Server Donation Data Security Procedures

SK0-005 By islever Editorial Last updated

Short answer

D Review all company policies.

Question

An organization is donating its outdated server equipment to a local charity. Which of the following describes what the organization should do before donating the equipment?
  1. Remove all the data from the server drives using the least destructive method.
  2. Repurpose and recycle any usable server components.
  3. Remove all the components from the server.
  4. Review all company policies. Correct Answer

Key Takeaways

This question tests the understanding that policy review is the mandatory first step in any asset disposal lifecycle, even when technical steps like wiping or destruction are required later.

Before donating outdated server equipment, organizations must strictly adhere to internal policies and legal requirements regarding data disposal. Community consensus highlights a conflict between procedural compliance (D) and technical best practices for data sanitization.

Common mistake: Candidates often choose A because they focus on the technical act of removing data, overlooking that organizational policy dictates the specific method (e.g., destruction vs. wiping) required by law or regulation.

Expert Analysis

Why the Answer Is Correct

Reviewing company policies is the critical first step because it determines the legally compliant method for data sanitization. Policies dictate whether drives must be physically destroyed, degaussed, or wiped based on the sensitivity of the data and regulatory requirements (such as HIPAA or GDPR). Without this review, an organization risks violating compliance standards by choosing an insufficient or unauthorized disposal method.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

Option A is incorrect because 'least destructive' methods may not meet security requirements; sensitive data often requires physical destruction. Option B focuses on recycling rather than security and does not address data protection. Option C is incomplete because simply removing components without following policy may leave non-volatile storage with data intact or violate asset tracking protocols.

Community Comment Notes

Several users argue that D is incorrect because technical admins should physically remove drives (as suggested in comment [1]). However, these comments overlook the exam's focus on governance and procedure. The question asks what the organization should do before donation, implying the initial administrative phase where policy dictates the subsequent technical actions.

Official Reference

NIST SP 800-88 Rev. 1 Guidelines for Media Sanitization

This link opens the official vendor documentation in a new tab.

Exam Strategy

Always look for the 'governance' answer first in operational procedure questions. Before executing technical tasks like wiping or destroying hardware, verify that the action aligns with established organizational policies and legal frameworks.

Community Votes

D
100%

100% of anonymous learners picked answer D. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.

Discussion 3 contributions

Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.

From public community threads 3

  1. ccoli 👍 1
    This is utterly incorrect. Any competent IT admin would pull/destroy hard drives and memory before donating hardware. Wiping data, even with multiple passes is not sufficient to prevent data recovery.
  2. PaytoPlay 👍 1
    D is the answer.
  3. Ronn_Burgandy 👍 1 Answered D
    Definitely D

Reader comments & corrections

No reader corrections yet — spotted an error or have a note? Share it below.

Log in to comment, report an error, or add a note about this question.

Dual Power Supplies on Different Sources: Fault Tolerance vs Redundancy

S-grade

Mitigating Brute-Force Attacks: Password Policy Priority

S-grade

SAN Connectivity Issue: No Link Lights on HBA and Switch

S-grade

Mitigating Server Virus Infection and Vulnerability

A-grade

Practice All SK0-005 Questions

Access 135 questions with complete answers and detailed explanations.

View Full SK0-005 Practice Test →

← Back to SK0-005 Study Guide