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Auto Clean Feature

Auto Clean rules help you automatically manage old or stale data in Device42. If an object (like a device or an IP address) isn't found by a subsequent discovery job or updated manually, it may be out of service — this is especially common for servers and other objects in public clouds, but can also apply to objects behind a corporate firewall.

This page covers the CI types that Auto Clean rules can target, how to view existing rules, and how to create new ones. Device42 includes system-defined Auto Clean rules that you can use as provided or as templates. Some rules are enabled by default, while others are disabled examples that you can review and enable as needed.

Auto Clean Supported CIs​

Auto Clean rules can target a wide variety of Configuration Items (CIs), from Assets to Users to VLANs, and everything in between.

You can select the following object types as Auto Clean rule targets:

  • Administrators
  • Assets
  • Certificate Instances
  • Certificates
  • Device Hardware Model
  • Devices
  • End Users
  • IP Addresses
  • IP NAT/Map
  • Operating Systems
  • Parts
  • Ports
  • Power Units
  • Resources
  • Scheduled Tasks
  • Service Communications
  • Service Instances
  • Service Listener Ports
  • Software Components
  • Software In Use
  • Subnets
  • VLANs

View Auto Clean Rules​

Navigate to the Auto Clean Rules list page under Tools > Templates & Bulk Operations > Auto Clean Rules.

Note that the system rule, Shared IPs maintenance, uses a Number of Days option instead of the Modify Search option.

Auto Clean Rules menu locationAuto Clean Rules menu location

Remove Undetected Software Installations​

Device42 includes the enabled Remove Undetected Software Installations rule. It deletes software-in-use records with a Days Undetected value greater than 31.

The rule has the following configuration:

  • Object Type: Software In Use
  • Search Criteria: Days Undetected is greater than 31
  • Action: Delete the data

You can edit or clone the rule to use a different threshold or other available criteria. If a matching software-in-use record cannot be deleted because it is assigned to a job, Device42 skips that record and continues running the rest of the Auto Clean job.

Remove Undetected Software Installations Auto Clean ruleRemove Undetected Software Installations Auto Clean rule

Create New Auto Clean Rules​

Navigate to Tools > Templates & Bulk Operations > Auto Clean Rules and then click Create.

The combination of object types and search criteria you select defines the Auto Clean rule. As you build your search criteria, the Preview list shows the objects that the rule will be applied to.

  • Name the rule and click the pencil icon.

    Add Search Criteria iconAdd Search Criteria icon

  • Select an Object Type for the rule to target (for example, Devices).

    Object Type dropdownObject Type dropdown

Build search criteria for the selected object type using the basic dropdown filters and the advanced search option.

  • For the Devices object type, for example, you could select physical under the Type dropdown. Click More Filters to display more basic dropdown filters to select values from.

    Basic filter optionsBasic filter options

  • You can also use the Advanced Search feature to include search criteria.

    Advanced Search optionAdvanced Search option

  • Click Add to apply the search for the object type. Click the pencil icon again to add another device and define search criteria for it.

    Added Devices object with Advanced criteriaAdded Devices object with Advanced criteria

Auto Clean Rule Options​

Select the actions to perform on CIs matching the added object types and their criteria. The available Action options vary depending on which Object type you select for the rule. The example below shows the action options for Device objects.

Auto Clean Rules Action options for DevicesAuto Clean Rules Action options for Devices
  • Delete the data: Delete the object.
  • Archive and delete the data: Create an archive record for the object and delete the object. You can find archived records under Analytics > Archived Objects.
  • Clear all IPs: Remove IPs from the device.
  • Clear all IPs for this subnet: Clear all device IPs from the entered or selected subnet.
  • Clear all Connectivity: Clear all connectivity to the device.
  • Change to not in service: Set the device status to not in service.
Service level and email notification optionsService level and email notification options
  • Change device service level to: Choose the service level to assign when the rule is triggered.
  • Send email to: Send a notification when the rule is triggered.
Webhook Auto Clean Endpoints boxWebhook Auto Clean Endpoints box
  • Webhook AutoClean Endpoints: Add or delete webhooks that will be sent when the rule is triggered.
info

Auto Clean rules run once per day. If only an email or webhook is sent but no action is taken, the email or webhook will repeat each day until an action is taken that deletes or changes the object record.