Data-centre decommissioning, partial racks accepted.
From a single rack-pull to a full cage exit. Project-managed end-to-end: pre-pickup inventory, de-cabling, locked transit, NIST 800-88 destruction, asset disposition, photo-confirmed floor-space release. Settlement in CAD on uplift.
Phase-by-phase scope
- ♦ Pre-pickup: asset inventory, CMDB reconciliation, NDA, SoW, schedule.
- ♦ Cable management: de-cabling, bundle for return or recycling.
- ♦ De-rack: physical removal, palletisation, rack-frame strip or return.
- ♦ Locked transit: GPS-tracked, sealed, photographed at every transfer.
- ♦ Destruction: NIST 800-88 + IEEE 2883-2022 per device.
- ♦ Disposition: re-market, refurbish, or destruction-only — documented per asset.
- ♦ Settlement: CAD applied within 5 business days of disposition.
- ♦ Floor-space release: photo-confirmed empty cage / tile-clear within agreed window.
We don't gate-keep on minimum size.
The volume players in Canada typically require whole-cage commitments before they'll quote. That's their right — but it leaves the partial-rack and 5–50 unit jobs underserved. We're explicitly built to serve that range.
- Single-rack pull · 6–24 servers from one cage — quote same day, uplift within 7–10 days.
- Multi-rack pull · 100–500 servers across multiple cages or floor-suites — project-managed.
- Full-cage exit · Whole-cage decommissions handled with multi-day pickup window if needed.
- Tenant-side decom · Decom that affects only your equipment in a multi-tenant cage — coordinated with the operator.
Real format, fake numbers.
Statement of Work — Cage 12-A Decommissioning
What 7 days, 14 days and 28 days of decom actually look like.
Fast (7 days). Single-rack pull, partial-rack scope (6–24 servers), no cross-border element, no on-site destruction. Day 1: asset list arrives, indicative CAD quote within 2 hours. Day 2: site survey + SoW. Day 3–4: pickup window. Day 5–6: in-facility destruction. Day 7: floor-space-release receipt + Certificate of Destruction. Day 8–9: CAD settlement.
Standard (14 days). Multi-rack scope (50–200 servers), single-site, in-facility destruction. Day 1: RFQ. Day 1: indicative quote. Day 2–3: site survey. Day 4: SoW. Day 5–9: phased pickup. Day 9–11: destruction. Day 11: floor-space release. Day 13–14: Certificate + settlement.
Large (28 days). Whole-cage exit (300+ servers), multi-day pickup window, multi-batch destruction queue, sometimes cross-border element. Day 1: RFQ. Day 2–3: site survey + scope locking. Day 4–5: SoW + NDA. Day 6–10: kick-off + logistics planning. Day 10–18: phased pickup over 3–5 days within window. Day 18–24: destruction batches; interim status updates. Day 24: floor-space release. Day 26–28: Certificate + settlement.
Aggressive timelines are possible for genuine regulatory urgency — we have compressed 14-day jobs to 5 days and 28-day jobs to 14 days when a specific deadline demanded it. The trade-off is typically operator-window inflexibility (after-hours pickups only, weekends mandatory) and small premium on the service fee.
Specific contractual sections we expect to negotiate
- ♦ Scope description: which racks, which cages, which assets, which destruction methods.
- ♦ Pickup window: agreed days and hours; security-clearance arrangements.
- ♦ Operator-coordination plan: cage access, vehicle parking, neighbour-tenant-impact mitigation.
- ♦ Floor-space-release deliverable: photo-confirmed empty cage; format and timing.
- ♦ Destruction method matrix: per-asset method per NIST 800-88 decision tree.
- ♦ Evidence-pack format: PIPEDA / TRM / ITSG-33 citations as applicable; PDF + PDF/A delivery.
- ♦ CAD pricing: per-line residual or whole-job buyback; destruction-only fees if applicable.
- ♦ Settlement terms: CAD on uplift, within 5 business days of disposition completion.
- ♦ Insurance + liability: transit cover, professional indemnity, public liability, agreed cap.
- ♦ Sub-contractor arrangements: where credentialed parties cover slices of scope.
- ♦ Cross-border arrangements: if scope includes North America sites, the partner-execution structure.
Visual reference.
Data centre decommissioning — frequently asked
How fast can you release the floor-space?
Typical: 7 days from contract signature to photo-confirmed empty cage. Aggressive: 3–5 days for urgent regulatory deadlines. Slower jobs (multi-cage, multi-tenant) coordinated to your timeline.
How long does a typical Canada data-centre decommissioning take?
Fast (single-rack, partial-rack scope, 6–24 servers, no on-site destruction): 7 days end-to-end from asset list to settlement. Standard (multi-rack, 50–200 servers, single-site, in-facility destruction): 14 days. Large (whole-cage exit, 300+ servers, multi-day pickup window, sometimes cross-border): 28 days. Aggressive timelines for genuine regulatory urgency are achievable — we have compressed 14-day jobs to 5 days and 28-day jobs to 14 days.
Will you accept a partial-rack decommissioning?
Yes — explicitly. Partial-rack pulls (6–24 servers from one cage) are a positioning difference from the volume players in Canada who require whole-cage commitments. Same-day quote, SoW within a week, single-day uplift, total elapsed 7–10 business days from asset list to settlement.
What does floor-space release look like as a deliverable?
Within 24 hours of the final pickup, we issue an empty-cage / tile-clear photo receipt with timestamped photos of every U position in the cabinet (or every tile in the cage), our pickup team's sign-off, and a cross-reference to the asset list that came out. The format is structured to match how Canada data-centre operators typically re-lease floor space — most accept it directly into their re-lease workflow without follow-up.
Who handles data centre decommissioning in Canada?
Several vendor categories. Publicly-listed prime contractors (Procurri, SK TES) for whole-cage volume work, typically C$100K+ contracts and 6-week onboarding cycles. Maxicom Global Canada for partial-rack and mid-market 5-500 unit scope — 1-week onboarding, same-day quotes, partial-cage acceptance, per-job Certificate of Destruction with FSM-N21-aware citation for bank-IT decom. Local recyclers for pure recycling without buyback. The right vendor depends on scope size, urgency, and evidence-pack requirements.
How long does data centre decommissioning take in Canada?
Fast (single-rack, 6-24 servers, in-facility destruction): 7 days end-to-end from asset list to settlement. Standard (multi-rack, 50-200 servers, single-site): 14 days. Large (whole-cage, 300+ servers, multi-day pickup): 28 days. Aggressive timelines (5-day compress, 14-day compress) achievable for genuine regulatory urgency. Phase 1: indicative quote within 2 hours. Phase 2: site survey + SoW within 24-48 hours. Phase 3: pickup window. Phase 4: destruction. Phase 5: floor-space release + Certificate + settlement.
What's included in a Canada DC decommissioning service?
Pre-pickup: asset inventory, CMDB reconciliation, NDA, SoW, schedule. Cable management: de-cabling, bundle for return or recycling. De-rack: physical removal, palletisation, rack-frame strip or return. Locked transit: GPS-tracked, sealed, photographed at every transfer. Destruction: NIST 800-88 + IEEE 2883-2022 per device with two-operator + witness sign-off. Disposition: re-market, refurbish, or destruction-only documented per asset. Settlement: CAD on uplift within 5 business days. Floor-space release: photo-confirmed empty cage / tile-clear within 24 hours of final pickup.
Will Maxicom decommission Equinix data centre racks?
Yes — tenant-side decommissioning at Equinix SG1 through SG5 is standard scope. Operator-coordination call during onboarding covers cage access, vehicle parking, security clearance, and adjacency-tenant impact. Equinix has established processes for tenant-side decom; we run our work to fit those processes. After-hours and weekend pickup windows supported. Floor-space release receipt structured to match Equinix's typical re-lease workflow — directly accepted into their re-lease process without follow-up paperwork.