Permanently Remove Devices from Monitoring

If Auvik has discovered devices that you do not want to monitor, you can exclude them from discovery and then remove them from the site.

In most situations, we recommend unmanaging the device rather than permanently removing it. Unmanaged devices remain visible in Auvik but are excluded from active monitoring and management activities.

If you want Auvik to stop discovering a device entirely, you must first exclude its IP address or IP address range from network discovery.

Important: Simply deleting a device does not prevent it from being rediscovered. The device must be excluded from discovery before it is deleted.

Common Use Cases

You may want to permanently exclude devices such as:

• Guest devices
• Temporary lab equipment
• Test systems
• Personal devices
• Devices outside the scope of monitoring
• Networks managed by another team

Exclude Devices from Discovery

1. Identify the IP address or IP address range you want to exclude.
2. Navigate to Discovery > Manage Networks.
3. Locate the network that contains the device.
4. Select the network.
5. Click Edit.
6. In the Exclude IP Address Range(s) section, enter the IP address or IP address range to exclude.

7. If you need to add additional addresses or ranges, click the + icon.
8. Click Save.

Once saved, Auvik will no longer attempt to discover devices within the excluded IP address range.

Delete the Existing Devices

After excluding the device or network range:

1. Follow the instructions in the device deletion article.
2. Delete the existing device records from the site.

Because the IP addresses are now excluded from discovery, the devices will not be rediscovered during future discovery cycles.

Understanding Your Options

Unmanage a Device

Use this option when:

• You want the device to remain visible in Auvik.
• You do not want active monitoring.
• You may need to re-enable monitoring later.

Delete a Device

Use this option when:

• The device no longer exists.
• The device was discovered in error.
• You have already excluded the device from discovery.

Exclude an IP Address Range

Use this option when:

• Devices should never be monitored.
• An entire subnet should be ignored.
• You want to prevent future discovery.

Note: Excluding an IP address range prevents Auvik from discovering any devices within that range. Ensure that no required devices are included in the exclusion before saving your changes.

Additional Information

If an excluded device continues to appear in Auvik:

• Verify that the correct IP address or range was excluded.
• Confirm the device does not have another IP address in a monitored range.
• Verify the exclusion was added to the correct network definition.
• Allow sufficient time for discovery and inventory updates to complete.

If necessary, delete the device again after confirming the exclusion is in place.
 

Removing retired or replaced devices with active alerts

If an alert continues to reference a device that has been replaced or decommissioned, first confirm that the alert is associated with the retired device and not the replacement device.

Check the following:

• Device name or hostname.
• IP address.
• Serial number or MAC address.
• Last-seen timestamp.
• Device record in the Auvik inventory or topology.
• Whether the replacement device has already been discovered and is being monitored.

If the alert belongs to the replacement device, do not remove the device. Troubleshoot the alert condition on the active device instead.

Choose the appropriate device action

Unmanage the device

Use Unmanage when you want the device to remain visible in Auvik but no longer want it actively monitored.

This may be appropriate when:

• The device is temporarily out of service.
• You need to retain the device record for reference.
• The device may be returned to service later.

Delete the device

Use Delete when the device no longer exists or should be permanently removed from the Auvik inventory.

Before deleting the device:

1. Capture any documentation, screenshots, notes, or historical information required for audit purposes.
2. Confirm that the device is no longer in production.
3. Confirm that the replacement device is being monitored, if applicable.
4. Verify that the alert is associated with the retired device.
5. Exclude the device’s IP address from discovery if it must not be rediscovered.

Deleting a device removes it from the inventory and topology. Alerts associated with the deleted device may no longer be visible because the alert reference is removed with the device.

Deleting a device does not automatically prevent it from being rediscovered. If the IP address remains within an approved discovery range, Auvik may discover the device again.

Exclude the device from discovery

Use Exclude when you want to prevent Auvik from discovering the device again.

1. Go to Discovery > Manage Networks.
2. Locate the network containing the device.
3. Edit the network.
4. Add the device’s IP address to Exclude IP Address Range(s).
5. Save the network settings.
6. Delete the existing device record if it should also be removed from the inventory.

Excluding an IP address prevents future discovery but does not immediately remove an existing device record. If immediate removal is required, exclude the IP address first and then delete the device.

Do not remove an active device to stop an alert

If the device is still in use, do not delete or unmanage it simply to stop an alert.

Instead:

• Investigate the alert condition.
• Verify device reachability and credentials.
• Review the alert scope and trigger condition.
• Use a maintenance window during planned changes.
• Adjust the alert or exclude the device from that alert only when the exclusion is intentional and documented.

Related articles

• Delete vs. Exclude: Controlling Whether a Device Returns After Removal
• How do I edit device details?
• Why an Offline Alert Is No Longer Visible
• How do I add, edit, or delete alerts?