A Cambridge organisation retiring laptops, research equipment or office records may have several owners for the same clearance. Before anything leaves the site, establish which items hold data and who can approve their release.
Identify ownership and storage
List laptops, desktops, servers, removable drives and other equipment by department or project. Flag leased or third-party items and anything subject to a retention decision. For a multi-department batch, a common inventory makes it easier to compare the handover with the eventual processing records. Our university IT disposal guide describes a similar planning approach.
Choose a route for each group
Some suitable devices may be candidates for verified erasure and reuse; other drives may be intended for physical destruction. The route depends on the media type, condition and your policy. Keep failed devices separate until an alternative treatment is agreed. Do not treat deletion of files or a management record as proof that every storage component has been addressed.
Send the practical collection details
Tell us the Cambridge postcode, equipment counts, site access window and required evidence. Mention any items still installed in servers and any particular serial-number or witness requirement. We will confirm service availability and the proposed scope for your location; this draft does not claim a Cambridge office.
Discuss a Cambridge clearance with your inventory and postcode.