220-1202 Practice Question: A technician is decommissioning a RAID array of…

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

• ✗

  Remove each drive and use a hammer to break the platters.

  Why it's wrong here

  Removing each drive and physically damaging the platters with a hammer is an unreliable and potentially unsafe method for secure data destruction. While it aims for physical destruction, hammering often results in cracked or fragmented platters rather than complete pulverization, leaving magnetic domains on surviving pieces potentially readable. Furthermore, disassembling the array and manually destroying each drive is labor-intensive and may violate organizational policies that mandate non-disassembly or certified destruction processes for entire units.

• ✓

  Use a degausser that can accommodate the entire array chassis.

  Why this is correct

  Using a degausser capable of accommodating the entire array chassis is the most effective and efficient method for securely destroying data on magnetic hard drives within a RAID array. A degausser generates a powerful magnetic field that permanently randomizes the magnetic domains on all platters simultaneously, rendering all data unrecoverable. This process ensures comprehensive data destruction without requiring disassembly of the array, which aligns with policies for secure decommissioning and disposal of integrated systems.

• ✗

  Perform a secure erase on each drive via the RAID controller.

  Why it's wrong here

  Performing a secure erase on each drive via the RAID controller is often impractical and insufficient for decommissioning a RAID array. Many RAID controllers do not expose the ATA Secure Erase command to individual drives, preventing a firmware-level overwrite without disassembling the array and connecting each drive directly. Even if accessible, this software-based method is extremely time-consuming for multiple drives and may not meet stringent data destruction policies that require physical or magnetic destruction to mitigate advanced data recovery techniques.

• ✗

  Reformat the array and reuse it for non-sensitive data.

  Why it's wrong here

  Reformatting the array and subsequently reusing it for non-sensitive data is entirely inadequate for decommissioning sensitive data. Reformatting only rebuilds the file system structure and marks existing data blocks as available for new data; it does not overwrite the actual data on the platters. Consequently, the original sensitive information remains fully recoverable using common data recovery software until those specific blocks are explicitly overwritten, making it unsuitable for any secure data disposal requirement.

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