How do I erase all data on a Centera?

EMC certified data erasure for EMC centera is the one you need. I remember that it needs a license.

Hi

There are three ways I can think of:

- Erasure Service from EMC: certified erasure, overwritten and when you return the systems noting remains in it.

- Factory Init from EMC: nothing is overwritten, just the database containing the object information is re-initialized. Only for Basic and GE clusters.

- Delete using an Application: Create a list of object stored and then delete them. The list could also be provided from the applications in use.

Best regards, Holger

There is no direct process to delete data from Centera, It is recommended to be done by EMC service professional only.

1. Open a Service Request with EMC.
   
2. Letter from the customer responsible for the administration of the Centera indicating the he/she is requesting that EMC delete all the data from the Centera. This NEEDS to be in electronic format so that it can be pasted to the Service Request.
   
3. The CCA procedure must be followed. CE to submit a CCRF with the appropriate fields checked to request a Data Deletion or reinitialization. 
   

Hi Phukon

The first two possibilities available from EMC are paid engagements of EMC that the account team of the customer can quote and sell the customer. As these are paid engagements the way to open a Service Request is at least for me not the preferred way. We manage roughly 40 systems and want our customers to be aware of the costs up front when they order something like the erasure service.

The third possibility can be achieved by taking the SDK delete clip sample, writing the code so that is takes a list of clips, spawns 20 threads and each one of them takes the next clip in a list and issues the delete.

Having shredding in place this will securely delete the blobs but naturally leaves the reflections on the system. The EMC offerings offer the choice to just init the object database or to fully erase everything on the disks.

Up to the customer to decide which way is best for his requirements.

Best regards, Holger