Automated secure disposal of hardware components

A method performed by a computer on an autonomous mobile unit (“AMU”) in a computing system having a plurality of servers interconnected by a computer network, wherein the method comprises:

• receiving, from a task scheduler of the computing system, data representing a maintenance command instructing removal of a hardware component from one of the plurality of servers located at a destination location in a datacenter;
• and
• in response to receiving the maintenance command,
• instructing the AMU to autonomously navigate from a current location to the destination location corresponding to the one of the plurality of servers;
• upon arrival at the destination location,
• verifying an identity of the hardware component;
• and
• upon verification of the identity of the hardware component,
• transmitting, to the task scheduler, an indication that the hardware component is verified;
• receiving, from the task scheduler, an authorization to remove the hardware component from the one of the plurality of servers;
• based on the received authorization, instructing a robotic arm on the AMU to remove the hardware component from the one of the plurality of servers and facilitate secure destruction of the removed hardware component;
• and
• upon successful removal and secure destruction of the hardware component by the robotic arm, generating and transmitting, to the task scheduler of the computing system, telemetry data indicating successful removal and secure destruction of the hardware component from the one of the plurality of servers.

A computing device in a computing system having a plurality of servers interconnected by a computer network, the computing device comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory operatively coupled to the processor, the memory containing instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
• select an autonomous mobile unit (“AMU”) to remove a hardware component from one of the plurality of servers in the computing system;
• transmit a maintenance command to the selected AMU, the maintenance command instructing the selected AMU to autonomously navigate to a destination location corresponding to the one of the plurality of servers in which the hardware component is installed and to remove the hardware component from the one of the plurality of servers;
• receive, from the selected AMU, a verification indication indicating that an identity of the hardware component is verified by the selected AMU;
• upon receiving the verification indication, transmit, to the selected AMU, an authorization to remove the hardware component from the one of the plurality of servers;
• subsequently, receive, from the selected AMU, telemetry data indicating successful removal of the hardware component from the one of the plurality of servers and secure destruction of the removed hardware component;
• and
• based on the received telemetry data, update an entry in an audit log regarding the successful removal and secure destruction of the hardware component from the one of the plurality of servers.