The answer is to use a hard drive shredder to shred all drives, as this is the only method that efficiently handles both HDDs and SSDs in a large-scale on-site data destruction scenario. A shredder physically destroys the platters and memory chips, rendering the drives unusable and ensuring data cannot be recovered, which satisfies the policy requirement for physical destruction. On the CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 exam, this question tests your understanding that degaussing works only on magnetic HDDs and does not physically destroy the drive, while overwriting is far too time-consuming for 1200 units. A common trap is assuming degaussing works for SSDs—it does not, because SSDs use flash memory, not magnetic platters. Remember the memory tip: “Shred for speed, degauss for HDDs only, and never overwrite at scale.”
220-1202 Data Destruction and Disposal Practice Question
This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of data destruction and disposal. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company is decommissioning a data center and must destroy 1000 HDDs and 200 SSDs. The policy mandates that all data be destroyed on-site and that the drives be rendered physically unusable. Which combination of methods is most efficient?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use a hard drive shredder to shred all drives.
For large-scale on-site destruction, a hard drive shredder can physically destroy both HDDs and SSDs quickly and efficiently. Degaussing works for HDDs but not SSDs, and it does not physically destroy the drives. Overwriting is too time-consuming for 1200 drives.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Degauss all drives and then recycle them.
Why it's wrong here
Degaussing does not physically destroy SSDs, and it does not render drives physically unusable as required.
✓
Use a hard drive shredder to shred all drives.
Why this is correct
A shredder physically destroys both HDDs and SSDs, meeting the requirement for on-site physical destruction efficiently.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Overwrite all drives with a three-pass wipe.
Why it's wrong here
Overwriting 1200 drives would be extremely time-consuming and does not physically destroy the drives.
✗
Use a degausser for HDDs and a secure erase for SSDs.
Why it's wrong here
This method does not physically destroy the drives; it only destroys data, and degaussing does not work on SSDs.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 220-1202 question in full detail.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related 220-1202 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Data Destruction and Disposal — This question tests Data Destruction and Disposal — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use a hard drive shredder to shred all drives. — For large-scale on-site destruction, a hard drive shredder can physically destroy both HDDs and SSDs quickly and efficiently. Degaussing works for HDDs but not SSDs, and it does not physically destroy the drives. Overwriting is too time-consuming for 1200 drives.
What should I do if I get this 220-1202 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related 220-1202 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A technician is decommissioning a RAID array of 10 hard drives that contained sensitive HR data. The company policy requires that data be destroyed without removing individual drives from the array. Which method is most appropriate?
hard
A.Remove each drive and use a hammer to break the platters.
✓ B.Use a degausser that can accommodate the entire array chassis.
C.Perform a secure erase on each drive via the RAID controller.
D.Reformat the array and reuse it for non-sensitive data.
Why B: The correct answer is to use a degausser designed for large media, which can destroy data on all drives simultaneously without disassembly. However, this may damage the RAID controller. Alternatively, a bulk eraser could be used. This question tests understanding of bulk destruction methods for RAID arrays.
Variation 2. A small business is retiring 20 old desktop PCs that contain sensitive customer data. The IT manager wants to ensure the data is unrecoverable before donating the computers to a local school. Which method should be used?
easy
A.Perform a standard format of each hard drive.
✓ B.Use a degausser on each hard drive.
C.Delete all files and empty the Recycle Bin.
D.Run a quick disk cleanup utility.
Why B: The correct answer is degaussing, which uses a strong magnetic field to destroy the magnetic media on a hard drive, making data recovery impossible. Physical destruction (shredding) is also effective but not listed. Data wiping or formatting leaves data recoverable with forensic tools. This question tests knowledge of data destruction methods for secure disposal.
Last reviewed: Jun 19, 2026
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This 220-1202 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1202 exam.
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