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Knowledge from Second IT · 238 technical terms
IT GlossaryTerms around data erasure, ITAD, and IT disposal
From Crypto Erase to residual value: the glossary explains more than 230 technical terms around the retirement of IT hardware – from data erasure and data protection through buyback and refurbishment to disposal and ESG. Every entry begins with a short definition and shows what the term means in practice. Search directly for a term or choose one of the twelve topics.
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- Waste producers and waste holdersDisposal, recycling & environmental lawUnder § 3(8) of the German Circular Economy Act (KrWG), a waste producer is anyone who generates waste through their activity or pretreats, mixes …
- Waste hierarchyDisposal, recycling & environmental lawThe waste hierarchy is the statutory order of priority in which waste is to be avoided and managed: prevention, preparation …
- Waste codeDisposal, recycling & environmental lawA waste code is a six-digit identification number from the German Waste Catalogue Ordinance (AVV) that uniquely designates each type of waste. The …
- Waste codes 16 02 14 and 16 02 13*Disposal, recycling & environmental lawWaste codes 16 02 14 and 16 02 13* come from the German Waste Catalogue Ordinance (AVV) and designate used electrical and electronic equipment …
- ADISAInformation security, protection of classified information & certificationsADISA (Asset Disposal and Information Security Alliance) is a certification body founded in the United Kingdom in 2010 for companies that …
- Depreciation (AfA) for ITIT lifecycle, taxes & financeDepreciation for wear and tear (AfA) is the tax depreciation of assets that are used for more than one year. The …
- Accreditation of certification bodies (DAkkS)Information security, protection of classified information & certificationsAccreditation is the official confirmation that a testing, inspection, or certification body is technically competent and operates according to defined …
- Battery condition (Battery Health)Refurbishment, repair & gradingBattery condition (in English: Battery Health) indicates how much capacity a battery can still store compared with its new condition, usually in …
- Activation LockMobile devices & device managementActivation Lock is an Apple theft protection feature that ties an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch to the Apple ID of the …
- Android Zero-Touch enrollmentMobile devices & device managementAndroid Zero-Touch enrollment is a Google procedure for Android Enterprise with which company smartphones and …
- Asset disposalIT lifecycle, taxes & financeAn asset disposal is the retirement of an asset from fixed assets, for example through sale, scrapping, theft, or withdrawal. In …
- Fixed asset registerIT lifecycle, taxes & financeA fixed asset register is a continuously maintained overview of all assets of a company's fixed assets, with acquisition date …
- Apple Business Manager (ABM)Mobile devices & device managementApple Business Manager (ABM) is a free web portal from Apple with which companies centrally … their Apple devices, apps, and managed accounts
- Art. 32 GDPR (security of processing)Data protection & lawArt. 32 GDPR (Security of processing) obliges controllers and processors to protect personal data through suitable technical …
- Art. 5 GDPRData protection & lawArt. 5 GDPR sets out the principles by which personal data must be processed: lawfulness, fairness, transparency …
- Asset recoveryITAD, buyback & remarketingIT asset recovery (value recovery from IT inventories) refers to all measures by which companies can still … from retired IT hardware
- Asset tagITAD, buyback & remarketingAn asset tag is a label with a unique identifier that a company sticks on its devices, often as a barcode, QR code, or RFID chip. The …
- Retention periodData protection & lawA retention period is the statutory period during which a company must keep certain documents unchanged and readable …
- Data processing agreement (DPA)Data protection & lawA data processing agreement (DPA) is a contract under Art. 28 GDPR between a controller and a service provider that …
- AussonderungIT lifecycle, taxes & financeDecommissioning (Aussonderung) is the term mainly used in public authorities for the formal removal of an item from inventory because it is no longer …
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- B2B devices under the ElektroGDisposal, recycling & environmental lawB2B devices within the meaning of the ElektroG are electrical and electronic devices used exclusively by users other than private households …
- German Battery Act and EU Battery RegulationDisposal, recycling & environmental lawThe EU Battery Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1542) uniformly regulates the manufacture, labeling, take-back, and recycling of … across Europe
- Module CON.6Information security, protection of classified information & certificationsCON.6 "Deleting and Destroying" is a module of the IT-Grundschutz Compendium of the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI). It …
- Professional secrecy (§ 203 StGB)Data protection & law§ 203 StGB is the criminal provision on "violation of private secrets". It punishes persons bound by professional secrecy such as physicians, lawyers, or …
- Special categories of personal data (Art. 9 GDPR)Data protection & lawUnder Art. 9 GDPR, special categories of personal data are particularly sensitive information, such as health data, biometric data, or …
- Supervised modeMobile devices & device managementSupervised mode is a management state for iPhones, iPads, and Macs in which a company controls the device through its …
- BIOS passwordHardware & storage technologyA BIOS password is a password stored in a computer's firmware (BIOS or UEFI) that protects the device's startup or changes to …
- BitLockerHardware & storage technologyBitLocker is Microsoft's drive encryption built into Windows, which encrypts entire drives using the XTS-AES method. The …
- BlanccoErasure methods & erasure standardsIn detail on our service page.
- Block EraseErasure methods & erasure standardsBlock Erase is an erasure method for flash storage such as SSDs in which the drive's firmware electrically puts entire memory blocks into the erased …
- BSI guideline TL-03420Erasure methods & erasure standardsBSI guideline TL-03420 is a technical guideline of the BSI with requirements for the deletion and destruction of information requiring protection on …
- German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG)Data protection & lawThe German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG) is the German law that supplements the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and fills it in where the GDPR gives the …
- Buyback (repurchase program)ITAD, buyback & remarketingA buyback (repurchase program) is the organized repurchase of used devices by a dealer, manufacturer, or IT service provider. The …
- BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)Mobile devices & device managementBYOD (Bring Your Own Device) refers to a model in which employees also use private smartphones, tablets, or laptops for work tasks …
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- CapEx and OpExIT lifecycle, taxes & financeCapEx (capital expenditure) is investment spending on long-lived assets that is capitalized and depreciated over their useful life. OpEx …
- Cashback modelITAD, buyback & remarketingIn IT remarketing, a cashback model is an agreement in which a company gets money back for its retired hardware, which comes from …
- Certificate of Authenticity (COA)Refurbishment, repair & gradingA Certificate of Authenticity (COA) is a certificate of authenticity from Microsoft, usually a sticker on the device, which proves a lawfully acquired …
- Chain of custodyITAD, buyback & remarketingThe chain of custody (also known as the evidence chain) is the unbroken, documented sequence of all handovers of a device or …
- Chromebook enterprise enrollmentMobile devices & device managementChromebook enterprise enrollment is the addition of a ChromeOS device to an organization's Google admin console. After that, … apply
- CMDBITAD, buyback & remarketingA CMDB (Configuration Management Database) is a database in which a company records its configuration items and their relationships …
- Computrace (Absolute Persistence)Hardware & storage technologyComputrace, now Absolute Persistence, is a technology from the manufacturer Absolute Software that is anchored in the firmware of many business laptops …
- Carbon footprint of IT hardwareSustainability, circular economy & ESGThe carbon footprint of IT hardware is the sum of the greenhouse gas emissions a device causes over its life cycle, converted into …
- Crypto EraseErasure methods & erasure standardsCrypto Erase (cryptographic erasure) makes data unreadable by deleting or replacing the key with which a drive encrypts all data …
- CSRDSustainability, circular economy & ESGThe CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, Directive (EU) 2022/2464) is the EU directive on sustainability reporting by …
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- Data center decommissioningITAD, buyback & remarketingData center decommissioning is the planned dismantling of a data center or server room in which servers, storage systems, and network technology …
- Data sanitization (clearing of data carriers)Erasure methods & erasure standardsData sanitization (clearing of data carriers) is the umbrella term for methods that remove data on a storage medium in such a way that …
- File shredderErasure methods & erasure standardsA file shredder is a program that does not merely delete individual files or folders but overwrites their storage space beforehand so that they …
- Data secrecyData protection & lawIn detail on our service page.
- Data deletionErasure methods & erasure standardsIn detail on our service page.
- Data breachData protection & lawA data breach is a security violation that results in personal data being lost, altered, or destroyed, or reaching unauthorized persons …
- Data remanenceErasure methods & erasure standardsData remanence refers to data residues that remain on a storage medium after data has apparently been deleted. …
- Data protection auditData protection & lawA data protection audit is a systematic review of whether a company or service provider processes personal data as the …
- Data protection containerData carrier destruction & DIN 66399A data protection container is a lockable collection container in which confidential documents or data carriers are collected until destruction …
- Data carrierData carrier destruction & DIN 66399A data carrier is a medium on which information is permanently stored, for example a hard drive, an SSD, a USB stick, a DVD …
- Disposing of data carriersData protection & lawIn detail in our guide.
- Data carrier destructionData carrier destruction & DIN 66399In detail on our service page.
- Data destructionData carrier destruction & DIN 66399In detail on our service page.
- DegaussingErasure methods & erasure standardsDegaussing (demagnetizing) is a method that makes data on magnetic data carriers unreadable using a strong magnetic field. A device …
- DisintegratorData carrier destruction & DIN 66399A disintegrator (also spelled disintegrator) is a shredding machine that cuts material with rotating blades until the particles …
- Device as a Service (DaaS)IT lifecycle, taxes & financeDevice as a Service (DaaS) is a procurement model in which a provider supplies IT devices such as laptops, smartphones, or tablets together with services …
- Device Configuration Overlay (DCO)Erasure methods & erasure standardsA Device Configuration Overlay (DCO) is a function of the ATA standard with which the capacity and the displayed capabilities of a …
- Margin scheme taxation (§ 25a UStG)IT lifecycle, taxes & financeMargin scheme taxation under § 25a UStG is a special VAT rule for resellers of used goods. What is taxed is not the …
- Digital business assetsIT lifecycle, taxes & financeIn tax law, digital business assets are computer hardware including peripherals as well as operating and application software for data entry and …
- Digital product passportSustainability, circular economy & ESGThe digital product passport (DPP) is an electronic data record on a product that can be retrieved via a data carrier such as a QR code and …
- DIN 66398Erasure methods & erasure standardsDIN 66398 is a German standard titled "Guideline for the development of an erasure concept with derivation of erasure periods for personal …
- DIN 66399Data carrier destruction & DIN 66399In detail in our guide.
- DIN EN 15713Data carrier destruction & DIN 66399DIN EN 15713 is a European standard with procedural rules for the secure destruction of confidential documents and data carriers by service providers. …
- Direct transportSecure logistics & transportA direct transport is a transport in which the goods go straight from the pickup location to the … without transshipment, without intermediate storage, and without loading for other customers
- DoD 5220.22-MErasure methods & erasure standardsDoD 5220.22-M is the identifier of the "National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual" of the US Department of Defense. In data erasure …
- GDPR fineData protection & lawA GDPR fine is a monetary penalty that a data protection supervisory authority imposes under Art. 83 GDPR for violations of the General Data Protection Regulation …
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- e-StewardsInformation security, protection of classified information & certificationse-Stewards is a certification standard for the responsible recycling and reuse of electronics, which the …
- eANV (electronic waste verification procedure)Disposal, recycling & environmental lawThe eANV (electronic waste verification procedure) is the digital procedure by which, in Germany, the disposal of hazardous waste is documented …
- Precious metal recoveryDisposal, recycling & environmental lawPrecious metal recovery is the extraction of gold, silver, palladium, and other valuable metals from waste, above all from circuit boards of …
- Burn-in (screen burn-in)Refurbishment, repair & gradingBurn-in refers to permanent image residues on a screen that arise when the same static content is displayed for a long time …
- ElektroGDisposal, recycling & environmental lawThe ElektroG (Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act) is the German law on placing on the market, take-back, and environmentally sound disposal of …
- Electronic wasteDisposal, recycling & environmental lawElectronic waste (e-waste) is electrical and electronic equipment that has become waste because its owner disposes of it or …
- eMMCHardware & storage technologyeMMC (embedded MultiMediaCard) is flash memory in which NAND memory chips and a controller are combined in one package and firmly soldered onto the …
- EN 50625 (WEEELABEX)Disposal, recycling & environmental lawEN 50625 is a European series of standards with requirements for the collection, logistics, and treatment of waste electrical and electronic equipment. It sets …
- End of Life (EOL)ITAD, buyback & remarketingEnd of Life (EOL) refers to the end of the product life cycle, at which a manufacturer no longer makes or sells a product and eventually no longer …
- End of Support (EOS)ITAD, buyback & remarketingEnd of Support (EOS) is the point from which a manufacturer no longer provides support for a product, above all no more security updates …
- Enhanced Secure EraseErasure methods & erasure standardsEnhanced Secure Erase is the extended variant of the ATA command "Security Erase Unit" with which a drive erases itself. Unlike the …
- Certified waste management companyDisposal, recycling & environmental lawIn detail in our guide.
- Disposal certificateDisposal, recycling & environmental lawA disposal record (Entsorgungsnachweis) in waste law is a voucher obtained in advance that hazardous waste is properly … in a facility approved for that purpose
- EPEATSustainability, circular economy & ESGEPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool) is an international ecolabel for IT and electronics products, which is issued by the Global …
- Revenue shareITAD, buyback & remarketingA revenue share is a compensation model in which the party handing over devices receives an agreed share of the actually achieved …
- Parts harvestingRefurbishment, repair & gradingParts harvesting refers to the targeted removal of functional components from devices whose …
- First treatment facility (EBA)Disposal, recycling & environmental lawA first treatment facility (EBA) is a business that, under the ElektroG, treats waste electrical and electronic equipment first, that is, checks it, for the …
- ESG reportingSustainability, circular economy & ESGESG reporting is a company's reporting on its performance and risks in the areas of environment (Environmental), social …
- ESRSSustainability, circular economy & ESGThe ESRS (European Sustainability Reporting Standards) are the binding EU standards under which companies report on the environment … within the scope of the CSRD
- ESRS E5Sustainability, circular economy & ESGESRS E5 is the European reporting standard on resource use and circular economy within the European Sustainability Reporting …
- EU TaxonomySustainability, circular economy & ESGThe EU Taxonomy is a classification system of the European Union that defines which economic activities are considered environmentally sustainable …
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- Factory resetErasure methods & erasure standardsA factory reset returns a device to its as-delivered state by removing user accounts, settings, apps, and data …
- Factory Reset Protection (FRP)Mobile devices & device managementFactory Reset Protection (FRP, often called "FRP lock") is a theft protection feature of Android devices that, after a reset, requires the sign-in …
- Hard drive puncher (deformation)Data carrier destruction & DIN 66399A hard drive puncher is a device that mechanically destroys hard drives by pushing a mandrel or punch through the housing and data platters …
- Hard drive shredderData carrier destruction & DIN 66399A hard drive shredder is a machine that mechanically cuts hard drives, SSDs, and other data carriers into small particles with rotating cutters …
- Hard drive destructionData carrier destruction & DIN 66399In detail on our service page.
- Hard drive encryptionErasure methods & erasure standardsHard drive encryption (full disk encryption) encrypts the entire content of a data carrier so that without a key or password it cannot …
- FileVaultHardware & storage technologyFileVault is the encryption of a Mac's entire startup volume built into macOS. When it is active, the data cannot be … without the login password or …
- FirmwareHardware & storage technologyFirmware is software that is permanently stored in a device and directly controls its hardware, such as the BIOS or UEFI of a PC, the control …
- Firmware-based erasureErasure methods & erasure standardsFirmware-based erasure refers to erasure methods that are carried out not by software in the operating system but by the built-in control software of the …
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- hazardous wasteDisposal, recycling & environmental lawHazardous waste is waste that, because of its properties, can pose a particular danger to humans or the environment and is therefore in the …
- Transfer of risk and transfer of ownershipIT lifecycle, taxes & financeThe transfer of risk is the point in a purchase from which the risk of accidental loss or damage of the goods passes from the seller to the …
- Non-disclosure agreement (NDA)Data protection & lawA non-disclosure agreement (NDA) is a contract in which one or both parties undertake …
- Protection of classified informationInformation security, protection of classified information & certificationsThe protection of classified information comprises all measures by which state classified information is protected against unauthorized disclosure. It is divided into the …
- planned obsolescenceSustainability, circular economy & ESGPlanned obsolescence is the deliberate shortening of a product's lifespan by the manufacturer so that customers buy a new one sooner. In the …
- low-value asset (GWG)IT lifecycle, taxes & financeA low-value asset (GWG) is a movable, depreciable, independently usable fixed asset whose acquisition costs, net …
- GoBDData protection & lawThe GoBD (principles for the proper keeping and retention of books, records, and documents in electronic form and for data access) …
- GPS tracking in transportSecure logistics & transportGPS tracking in transport is the satellite-based real-time location of vehicles or shipments in which the position data is continuously sent to a …
- GradingRefurbishment, repair & gradingGrading is the classification of used devices into condition classes, usually A, B, and C, according to visible signs of wear and technical function. The …
- embodied energySustainability, circular economy & ESGEmbodied energy is the energy expended on raw material extraction, manufacturing, transport, storage, and disposal of a product – that is …
- Green ITSustainability, circular economy & ESGIn detail in our guide.
- Gutmann methodErasure methods & erasure standardsThe Gutmann method is an overwriting method in which a hard drive is written with fixed and random patterns in 35 passes. …
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- Hardware rolloutITAD, buyback & remarketingA hardware rollout is the planned introduction of new IT devices in a company, from ordering through preparation and delivery to …
- Hardware upgradeRefurbishment, repair & gradingA hardware upgrade is the upgrading of a computer by replacing or adding individual components, such as more memory, a …
- HDD (hard drive)Hardware & storage technologyAn HDD (hard disk drive) is a magnetic data storage device that stores data on rotating platters and reads it with moving …
- Host Protected Area (HPA)Erasure methods & erasure standardsThe Host Protected Area (HPA) is an area at the end of an ATA or SATA hard drive that is hidden from the operating system by the drive …
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- IEEE 2883Erasure methods & erasure standardsIEEE 2883 is an international standard of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers for the sanitization of storage media ("Standard for …
- IMEIMobile devices & device managementThe IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is a globally unique 15-digit number that identifies every mobile device such as smartphone, tablet …
- Inventory listITAD, buyback & remarketingAn inventory list is a register of all items of a certain stock, for IT hardware usually with device type, manufacturer, model …
- Inventory numberITAD, buyback & remarketingAn inventory number is a unique identifier that a company assigns to each item of its fixed assets. It links the physical …
- ISMS (information security management system)Information security, protection of classified information & certificationsAn ISMS (information security management system) is the entirety of rules, responsibilities, processes, and measures with which an …
- ISO 14001Information security, protection of classified information & certificationsISO 14001 is the international standard for environmental management systems. It specifies how an organization systematically records its environmental impacts …
- ISO 17712Secure logistics & transportISO 17712 is an international standard for mechanical seals used to close freight containers and other transport containers. It divides …
- ISO 45001Information security, protection of classified information & certificationsISO 45001 is the international standard for occupational health and safety management systems. It describes how a company …
- ISO 9001Information security, protection of classified information & certificationsISO 9001 is the widely used international standard for quality management systems. It specifies how an organization plans, controls …
- ISO/IEC 27001Information security, protection of classified information & certificationsISO/IEC 27001 is an international standard that sets requirements for an information security management system (ISMS). It requires risks …
- IT Asset Management (ITAM)ITAD, buyback & remarketingIT asset management (ITAM) is the systematic management of all hardware, software, and license holdings of a company over their entire …
- IT Lifecycle ManagementITAD, buyback & remarketingIn detail in our guide.
- IT brokerITAD, buyback & remarketingAn IT broker is a dealer who buys and resells used or surplus IT hardware, often in large lots and across national borders …
- IT disposal / IT recyclingDisposal, recycling & environmental lawIn detail on our service page.
- IT-GrundschutzInformation security, protection of classified information & certificationsIT-Grundschutz is a methodology of the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) with which organizations build a management system for …
- IT inventoryITAD, buyback & remarketingIT inventory is the systematic recording of all hardware and usually also software of a company with unique identifier, location …
- IT remarketingITAD, buyback & remarketingIn detail on our service page.
- IT surplus stockITAD, buyback & remarketingIT surplus stock is leftover inventory of IT hardware that a company or dealer no longer uses or sells regularly – for example excess stock …
- ITAD / IT Asset DispositionITAD, buyback & remarketingIn detail in our guide.
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- Conflict mineralsSustainability, circular economy & ESGConflict minerals are raw materials whose extraction or trade in conflict and high-risk areas finances armed groups or is associated with serious …
- Circular economySustainability, circular economy & ESGCircular economy is an economic model in which products, components, and materials are used, reused … for as long as possible
- German Circular Economy Act (KrWG)Disposal, recycling & environmental lawThe German Circular Economy Act (KrWG) is the central German law on the handling of waste and has been in force since June 2012. It implements the …
- KRITISData protection & lawKRITIS stands for critical infrastructures, that is, organizations and facilities whose failure would lead to significant supply shortages or dangers …
- Critical raw materials (CRMA)Sustainability, circular economy & ESGCritical raw materials are raw materials that are particularly important for the EU economy and whose supply is at the same time uncertain, for example because they …
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- Lease returnITAD, buyback & remarketingIn detail in our guide.
- Returned lease devicesITAD, buyback & remarketingIn detail in our guide.
- Shipping lithium batteries (UN 3481)Secure logistics & transportUN 3481 is the UN number for lithium-ion batteries installed in devices or packed with devices, for example the battery in a laptop. …
- Erasure conceptErasure methods & erasure standardsAn erasure concept is a documented set of rules that defines which data a company erases, when, by whom, and in what way. It links …
- Erasure reportErasure methods & erasure standardsAn erasure report is the documentation of a data erasure that records for a specific data carrier when, with what, and with what result …
- Erasure softwareErasure methods & erasure standardsErasure software is a program that removes data on data carriers in such a way that it cannot be recovered, and documents the process …
- Erasure verificationErasure methods & erasure standardsErasure verification is the check of whether an erasure operation on a data carrier was completed fully and without errors. It evaluates the status …
- Erasure certificateErasure methods & erasure standardsAn erasure certificate is a record confirming that the data on a specific data carrier or device was … using a named method
- LUN erasure (storage)Erasure methods & erasure standardsA LUN erasure is the secure overwriting of a logical drive (Logical Unit Number, LUN) in a storage system without … the entire system
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- M.2Hardware & storage technologyM.2 is a form factor and slot for compact expansion cards, above all for SSDs in laptops, PCs, and servers. An M.2 SSD is a small …
- Magnetic tape (LTO)Hardware & storage technologyA magnetic tape is a data carrier that stores data on a long, magnetically coated plastic tape in a cassette. LTO (Linear …
- Market value assessment for used devicesITAD, buyback & remarketingMarket value assessment for used devices is the valuation of what price used IT hardware can achieve on the market at a given point in time …
- Material class (DIN 66399)Data carrier destruction & DIN 66399The material class under DIN 66399 classifies data carriers for destruction according to their design, for example paper, optical media, hard drives, or …
- Material class EData carrier destruction & DIN 66399Material class E in the DIN 66399 standard is the category for electronic data carriers, such as SSDs, USB sticks, memory cards, and chip cards. For them …
- Material class H (hard drives)Data carrier destruction & DIN 66399Material class H in the DIN 66399 standard is the group for hard drives with magnetic data carriers, that is, classic HDDs. For them the standard defines …
- Material class O (optical data carriers)Data carrier destruction & DIN 66399Material class O of the DIN 66399 standard comprises optical data carriers such as CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray Discs. For them the standard sets seven security levels …
- Material class TData carrier destruction & DIN 66399Material class T in the DIN 66399 standard is the group of magnetic data carriers, such as magnetic tapes, floppy disks, and cards with magnetic stripes. For …
- Reusable packagingSecure logistics & transportReusable packaging is packaging that is designed to be reused several times for the same purpose after use and whose …
- Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher (MAR)Refurbishment, repair & gradingMicrosoft Authorized Refurbisher (MAR) is a Microsoft licensing program for large refurbishers who equip used PCs and laptops with a new …
- Microsoft IntuneMobile devices & device managementMicrosoft Intune is a cloud service from Microsoft for mobile device management (MDM) and mobile application management (MAM) with which companies …
- Employee saleITAD, buyback & remarketingAn employee sale is the sale of retired company devices such as laptops, smartphones, or monitors to the company's own employees. …
- Mobile Device Management (MDM)Mobile devices & device managementMobile Device Management (MDM) is software with which companies centrally set up mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops …
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- sustainable IT procurementSustainability, circular economy & ESGSustainable procurement is purchasing that, in addition to price and performance, also takes ecological and social criteria into account over the entire life cycle of a …
- NAID AAAInformation security, protection of classified information & certificationsNAID AAA is a certification program for providers of information and data carrier destruction, originally created by the US …
- NAND flash memoryHardware & storage technologyNAND flash memory is non-volatile semiconductor memory that stores data as electrical charge in memory cells and retains it even without power …
- NASHardware & storage technologyA NAS (Network Attached Storage) is a data storage device connected directly to the network that provides files for several users and devices …
- Need-to-know principleInformation security, protection of classified information & certificationsThe need-to-know principle (knowledge only when necessary) is a principle of information security under which a person may only access the …
- Network componentsHardware & storage technologyNetwork components are the devices that connect computers, servers, and other end devices into a network and control data traffic, for example …
- Neutralization of IT hardwareErasure methods & erasure standardsNeutralization of IT hardware means removing all features that associate a used device with its former owner, such as …
- NIS2Data protection & lawNIS2 is EU Directive (EU) 2022/2555 on measures for a high common level of cybersecurity. It obliges important and particularly …
- NIST SP 800-88Erasure methods & erasure standardsNIST SP 800-88 is a guideline of the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for the secure sanitization of …
- Useful life of laptopsIT lifecycle, taxes & financeIn detail in our guide.
- NVMeHardware & storage technologyNVMe (NVM Express) is a protocol through which a computer communicates with flash storage such as SSDs, usually directly via the …
- NVMe Format and NVMe SanitizeErasure methods & erasure standardsNVMe Format and NVMe Sanitize are commands of the NVMe standard with which an NVMe SSD erases its stored data itself. Format with erase option …
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- OffboardingMobile devices & device managementIn detail in our guide.
- Life cycle assessment (LCA)Sustainability, circular economy & ESGA life cycle assessment (LCA) is a standardized method for assessing the environmental impacts of a product over its entire …
- Ecodesign Regulation (ESPR)Sustainability, circular economy & ESGThe Ecodesign Regulation (Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, ESPR) is Regulation (EU) 2024/1781, which sets requirements for …
- Over-provisioningErasure methods & erasure standardsOver-provisioning is a reserve area in an SSD's flash memory that the controller uses internally and to which the operating system and user have no …
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- Particle sizeData carrier destruction & DIN 66399Particle size in data carrier destruction is the maximum area of the pieces into which a data carrier is shredded, expressed in …
- Personal dataData protection & lawPersonal data is any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person, for example name …
- Pixel defectsRefurbishment, repair & gradingA pixel defect is a permanently defective picture element of a flat screen that is constantly lit, constantly dark, or shows only individual colors …
- Test report (functional test)Refurbishment, repair & gradingA test report for IT devices documents the result of a functional test: which device was tested, which components were tested, and …
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- R2 certificationInformation security, protection of classified information & certificationsR2 certification (Responsible Recycling) is a standard for companies that refurbish, repair, sell, or … used electronics
- Rack serverHardware & storage technologyA rack server is a server in a flat housing that is slid into a standardized 19-inch rack and screwed in place. Its height is given in …
- RAIDHardware & storage technologyRAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) is a method in which several hard drives or SSDs are combined into one logical drive …
- Re-imagingRefurbishment, repair & gradingRe-imaging (also spelled reimaging) is the renewed installation of a complete system image on a computer, that is, operating system …
- reallocated sectorsErasure methods & erasure standardsReallocated sectors are storage areas of a hard drive that the drive controller, because of read or …
- AccountabilityData protection & lawAccountability is the GDPR principle under which a controller must not only comply with all data protection principles but also …
- Right to erasure (Art. 17 GDPR)Data protection & lawThe right to erasure under Art. 17 GDPR, also called the "right to be forgotten", obliges controllers to … personal data on request
- Right to repairSustainability, circular economy & ESGThe right to repair is a bundle of EU rules intended to strengthen repair over buying new, above all the …
- Recycling rateDisposal, recycling & environmental lawThe recycling rate is the share of a waste that is recycled as material, that is, flows back into new products as raw material. It is usually …
- Refresh cycleIT lifecycle, taxes & financeA refresh cycle is the planned period after which a company regularly replaces IT hardware such as laptops, PCs, or servers with new devices …
- RefurbishedRefurbishment, repair & gradingRefurbished (reconditioned) refers to used devices that have been properly tested, cleaned, repaired if necessary …
- Refurbishment (service)Refurbishment, repair & gradingIn detail on our service page.
- Standard erasure periodErasure methods & erasure standardsThe standard erasure period is the time after which a certain type of personal data is normally erased, counted from a …
- RemanufacturingRefurbishment, repair & gradingRemanufacturing (industrial reprocessing) is a process in which used products or components are completely disassembled …
- Remote wipeMobile devices & device managementRemote wipe is a command with which a smartphone, tablet, or laptop is reset or … remotely over the network
- Repairability indexSustainability, circular economy & ESGA repairability index (also repair index) is a metric that indicates how easily a product can be repaired. Factors assessed include …
- Residual book valueIT lifecycle, taxes & financeThe residual book value is the value at which an asset still stands in fixed assets after deduction of all depreciation to date. It results from …
- Residual value of IT hardwareITAD, buyback & remarketingThe residual value of IT hardware is the amount that can still be obtained for a used device at the end of its use in the company, for example through …
- Reverse logisticsSecure logistics & transportReverse logistics comprises all processes by which goods flow from the user back to the dealer, manufacturer, or service provider – for …
- RoHSDisposal, recycling & environmental lawRoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) is an EU directive that restricts certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment …
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- S.M.A.R.T. valuesRefurbishment, repair & gradingS.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology) is self-monitoring of hard drives and SSDs that records operating and …
- Collection group (ElektroG)Disposal, recycling & environmental lawA collection group under the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG) is one of six groups into which waste devices at municipal collection points …
- Collective itemIT lifecycle, taxes & financeA collective item is a tax pooled account for depreciable movable assets with acquisition costs of more than 250 to 1,000 …
- Samsung KnoxMobile devices & device managementSamsung Knox is the security and management platform in Samsung smartphones and tablets. It includes hardware-based protection functions in the …
- SAN (Storage Area Network)Hardware & storage technologyA SAN (Storage Area Network) is a dedicated, fast network through which servers access central storage systems as if they were local …
- Sanitize command (ATA/SCSI)Erasure methods & erasure standardsThe Sanitize command is a firmware command defined in the ATA, SCSI, and NVMe standards with which a drive erases all user data in all …
- SAS (Serial Attached SCSI)Hardware & storage technologySAS (Serial Attached SCSI) is an interface for connecting hard drives and SSDs to servers and storage systems. It transfers data serially …
- SATAHardware & storage technologySATA (Serial ATA) is an interface through which hard drives, SSDs, and optical drives are connected to the computer. It transfers data …
- DepollutionDisposal, recycling & environmental lawDepollution is the targeted removal of components and substances containing pollutants from waste electrical equipment before they are further shredded or …
- Quick formatErasure methods & erasure standardsA quick format creates a new, empty file system on a data carrier without overwriting the stored data itself. The …
- Protection requirement assessmentData protection & lawThe protection requirement assessment is a step of security planning in which a company evaluates how severe the consequences would be if …
- Protection class (DIN 66399)Data carrier destruction & DIN 66399The protection class under DIN 66399 describes how much protection the data on a data carrier requires and thereby determines which security levels …
- Scope 1, 2, and 3 (GHG Protocol)Sustainability, circular economy & ESGScope 1, 2, and 3 are the three categories into which the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) divides a company's greenhouse gas emissions. …
- Scope 3 emissionsSustainability, circular economy & ESGIn detail in our guide.
- Secure Erase (ATA)Erasure methods & erasure standardsSecure Erase is an erase command (SECURITY ERASE UNIT) built into the firmware of ATA and SATA drives with which the drive … its
- Self-encrypting drive (SED)Hardware & storage technologyA self-encrypting drive (SED) is a hard drive or SSD that automatically encrypts all data with a built-in …
- Serial number (IT asset)ITAD, buyback & remarketingThe serial number is a unique identifier assigned by the manufacturer that distinguishes a single device or a single data carrier from all others …
- Security sealSecure logistics & transportSecurity seals are numbered closures that secure a container, door, or vehicle in such a way that any opening leaves visible traces …
- Security level (DIN 66399)Data carrier destruction & DIN 66399The security level under DIN 66399 indicates how thoroughly a data carrier is shredded during destruction. The standard knows seven levels from 1 …
- Security level H-5Data carrier destruction & DIN 66399Security level H-5 is a destruction level of the DIN 66399 standard for hard drives with magnetic storage media. The hard drive is …
- Secure transportSecure logistics & transportA secure transport is the carriage of data carriers or IT devices under conditions that prevent unauthorized access en route and …
- Storage limitationData protection & lawStorage limitation is a GDPR principle under which personal data may be stored in identifiable form only for as long as …
- SSDHardware & storage technologyAn SSD (solid state drive) is a data storage device that stores data electronically in flash memory chips, without moving parts. A dedicated …
- SSHD (hybrid hard drive)Hardware & storage technologyAn SSHD (Solid State Hybrid Drive) is a hybrid hard drive: a classic magnetic hard drive with an additional small flash memory …
- stiftung earDisposal, recycling & environmental lawThe stiftung ear (Stiftung Elektro-Altgeräte Register) is the joint body of manufacturers under the ElektroG, based in Nuremberg. By the …
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- TBW (Terabytes Written)Hardware & storage technologyTBW (Terabytes Written) is the amount of data in terabytes that a manufacturer guarantees an SSD can have written within the warranty period. The …
- TCG OpalHardware & storage technologyTCG Opal is a specification of the Trusted Computing Group for self-encrypting drives (SEDs), above all in laptops and PCs. It defines …
- TCO CertifiedSustainability, circular economy & ESGTCO Certified is an international sustainability certification for IT products such as laptops, monitors, smartphones, servers, and network technology. It …
- Technical and organizational measures (TOMs)Data protection & lawTechnical and organizational measures (TOMs) are the safeguards with which a company protects personal data under the GDPR against …
- Thin ClientHardware & storage technologyA thin client is a lean workstation computer that does not run applications itself but connects to a server or a virtual …
- TISAXInformation security, protection of classified information & certificationsTISAX (Trusted Information Security Assessment Exchange) is an assessment and exchange procedure of the automotive industry for information security. …
- Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)IT lifecycle, taxes & financeTotal Cost of Ownership (TCO, total operating costs) is the sum of all costs a device or system causes over its entire life cycle …
- TPM (Trusted Platform Module)Hardware & storage technologyA TPM (Trusted Platform Module) is a security chip in PCs, laptops, and servers that generates cryptographic keys in a protected way and …
- Trade-inITAD, buyback & remarketingTrade-in refers to handing in an old device when buying a new one, with the value of the old device credited against the purchase price …
- Transport insuranceSecure logistics & transportTransport insurance is insurance that covers goods against loss and damage during transport. It generally replaces …
- TRIMErasure methods & erasure standardsTRIM is a command with which the operating system tells an SSD which data blocks are no longer needed, for example after deleting a file. …
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- Acceptance recordSecure logistics & transportAn acceptance record is a document that records the transfer of devices or containers from one party to another, with date, place …
- OverwritingErasure methods & erasure standardsOverwriting is a software-based erasure method in which all storage areas of a data carrier are written with new data such as zeros …
- Surveillance audit and recertificationInformation security, protection of classified information & certificationsSurveillance audits and recertification are the assessments with which a certification body, after the initial certification, … a management system in the …
- Sub-processorData protection & lawA sub-processor is a further service provider that a processor engages to carry out part of the data processing for the …
- Urban miningSustainability, circular economy & ESGUrban mining is the targeted recovery of raw materials from the human-made stock, for example from buildings, infrastructure, and …
- Destroying a USB stickData carrier destruction & DIN 66399Destroying a USB stick means physically shredding the memory chip of a USB stick so that the data stored on it cannot be …
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- Certificate of destructionData carrier destruction & DIN 66399In detail in our guide.
- Classified information (VS)Information security, protection of classified information & certificationsClassified information (VS) is information that requires secrecy in the public interest – regardless of whether it exists on paper, on a …
- Classified Information Instruction (VSA)Information security, protection of classified information & certificationsThe Classified Information Instruction (VSA) is the administrative regulation of the Federal Ministry of the Interior on material protection of classified information. It specifies how …
- Scrapping reportIT lifecycle, taxes & financeIn detail in our guide.
- Four-eyes principleInformation security, protection of classified information & certificationsThe four-eyes principle is a control rule under which an important action only counts if a second, independent person reviews or …
- On-site destructionData carrier destruction & DIN 66399On-site destruction means that data carriers are destroyed directly on the client's premises, usually with a mobile shredder in a …
- Preparation for reuseDisposal, recycling & environmental lawPreparation for reuse is a recovery procedure of waste law in which products that have already become waste are checked …
- VS-NfDInformation security, protection of classified information & certificationsIn detail in our guide.
- VSITRErasure methods & erasure standardsVSITR stands for the "Guidelines for the Handling of Classified Information in Information Technology" (VS-IT-Richtlinien), which the Federal Ministry of the Interior …
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- Incoming goods inspectionSecure logistics & transportIncoming goods inspection is the check of delivered goods for quantity, identity, condition, and completeness before they are processed further. In …
- Wear levelingErasure methods & erasure standardsWear leveling (equalization of wear) is a method in SSDs, USB sticks, and memory cards that distributes write operations evenly across all …
- WEEE reg. no.Disposal, recycling & environmental lawThe WEEE reg. no. (WEEE registration number) is the identifier that manufacturers of electrical and electronic equipment receive upon registration under the …
- WEEE DirectiveDisposal, recycling & environmental lawThe WEEE Directive (Directive 2012/19/EU on waste electrical and electronic equipment) is the EU law that governs collection, treatment, and recovery of …
- ReuseSustainability, circular economy & ESGReuse means that a product or component that is not yet waste is used again for the same purpose for which …
- Windows AutopilotMobile devices & device managementWindows Autopilot is a cloud service from Microsoft with which companies automatically set up new or reset Windows devices. For this …
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- Certified data erasureErasure methods & erasure standardsIn detail on our service page.
- Access controlInformation security, protection of classified information & certificationsAccess control is the entirety of measures that prevent unauthorized persons from physically gaining access to buildings, rooms, or areas in which data …
- Interim storageSecure logistics & transportInterim storage refers to the temporary placing of goods at a location between pickup and final destination, for example in a depot …
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All topics
- Data protection & law21 terms
- Data carrier destruction & DIN 6639917 terms
- Disposal, recycling & environmental law23 terms
- Hardware & storage technology25 terms
- IT lifecycle, taxes & finance14 terms
- ITAD, buyback & remarketing22 terms
- Information security, protection of classified information & certifications20 terms
- Erasure methods & erasure standards36 terms
- Mobile devices & device management13 terms
- Sustainability, circular economy & ESG22 terms
- Refurbishment, repair & grading13 terms
- Secure logistics & transport12 terms
Frequently asked questions about the glossary
What is ITAD?
ITAD stands for IT Asset Disposition, the secure and documented retirement of IT hardware. This includes pickup, certified data erasure, resale or refurbishment and, if necessary, proper recycling.
Who is this glossary intended for?
For everyone who deals with retired IT: IT management, data protection officers, purchasing, the finance department, and sustainability managers. The entries explain technical terms in plain language.
Do the entries replace legal or tax advice?
No. The entries on law and taxes give an understandable overview. For your individual case, please consult your legal or tax advisor.
What topics does the IT glossary cover?
The glossary explains more than 230 terms in twelve topics. They range from data protection and law, information security, erasure methods, and data carrier destruction via storage technology, mobile devices, and secure logistics to ITAD and remarketing, refurbishment, disposal, sustainability and ESG, and IT finance.
What is the difference between data erasure, destruction, and disposal?
With data erasure, data is removed in such a way that it cannot be recovered, and the device remains usable. With destruction, the data carrier is physically destroyed. Disposal treats the device as electronic waste and requires its own records.
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