Colocation Data Centre Decommissioning in the UAE
By Ali Hassan, Editor, MAH Recycling
In a colocation hall you own a cage, and everything around it belongs to someone else. That is why colocation data centre decommissioning in the UAE is decided less by the strip-out and more by access, paperwork and the operator’s change window.
This guide covers what to prepare so your crew is not turned away at the lobby.
What access looks like in practice
Operators rarely publish their contractor rules. Equinix does, so it makes a useful reference. Its IBX visit guide says a Customer Portal administrator must raise a work visit ticket, and the name on it must match the visitor’s government ID. Each visitor then gets a QR code for check-in.
Timing matters too. Equinix’s onboarding infographic states that security will not admit visitors who arrive more than one hour before the scheduled start. Visitors are escorted to the space on the ticket, or given an access card that they return at the end.
For Khazna, Moro Hub and other operators, I found no public procedure, so ask your account manager for the contractor and work-visit rules before you plan dates.
What to prepare
| Requirement | What to have ready | Who owns it |
|---|---|---|
| Named work visit | Every crew member listed on the ticket | Tenant administrator |
| Identity | Government photo ID, such as Emirates ID or passport, matching the name | Each visitor |
| Work approval | Risk assessment and method statement (RAMS), plus any permit the operator requires | Contractor |
| Equipment removal | Items listed on the service ticket before they leave | Tenant |
| Shipping | A shipment request ticket, since receiving is separate from the colocation hall | Tenant |
Equinix’s security documentation says that equipment not brought in that day must be listed on the service ticket before it can leave.
RAMS and permits: what to expect
I found no published RAMS rule for UAE colocation sites, but UAE permit-to-work guidance elsewhere gives a clue. A permit-to-work guideline from Mohammed Bin Rashid University, in Dubai Healthcare City, asks contractors for a valid trade licence, Emirates ID, insurance, a method statement and a risk assessment. Expect a colocation operator’s list to look similar, then confirm it.
Write the RAMS for the actual job: cage layout, lifting plan, trolley route, cable handling and what happens if an alarm sounds.
Working next to live customer racks
The room is shared, so the rule is simple: touch only what is yours.
CoreSite’s customer checklist warns that removing blanking panels causes cooling problems, and its containment guidance notes that unnecessary side-panel removal lets hot air wrap into server intakes. Applied to a strip-out, that means gaps you leave behind matter.
If a rack stays, fill the vacated spaces with blanking panels as you remove each unit. If a whole cabinet leaves a contained aisle, ask the operator how it wants the gap sealed.
Remove only your own cabling, label anything you are unsure of, and keep the crew inside the cage boundary.
Sequence the job around the window
Agree the change window first, then work backward. Freeze changes, finalize the serial-level register, and book the loading dock. Arrange for the loading-bay handover to happen on site, with signatures from both sides.
MAH Recycling agrees collection windows around building access rules, and our on-site HDD shredding service is an option if policy keeps drives inside the building.
Send your cage layout and the operator’s contractor procedure through our data centre decommissioning page for a written scope, or browse all MAH Recycling services.
