Managed IT & Support
Cybersecurity
Cloud, Backup & Network
Old laptops, servers and phones still hold your data. We track every retired device, wipe or destroy its drives and hand you written proof, so nothing leaves your Chicago office unaccounted for.
Get a Free IT AssessmentEvery office has a closet. Old laptops, a retired server, a box of phones, a stack of drives nobody wants to touch. It feels harmless, but each one still holds email, client files, saved passwords or patient records. Throwing them out, or handing them to anyone with a truck, is how data walks out the door.
IT asset disposal is the controlled way to retire that equipment. We build a list of every device, remove it from your network and accounts, erase or physically destroy the storage, and send the hardware to a recycler or resale channel. You get a written record for each item, tied to its serial number.
In Chicago, this work comes with practical details. Many offices sit in Loop high-rises with freight elevators, loading dock schedules and building rules about who can move equipment and when. Others are in River North lofts, West Loop studios or suburban office parks in Schaumburg and Oak Brook. We plan pickups around your building, not the other way around.
Most data leaks from old hardware are not dramatic. A laptop is donated without a proper wipe. A copier hard drive is returned at lease end with years of scanned documents on it. A former employee’s phone is resold with the account still signed in. These are routine mistakes, and they are easy to prevent with a process that treats every device the same way.
Chicago businesses also hold data they have a duty to protect. Medical and dental offices near Northwestern Memorial, law firms in the Loop and accounting offices handling client returns all keep sensitive records on their devices. A written disposal record shows an auditor, insurer or client that you handled retired equipment with care. It also frees closet space and stops old gear from becoming a risk.
Everything below is part of one monthly plan. Pick a topic to see what is handled for you and how it works in a Chicago office.
We start with a list. Each laptop, desktop, server, phone, tablet, printer and drive is recorded with its make, model and serial number. Where possible we match it to the user, the location and the accounts tied to it.
This step prevents the most common failure, a device that nobody remembers. It also separates what can be reused, resold or donated from what must be destroyed. You review the list before anything moves, so nothing leaves by accident.
Deleting files or resetting a device does not remove the data underneath. We use proven erasure methods that overwrite storage and then verify the result. Each drive gets a pass or fail record.
If a drive fails, is damaged or holds especially sensitive records, it is destroyed instead. Before wiping, we also confirm the device is removed from your management tools and cloud accounts so no stray access remains.
Some drives should never be reused. Servers, backup drives and devices from regulated offices are often shredded or crushed, so the data cannot be recovered by anyone.
You choose between off-site destruction and witnessed destruction when the sensitivity calls for it. Either way, each destroyed drive is logged by serial number and included in your final report.
Chicago buildings have rules. Freight elevators are booked in advance, loading docks have windows and some towers require certificates of insurance for vendors. We plan around all of it.
We handle packing, labeling and removal, and can work early mornings or weekends to avoid disrupting your staff. For multi-site clients, pickups across the city and suburbs can be grouped into one scheduled run.
When the work is done, you receive a report listing each device, the date, the method used and the final destination. It is written to be handed to an auditor, insurer or client without extra explanation.
We keep these records organized so you can find them when a question comes up months later. If your policies require specific wording or retention, tell us and the paperwork follows it.
Plenty of companies can fix a laptop. These are the three reasons clients mention most when they explain why they picked Ping Chicago.
Your technicians know how Loop high-rises handle building access, why basement server closets flood in summer storms and how long it really takes to reach Oak Brook at 4 p.m. That local knowledge turns into faster, calmer fixes.
Your network, devices and backups are watched around the clock. Most issues are caught and fixed before anyone in your office notices, and the rest are explained to you in plain English.
You get a written per-user quote after a free assessment, with every included service listed. No hourly surprises, no emergency rates and no fine print about what counts as extra.
Pickup logistics change from the Loop to the suburbs. We plan each run around your building, your hours and your equipment.
Most Loop offices share a building’s internet riser, wiring closets and security desk. Managed IT here means working with property management on access and cabling, keeping remote access stable for commuters and scheduling after-hours work around building rules.
Creative agencies need fast Wi-Fi for large files and constant video calls, while medical offices near Northwestern Memorial need HIPAA-ready systems. Both get the same help desk, with security matched to the data they store.
Teams here grow fast, so new hires need laptops, accounts and access on their first day. Managed IT keeps onboarding repeatable and the network ready for the next floor or the next office.
Dental and medical practices, therapists and small firms run on a few critical systems: scheduling, imaging and billing. Managed IT keeps them patched, backed up and running before the first appointment of the day.
Point-of-sale systems, guest Wi-Fi and a handful of laptops can still take a shop offline. Managed IT separates guest and business networks and keeps payment systems updated and monitored.
Event, hospitality and professional offices near McCormick Place deal with seasonal rushes. Managed IT scales support around busy weeks and keeps shared and public spaces secure.
Practices and offices in Evanston and Skokie get the same remote help desk as downtown clients, with on-site visits scheduled for hardware, cabling and network work.
Logistics and distribution businesses near O’Hare run warehouses, scanners and shipping systems around the clock. Managed IT monitors those networks 24/7 and plans updates outside shift changes.
Three common ways to retire old IT equipment. They differ most in proof, risk and how much of your time they take.
| Topic | Ping Chicago | Local Electronics Recycler | DIY / Trash or Donate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data erasure | Verified wipe or destruction | Often not included | Usually just a reset, if anything |
| Proof of handling | Serial-numbered report | Basic receipt at best | None |
| Device tracking | Full inventory from start to finish | Counted by box or weight | Not tracked |
| Building logistics | Dock & elevator scheduling handled | Drop-off or basic pickup | You carry it out |
| Account cleanup | Devices removed from tools & cloud | Not part of the service | Often forgotten |
| Typical cost | Per-device pricing, agreed up front | Low, sometimes free | Free, but risky |
| Your time | One list, one approval | Sorting & coordinating | Hours of sorting & hauling |
You stop guessing what happened to old equipment and start holding proof of it.
Storage is wiped or destroyed before any device leaves your control.
Each device has a serial-numbered record you can hand to an auditor.
Closets, server rooms and storage cages get cleared and stay that way.
Pricing is agreed up front, so disposal never shows up as a surprise bill.
Disposal works best alongside the rest of your IT, so these pages are worth a look.
Enroll, track and remotely wipe phones and tablets before they are retired.
Patch ManagementKeep devices updated while they are in use, so fewer end up retired early.
Data Backup ServicesConfirm important files are safely backed up before any old device is wiped.
IT Relocation ServicesMove to a new office and retire old equipment in one coordinated project.
Our old provider took a day to answer. Now a typical ticket is closed in about 12 minutes, and password resets happen while I’m still on the phone. Our staff stopped complaining about IT within the first month, which never happened before.
We were nervous about changing providers with deadlines ahead. The whole move took three weeks, email and files kept working throughout, and every login and device was documented. Not one person missed a day of work because of it.
We used to get surprise invoices every time something broke. Now it’s one predictable monthly bill, and problems get flagged before we notice them. Planning our IT budget takes five minutes instead of an argument with the owner.
After a free assessment, you receive a written quote with per-device pricing and pickup details. No surprises, no pressure to sign.
It is the process of safely retiring old computers, servers, phones and storage. That means tracking each device, erasing or destroying its data, recycling or reselling the hardware and keeping records that prove it was done.
No. Deleted files can often be recovered, and a simple reset may leave data behind. Proper erasure overwrites the storage and verifies the result. Drives that cannot be wiped should be physically destroyed.
It typically depends on device count, drive type and pickup effort. Many small offices pay a modest per-device fee, with extra for destruction or after-hours service. You get a written quote after a free assessment.
Yes. We plan around freight elevator reservations, loading dock windows and building insurance requirements. Many Loop pickups happen early morning or on weekends to avoid disrupting other tenants and your own staff.
Yes. Many modern copiers and multifunction printers store scanned documents on internal drives. We include them in the inventory, erase or destroy those drives and document the result like any other device.
Working devices can be wiped and resold, donated or recycled, depending on age and your preference. Older or damaged hardware goes to certified recycling. You decide the path for each item on the approved list.
Yes. You receive a report listing each device by serial number, the method used, the date and the final destination. This can be shown to auditors, insurers or clients when they ask.
Small jobs can be done within a week of approving the inventory. Larger projects, multiple sites or witnessed destruction take longer. We give a timeline in the written quote, based on your schedule.
Yes. We pick up across Cook County, including Evanston, Skokie, Oak Brook and Schaumburg. Multi-site clients can group pickups into one scheduled run to keep costs and disruption down.
Yes. Confirm anything important is saved elsewhere before wiping, because erased data cannot be recovered. We can check this during the assessment and flag devices with files that are not backed up.
Need something slightly different? These services cover the same ground from another angle.
A free assessment lists your retired devices, the risks and what safe disposal would cost.