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ReDatCet | Reusing data centre hardware to conserve resources, economically and ecologically.
Server and storage systems are often replaced after about five years, usually not because of technical faults but because manufacturer support ends. ReDatCet shows companies how to safely extend the life of their hardware through third-party maintenance services.
EVERY EXTRA YEAR OF USE PREVENTS E-WASTE AT THE SOURCE.
WHAT WE WORK ON IN REDATCET
What it is about
The project addresses the first level of the waste hierarchy: waste prevention by deliberately extending the service life of large IT equipment. The EU Waste Framework Directive explicitly counts extending product life as prevention. The focus is on server and storage systems used in data-intensive sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, retail and healthcare. In practice, fully functional hardware becomes waste far too early. E-waste is among the fastest-growing waste streams: in 2022 around 62 million tonnes were generated worldwide, and only about 22 percent was documented as collected and recycled.
What we do
Talks with IT service providers revealed a potential: hardware life could be extended through third-party maintenance services, yet many companies are unaware of this option. We first research the conditions, risks and opportunities for safely continuing to run server infrastructure, from an economic, technical, legal and ecological angle. A workshop with knowledge transfer from the experienced IT service provider Compucons discusses the findings and reveals new opportunities and risks. We then turn this knowledge into practical guidance. Through direct conversations and online formats across regions we enable companies to make informed decisions about keeping their systems. A publicly available opportunities and risks report spreads these options widely.
Why it matters
Strong demand for AI hardware has pushed prices for memory and SSD storage up sharply since 2025, in some cases more than doubling them. For Austrian SMEs, renewing IT infrastructure is becoming harder to plan and more expensive. Ecologically, the lever lies in saving primary materials: server and storage hardware contains critical raw materials such as copper, gold, tantalum and gallium, and hard drives also contain neodymium magnets. Recycling so far covers only a small share of demand, around one percent for rare earths. ReDatCet is also a starting point for further circular approaches in procurement and disposal, up to an ecosystem with maintenance providers, refurbishers and trading platforms.
QUESTIONS ABOUT REDATCET?
Want to keep your servers running longer or learn more about the project? Get in touch.
Bastien Huber
Research and consortium projectsBastien supports our research projects, from research to knowledge transfer into companies.