How does hard drive degaussing work and why is it necessary?
For businesses and organizations who need to make sure sensitive data is disposed of safely, degaussing hard drives has become essential. This short introduction gives a general overview of degaussing and focuses specifically on degaussing hard drives.
Degaussing is named for Carl Friedrich Gauss, a German mathematician who was a pioneer in the study of magnetism and the inventor of the “gauss,” a unit of magnetism.
The process of degaussing
The process of degaussing involves lowering or eradicating the amount of data on magnetic media, including tape, disks, reels, cassettes, and hard drives. On the tape or, in the case of a hard drive, on its circular platter, magnetic media have a thin layer of iron oxide or chromium dioxide that is oriented into a series of lines to represent the recording or data.
In order to permanently remove the magnetic memory from the iron oxide or chromium dioxide coatings, which eliminates or randomizes the recorded data pattern, a degausser must produce a strong magnetic field. The data on a tape or hard drive can be efficiently erased by altering the magnetic field with a degausser.
The magnetic structure is destroyed by the degausser’s field intensity, making it impossible to recover the data. Degaussing hard drives will totally and permanently erase broken or malfunctioning hard drives because it doesn’t rely on software.
Degaussing: Is it safe?
According to the World Health Organization, the available data do not support the existence of any health effects linked to magnetic field exposure. However, all degaussers made by Verity Systems are created to adhere to the standards set out by the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) in a typical workplace setting.
What advantages does degaussing offer?
- Hard disk degaussing is a thorough, rapid, simple, and quiet operation.
- With a degausser, you always maintain full control over your sensitive data and don’t need to give it to anybody else to be disposed of.
- Even on damaged hard disks, degaussing is 100% successful.
- Once degaussed, hard drive components can be completely recycled.
- Cost-effective: Degaussing is one of the most affordable methods of erasing. Degaussing equipment is typically a one-time purchase.
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