Fix “We’ve been unable to poll this device for configuration details” alerts

Use this guide when Auvik displays “We’ve been unable to poll this device for configuration details” or when configuration polling or SSH monitoring suddenly stops working.

Identify the scope of the issue

First, determine how many devices are affected.

One or a few devices: The cause is likely device-specific, such as invalid credentials, an access-control rule, or a device management service issue.
Many or all devices at a site: The cause is more likely a shared dependency, such as a routing or VPN change, firewall policy, collector reachability, or a post-failover path change.

Check the collector and recent changes

Confirm that the assigned collector is online and operating normally in Auvik. If you manage the collector host, also confirm that it is powered on, has its expected IP address, and can reach the internet.

Check for recent changes that may have affected management access, including:

Firewall or firewall HA failover
New or modified VPN configuration
ACL or security-policy changes
Routing or VRF changes
Device or operating-system upgrades
Credential or SSH-key changes

Also verify that DNS and system time are working correctly. DNS failures or significant time differences can interfere with authentication and device lookups.

Test management access from the collector

If the device uses SSH for configuration polling, test connectivity from the collector path rather than from a workstation on another network.

From a Linux-based collector host or authorized diagnostic shell, you can test TCP port 22 with:

nc -vz DEVICE_IP 22

From a Windows collector host, use:

Test-NetConnection -ComputerName DEVICE_IP -Port 22

You can also use Auvik’s supported SSH testing tools to confirm whether the collector can reach the device, authenticate, and execute commands.

If the connection fails, have your network or device administrator review:

Firewall rules between the collector and device management IP
Routing and VRF paths after a failover
Device-side ACLs
The source IP permitted to access the device
Whether SSH is enabled on the correct management interface

If the device uses another configuration-backup protocol, test that protocol and port instead of SSH.

Verify credentials and protocol settings

In Auvik, confirm that the credentials assigned to the affected devices are current and correctly scoped.

On the device, confirm that:

The configured management protocol is enabled
The management interface is operational
The device accepts connections from the collector’s source IP
The configured username has permission to retrieve the running configuration
The expected protocol and port are being used

If SSH keys changed after a firmware upgrade, operating-system update, or HA role change, the stored host-key information may no longer match. Use an available Auvik credential or host-key reset option, if provided. If no reset option is available, contact Auvik Support rather than modifying internal collector files.

Retry configuration polling

After correcting connectivity, credentials, or device settings:

Run a manual configuration backup or retry the configuration poll, if that option is available.
Confirm that the last successful backup or poll timestamp updates.
Verify that subsequent scheduled polls complete successfully.
Confirm that the alert clears or stops recurring.

Collect information if the issue continues

Gather the following information before contacting Support or escalating to your network administrator:

Alert name and exact message
Affected device names and IP addresses
Affected site or sites
Assigned collector
Time the problem began, including timezone
Last successful configuration-poll timestamp
Recent firewall, VPN, routing, HA, firmware, or credential changes
Results of connectivity or SSH tests
Relevant device management or SSH logs

Packet captures and detailed collector diagnostics should be collected only by an authorized network administrator or at the direction of Auvik Support.

Common causes

Common causes of this alert include:

A firewall, VPN, or HA failover changed the route or access policy
Device management moved to another interface or VRF
SSH was disabled or bound to a different interface
Auvik credentials were changed, expired, or incorrectly scoped
SSH host keys changed after an upgrade or failover
The device is rate-limiting or blocking management traffic
The collector cannot reach the device management network
DNS or system-time problems are affecting authentication or lookups

How can we help?