuring zero landfill impact and full R2 compliance.