How to Decommission and Recycle Hardware Devices

How to Decommission and Recycle Hardware Devices

Customer Support Portal enables you to decommission and recycle hardware devices, where decommissioning is defined as taking a hardware device out of service, and recycling is returning a hardware device to Palo Alto Networks for recycling.  Please keep in mind decommissioning is a permanent operation.

Purpose of Decommissioning
Decommissioning a hardware device is done when a customer decides they will take a device out of service, and will no longer use the device (including, but not limited, to lab or non-production use). Customer shall not permit the sale or transfer of such device, and customer shall permit Palo Alto Networks, Inc to permanently cease all support, maintenance, and subscriptions to the device. Palo Alto Networks, Inc. requests that all decommissioned devices are disposed of using an e-waste facility.

After decommissioning a hardware device, you have the option to return the device to Palo Alto Networks for recycling.  Customer is responsible for packaging, shipping costs, and export fees. Palo Alto Networks does not take responsibility for damaged or lost shipments.
 

NOTE: The decommission hardware feature is currently available for:

• PA-Series hardware NGFWs and spares
• Panorama M-Series hardware devices and spares
• Prisma SD-WAN ION hardware devices

Decommission Hardware Device

To decommission hardware devices, click Products > Assets menu.
 

 

• To find a hardware device:

1. Search for an asset by its serial number, or
2. Use Add New Filter feature to search for a type of asset, e.g., PA-Series.  Then, look for a device in the resulting asset table, or
3. Find assets associated with an asset family, e.g., NGFW, Prisma SD-WAN, Panorama, then look for a device in the resulting asset table.

Decommission Hardware Devices

In the following screenshot, a user searches for a PA-Series NGFW using its serial number.  Enter a serial number in the Search widget.  CSP displays the matching PA-Series NGFW in the asset table.   Click PA-Series NGFW's Licenses & Subscriptions icon.

Follow the sample workflow below, which describes how to decommission and recycle a PA-Series hardware device.  To decommission and recycle other types of hardware devices. use the sample workflows above to find different types of assets.  Click LIcenses & Subscriptions icon for that hardware device, and use the same workflow to decommission and recycle the hardware device.
 

 

• CSP displays the Licenses & Subscriptions sidecar for this device.  Click Decommission Asset button. 

• CSP displays a page to decommission the PA-Series device you just selected.  Let's assume you also want to recycle this device.  Select Yes to the Recycle Assets question.  Then, enter the location where your device is located.  CSP will later generate an email indicating where you should send this device for recycling (address of a Recycling Depot is listed in an attachment to the email sent to you).  Click Recycle & Decommission button.
• NOTES:
  • Decommissioning feature is available today.  Recycling feature will be available Friday, 27 June 2025.

• CSP verifies the address you entered to a database of common addresses, and may suggest changes.  You can ignore the recommendation by clicking Cancel button.  Or, accept the recommendation by clicking OK button.

• CSP displays a warning message indicating the decommissioning operation is permanent.  To continue, click Agree and Submit button.

• CSP then displays a dialog box indicating your decommission request is being processed. To view the decommissioning status, go to Assets page, click Account Actions > Decommissioned Assets menu.

• In Assets page > Account Actions > Decommissioned History, CSP displays a page with the status of previously decommissioned and recycled hardware devices.  The sample screenshot shows two PA-Series NGFW's that were successfully decommissioned and recycled.

• If you chose to recycle a hardware device, CSP sends you an email with instructions on where to send the device(s) for recycling.  Be sure to read the attachment in the email, which lists the address of a Recycle Depot to send the device(s).  The address to send your devices depends on where your devices are located.

Bulk Decommission & Recycle Hardware Devices

In the following screenshot, a user searches for PA-Series NGFWs. using the Asset Type filter.  The user then selects two PA-Series NGFWs, and clicks Decommission button to decommission and recycle these two devices.
 

• CSP displays a page to decommission the PA-Series devices you previously selected.  Let's assume you also want to recycle these two devices; select Yes to the Recycle Assets question.  Then, enter the location where your devices are located.  CSP will then create an email indicating where you should send these devices for recycling (the address to send your devices depends on where your devices are located).  Click Recycle & Decommission button.
• When you decommission multiple devices together, please send devices recycled together to the same address.

• CSP verifies the address you entered, and may suggest changes.  You can ignore the recommendation by clicking Cancel button.  Or, accept the recommendation by clicking OK button.

• CSP displays a warning message indicating the decommissioning operation is permanent.  To continue, click Agree and Submit button.

• CSP displays a dialog box indicating your decommission request is being processed. To view the decommissioning status, go to Assets page, click Account Actions > Decommissioned History menu.

• CSP displays a page with the status of previously decommissioned hardware devices.  The sample screenshot shows the two PA-Series NGFWs previously decommissioned were successfully decommissioned and recycled.

• If you chose to recycle hardware devices, CSP will send you an email with instructions on where to send the devices for recycling.  Be sure the read your email attachment, which explains how and where to send hardware devices to Palo Alto Networks for recycling.

View Decommissioned Hardware Devices

• To view decommissioned PA-Series NGFWs, go to Products > Assets page, click Account Actions > Decommissioned Assets menu.

• CSP displays Decommission History page, which contains hardware devices that have been decommissioned and recycled.