Safely Deleting a Disconnected Collector in Auvik

Overview

In Auvik, collectors are lightweight, disposable components responsible for polling devices and gathering network data. Over time, collectors may appear as Disconnected due to host changes, reinstallations, or connectivity issues.

Deleting disconnected collectors is a safe and recommended maintenance task—but only after confirming the disconnection is intentional and not caused by a recoverable issue.

This article explains how to safely validate and delete a disconnected collector, along with the impact on your environment.

Understanding “Disconnected” Status

A collector marked as Disconnected indicates that it cannot communicate with the Auvik cloud.

This may occur for several reasons:

• The collector host has been decommissioned or powered off
• The collector software has been uninstalled
• Network changes are preventing outbound communication

Important

A disconnected state does not always mean the collector is permanently inactive.

Connectivity can be affected by:

• Firewall changes blocking required outbound ports
• Proxy or routing changes
• DNS resolution issues
• Blocked Auvik service URLs

Before deleting a collector, confirm whether the disconnection is intentional or due to a connectivity issue that can be resolved.

When It Is Safe to Delete a Collector

You can safely delete a collector when:

• Its status is Disconnected
• The host system is no longer in use or accessible
• The collector has been intentionally replaced or reinstalled
• You have confirmed the disconnection is not due to network or firewall changes

Prerequisites and Validation Checks

Before deleting a collector, complete the following checks:

1. Confirm Disconnection Is Intentional

Validate that the collector is not recoverable:

• Verify the host is decommissioned or no longer running the collector
• Confirm no recent network changes (firewall, proxy, routing) caused the disconnection
• If applicable, test connectivity to required Auvik endpoints from the host

If the collector can be restored, deletion is not recommended.

2. Ensure Active Collector Coverage

Confirm that at least one connected and healthy collector exists for the site:

• Auvik requires an active collector to poll devices
• Without one, monitoring and data collection will stop

3. Identify the Correct Collector

If a collector was recently reinstalled:

• Verify which instance is the active (Connected) collector
• Cross-check hostname, IP address, or install timestamp

This prevents accidental deletion of an active collector.

Procedure: Deleting a Disconnected Collector

1. Navigate to:
   • Auvik > Settings > Collectors
   • Or the Collectors page for the specific site
2. Locate the collector with status:
   • Disconnected
3. Open the collector’s details
4. Select:
   • Delete Collector or Remove Collector
5. Confirm the deletion

Post-Deletion Behavior

After deleting a disconnected collector:

Collector Removal

• The collector is removed from the tenant/site
• It will no longer appear in:
  • Collector lists
  • Assignment dropdowns

Historical Data Retention

• Previously collected data remains intact
• Device history, alerts, and topology are unaffected

Polling Impact

• The deleted collector will no longer poll devices
• Ensure another active collector is assigned to maintain monitoring

Optional: Host-Level Cleanup

If the collector software still exists on the original host:

• Uninstall it from the operating system

This helps prevent:

• Confusion about active vs. inactive collectors
• Accidental reconnection or duplicate registrations

Best Practices

Use Clear Naming Conventions

Rename collectors to reflect their host systems:

• Example:
  • TOR-DC1-Collector01
  • ClientSite-VM-Collector

This makes it easier to distinguish active and disconnected instances.

Remove Stale Collectors Promptly

After replacing or reinstalling a collector:

• Delete the previous disconnected entry
• Avoid duplicate or outdated collector listings

Validate Before Deleting

Always confirm whether a disconnected state is due to:

• Intentional removal or
• Recoverable connectivity issues

Avoid deleting collectors that may return to service after network fixes.

Summary

Disconnected collectors are safe to delete once you confirm they are no longer in use and not affected by recoverable connectivity issues. Proper validation ensures you maintain uninterrupted monitoring while keeping your Auvik environment clean and organized.