When writing records to a custom ControlUp Edge data index via the REST API (POST to edge/api/data/), users may encounter an issue where repeated writes of the same record result in duplicate entries rather than updates to existing records. Additionally, there is a desire to prevent these records from expiring after the default 28 days of inactivity. This discussion sheds light on both the mechanics of record updating and the association of records with the endpoint running the write operation.
The key to controlling whether a record is created anew or updated lies in the uniqueness of the "key" field or primary identifier used in the data index schema. When writing data via a PowerShell script—whether executed inside ControlUp or externally—the operation will create a new record if the key value is not recognized. To update an existing record, the key must remain consistent and the write must explicitly target that key. The official ControlUp scripting guide provides useful guidance for writing data to an index, outlining how to structure the payload and use keys: https://support.controlup.com/docs/scripting-guide#writing-to-a-data-index. Running the script inside ControlUp offers the advantage of on-demand execution with local file availability, but it is not strictly necessary; scripts can also run externally.
A practical complication arises from the fact that data written to the index often becomes associated with the endpoint where the script executes, as seen when the computer name appears linked to each record. This behavior stems from ControlUp’s design, where data sources are tied to machine endpoints to facilitate monitoring and troubleshooting. In scenarios where building information needs to be stored independently of endpoint context, some organizations have implemented custom solutions such as storing building data locally on endpoints (e.g., in registry or Active Directory properties), then running scripts on each endpoint to gather and send this data to ControlUp. While this approach inherently associates data with those endpoints, it maintains up-to-date building information across the environment.
Controlling record expiration beyond the default 28 days typically requires adjusting settings on the data index or implementing regular writes to keep the record active. Without ongoing updates, ControlUp’s retention policy will remove inactive records. Users are also encouraged to explore ControlUp Workflows for automating data collection and writing processes, which can streamline operations despite a learning curve. The ControlUp support team and community forums remain valuable resources for addressing specific scripting and data index challenges.
For additional details and sample scripts, the ControlUp scripting guide is recommended: https://support.controlup.com/docs/scripting-guide#writing-to-a-data-index.
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ControlUp for Desktops Training & Support Archives
ControlUp for Desktops (Edge-DX) training and support-related archives from inside the ControlUp Community on Slack.
How to Identify and Manage Duplicate Devices in ControlUp Desktops Due to Reimaging and Agent Re-registration
A common challenge with ControlUp's Desktops product arises when IT teams test new device models by repeatedly reimaging machines, causing multiple instances of the same device to register with unique device IDs but identical hostnames. This scenario leads to an inflated license count, as each registration consumes a license until the devices are flagged inactive and subsequently removed from the system.
To identify these "duplicate" devices, one effective method involves querying the ControlUp `device_status` data index. While leveraging ControlUp Dashboards can help visualize this data, caution is advised when running queries based solely on device IDs without applying appropriate filters to avoid misleading results. Advanced options in the dashboard allow adding additional metrics that can pinpoint such duplicates by hostname or device name, which is particularly helpful since the root issue is not duplicate device IDs but duplicate device names retained after reimaging.
In practice, customizing dashboard widgets with additional filters and metrics can enable teams to monitor and isolate devices that have been repeatedly reimaged and registered, streamlining license management. For devices already deployed, it is possible to run a script that forces re-registration of devices with a new unique ID to prevent license count inflation. This step may be beneficial where device IDs need to be refreshed or reset in the ControlUp environment.
Another important factor involves deployment parameters. For example, the `REGISTERWITHNAME=1` flag, if set during agent deployment, can cause devices to register under the same name, exacerbating duplicate name issues. However, in many cases, the default setting with the `ALLUSERS=1` flag, used in ControlUp's standard installer from the Downloads pane, is sufficient and does not trigger duplicate registrations unless devices are repeatedly reimaged and reset by users.
Overall, the underlying cause of the inflated license usage is the repeated device reimaging and agent re-registration under the same hostname but with unique IDs. Proper use of the `device_status` index for querying, cautious dashboard configurations, potential scripting to reset device IDs, and awareness of deployment flags can effectively manage and mitigate "duplicate" device issues within the ControlUp Desktops product.
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How to Configure AND vs OR Logic with Device Tags in ControlUp Alerts
When configuring alerts in ControlUp based on device tags, a frequent question arises regarding whether selecting multiple device tags in the alert conditions operates as an OR or AND logic. It was clarified that in the current ControlUp alert configuration interface, when multiple device tags are selected, the alert triggers if the device has any one of the specified tags. This means the condition acts as a logical OR between the tags rather than an AND.
The user interface presents these tag selections as checkboxes, limiting the direct ability to express compound AND logic (such as requiring both tags to be present simultaneously). There is no built-in switch or toggle to explicitly select AND versus OR behavior for device tag conditions. While the idea of combining tags using expressions like "tag1&&tag2" was discussed, this is not supported directly within the tag selection box, and typing such expressions does not function as a filter in the UI.
However, a workaround approach involves leveraging multiple alert conditions, which are inherently ANDed together by ControlUp. For instance, instead of trying to combine two tags in one condition, you can create two separate conditions that must both be true, effectively achieving an AND between device tag criteria. Since tags are treated as string fields in the system, operators such as "contains" or "=" can be used in these conditions. Using "contains" is useful but may lead to partial matches, which requires careful tag naming conventions to avoid unintended matches (e.g., "reboot_device" matching both "reboot_device" and "no_reboot_device").
To address this, users have adapted by modifying their tagging strategies to use more distinctive and unambiguous tag names like "device_reboot_yes" and "device_reboot_no," which helps ensure that the use of "contains" or equality checks does not overlap between conflicting tags. Some users also explored adding exclusion conditions (e.g., conditions that exclude devices with certain tags), but these might not cover all scenarios adequately.
The community suggested it would be valuable for ControlUp to enhance alert configuration with explicit AND/OR toggles or support for string operations like "starts with" to improve flexibility for tag-based alerting. Meanwhile, using multiple conditions combined with clear tag naming conventions is the recommended practical approach for achieving AND logic with device tags in alerts.
For more detailed information on alert condition configuration and tag-based filtering, refer to the official ControlUp documentation at https://docs.controlup.com. This includes guidance on condition operators, tag management, and best practices for alert configurations.
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How to Use ControlUp Workflows to Add Devices to Groups and Tagging Devices Efficiently
A new user of ControlUp sought guidance on building workflows to manage device organization, specifically adding devices to groups and tagging them. The user was attempting to create a workflow starting with a "List Devices" step, filtering devices by an ID pattern containing "HR," followed by a "Set Group" step intended to assign those devices to an "HR" group. However, uncertainty arose over what value to enter in the "Device ID" field within the "Set Group" step.
A key insight provided by community members clarified that the "List Devices" action returns multiple device records, each representing a unique device. Consequently, the "Set Group" step cannot directly accept multiple device IDs at once in a simple field. Instead, it requires isolating each device's ID through iteration. This can be accomplished by using an array to collect the IDs and then looping through the array to apply the group assignment individually to each device. This approach ensures that each device is addressed correctly when setting group membership.
Further advice noted that an alternative and potentially more streamlined approach is to assign the group at the time of agent deployment. According to ControlUp's official documentation on agent installation and distribution (https://support.controlup.com/docs/edge-dx-agent-distribution-and-installation-for-windows#installation-methods), groups can be set during the agent installation process itself, which might simplify workflows where initial grouping is critical.
For complex or specific setup requirements, it is recommended to consult your ControlUp Customer Success Manager (CSM), who can provide tailored support based on your environment and goals. This guidance should help new users effectively automate device grouping and tagging using ControlUp workflows while leveraging best practices outlined in the official resources.
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Understanding and Managing Device Online Status Timeout in ControlUp
In a recent discussion regarding device status indicators within ControlUp, a user inquired about the possibility of customizing the timeout period that determines when a device’s online status changes from a green dot to gray after losing connection. Currently, the system shows a green dot for devices that have been contacted within the last 60 minutes. The user wanted to reduce this timeout to 10 minutes so that devices appear offline sooner after losing connection.
It was clarified by a ControlUp expert that the 60-minute window for displaying a device as online is a platform-level behavior that is hardcoded and currently not adjustable by tenants or administrators. The ControlUp agent operates on a fixed heartbeat cycle, and the online or offline status indicator is calculated server-side based on this fixed threshold. As such, there is no existing setting within the Extended Settings or any other configuration that allows users to shorten this timeout period.
Since this timeout value is not configurable via the UI or Extended Settings, changing it would require a formal feature request to ControlUp’s development team. For now, the 60-minute heartbeat interval remains the standard for determining online device status, and users must expect the green dot to persist for up to one hour after the last successful contact. This behavior is consistent and reliable to avoid fluctuating device statuses due to shorter network interruptions.
For more detailed information on ControlUp agent heartbeat and device status indicators, users can consult the ControlUp documentation and knowledge base at https://docs.controlup.com or explore related training resources on the ControlUp Academy at https://cuacademy.controlup.com.
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Status and Options for Ivanti Neurons ITSM Integration with ControlUp
ControlUp currently offers a native, first-party integration exclusively with ServiceNow for IT service management (ITSM) purposes. This integration provides advanced functionality beyond typical ticket creation: it can update an originally created ticket automatically if the same issue recurs, close the ticket when the issue resolves, and reopen it if the problem reappears, based on configurable recurrence and timing settings. Additionally, this ServiceNow integration is embedded directly into the device overview and specific device details user interface within ControlUp, providing seamless operational visibility.
Other ITSM systems are supported primarily through ControlUp Workflows, which offer integration capabilities with several platforms including Jira Service Desk, Freshservice, Zendesk, TOPdesk, and Halo ITSM, using broad REST-based connectivity. ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus and its on-premises version also have integration options available behind feature flags. While Jira is integrated for workflows, it does not yet have a native ControlUp integration matching ServiceNow’s level of direct functionality.
Regarding Ivanti Neurons ITSM, there is currently no native or first-party integration with ControlUp. No active development plans or timelines have been announced for such an integration. Ivanti Neurons is also not included in the existing set of ITSM connectors available in ControlUp Workflows. However, users interested in integrating Ivanti Neurons can leverage the Workflows platform’s custom integration feature, which allows interaction with Ivanti’s REST API to build tailored solutions fitting organizational needs. Although this requires some configuration effort, it is the recommended alternative until an official integration is developed.
The ControlUp team has acknowledged requests for additional native ITSM integrations beyond ServiceNow, including Ivanti Neurons and Jira, and has indicated these will be considered for future roadmap development. However, no estimated time of arrival (ETA) is provided at this stage. For now, leveraging the robust Workflows engine with available connectors and custom API integrations offers the best path forward for integrating ITSM systems other than ServiceNow.
For detailed guidance on configuring Workflows, custom integrations, and the native ServiceNow integration, users can refer to ControlUp’s official documentation at https://docs.controlup.com and the ControlUp Academy at https://cuacademy.controlup.com.
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Automating Detection and Remediation of Stuck BitLocker Encryption on Windows 11 Endpoints with ControlUp Real-Time Automation Engine
When deploying hundreds of Windows 11 endpoints managed by Intune, a common issue with BitLocker encryption is that the process sometimes becomes stuck at a certain percentage completion. While manually pausing and restarting the encryption process resolves the issue within minutes, automating this detection and remediation can save considerable time and ensure consistent endpoint security.
Using ControlUp Real-Time Automation Engine (CU4D), such automation is achievable by leveraging scripted detection and remediation. One approach is to create a single script that both detects the encryption status and initiates a restart of the encryption process if it remains stuck at the same percentage. This script can be deployed across all affected devices and scheduled to run periodically, for example, once per day, to identify any stuck BitLocker jobs and resolve them promptly.
A more modular approach involves creating two separate scripts: a detection script and a remediation script. The detection script would check the current encryption percentage, and if it identifies a stuck state, it writes the status to a custom index attribute within ControlUp. An alert can then be configured based on the value of this custom attribute. When the alert triggers due to a stuck encryption status, the remediation script executes automatically to restart the BitLocker encryption, ensuring a timely resolution without manual intervention.
This method harnesses ControlUp's ability to store custom scripted outputs in custom indices and link those to alert triggers, thus providing a robust, automated way to handle encryption stalls on Intune-managed Windows 11 devices. For further details on configuring custom scripts, custom indices, and alerts in ControlUp, administrators can refer to ControlUp's documentation at https://docs.controlup.com and explore automation capabilities in the ControlUp Academy at https://cuacademy.controlup.com.
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Managing Disk Usage on Laptops with ControlUp SIP Agent
ControlUp provides a scripting engine within ControlUp for Desktops, enabling IT administrators to distribute and execute scripts across devices in their environment. This functionality allows for tasks such as IT administration and data collection. ([support.controlup.com](https://support.controlup.com/docs/scripting-guide?utm_source=openai))
To utilize this feature, navigate to ControlUp for Desktops > Configuration > Scripts to view and manage your scripts. The Scripting Guide offers comprehensive instructions on running scripts in ControlUp for Desktops. ([support.controlup.com](https://support.controlup.com/docs/scripting-guide?utm_source=openai))
For managing disk usage on laptops equipped with the SIP agent, you can adapt existing scripts designed for VDI environments. The Scripting Guide provides detailed information on creating and managing scripts, which can be tailored for laptops. ([support.controlup.com](https://support.controlup.com/docs/scripting-guide?utm_source=openai))
Additionally, the ControlUp Script Library offers a collection of useful scripts compiled by ControlUp, which can be imported and customized for your specific needs. ([controlup.com](https://www.controlup.com/scripts/?utm_source=openai))
By leveraging these resources, you can effectively monitor and manage disk usage on laptops using the SIP agent, similar to the capabilities available for VDIs.
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How to Configure Low Disk Space Alerts by Percentage in ControlUp for Devices
In ControlUp for Devices (CU4D), setting up an alert to notify an administrator when any device's OS disk free space drops below a certain threshold can be configured through the Events > Alert Rules section. To create an alert for low disk space, a user needs to define the appropriate category, metric, condition, and value that represent the target threshold.
The recommended approach is to use an alert rule that monitors the free space on the OS disk. While the initial example provided in the community discussion suggested a value-based threshold (e.g., a specific number of gigabytes free), it is also possible to configure an alert based on a percentage of free disk space. This is important for flexibility as percentages provide a more relative and scalable measure across devices with different disk sizes.
To implement this, the alert should be defined in the category related to storage or disk metrics. The metric to monitor would be the percentage of free space available on the OS disk. The condition would then be set to trigger when this percentage falls below a certain value (such as 10%). Once the alert triggers, it can be configured to send an email notification to administrators. Furthermore, ControlUp’s integration with script actions can automate responses to these alerts, such as running a system disk cleanup or presenting a user prompt to clean up space.
For detailed steps and additional options, users are encouraged to refer to the official ControlUp documentation on alert rules and script actions, as well as the ControlUp Knowledge Base and Academy resources at https://docs.controlup.com and https://cuacademy.controlup.com. These resources provide comprehensive guidance on setting conditions, selecting metrics, and automating remediation workflows based on alerts.
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How to Create CPU Usage Alerts in ControlUp That Exclude Restart and Boot Spikes
A common challenge in monitoring CPU usage is avoiding false alerts during system restarts or boot periods, when CPU spikes are normal but typically short-lived. One effective method to address this in ControlUp is to configure an alert rule targeting the device_status data index with specific conditions to filter out these transient spikes.
To create a CPU alert that excludes restart or boot-phase spikes, set up a static threshold alert on Devices with a condition such as cpuload > 80 (adjust the threshold based on your environment). The key element is applying a time window and hit count that accommodates short bursts without triggering alerts. For example, use a time window of 600 seconds (10 minutes) and require 5 hits within that period before the alert fires. Additionally, a retrigger delay of 3600 seconds (1 hour) helps reduce repeated alerts for sustained high CPU usage.
This configuration works because CPU usage during boot or restart typically spikes briefly and does not persist long enough to meet the hit criteria within the time window, thereby filtering out most false positives without complex logic. For situations where CPU remains elevated for longer periods during boot—due to updates, login scripts, or heavy startup applications—it is recommended to implement an uptime check or guard. This further refines alerting by ensuring the system has been running beyond a certain uptime threshold before alerts activate.
These steps provide a practical approach to balancing sensitivity and noise in CPU alerting, improving monitoring accuracy in environments where restarts cause predictable, short-term CPU spikes. For more detailed guidance on creating and tuning alert rules, consult the ControlUp documentation at https://docs.controlup.com/alert-rules and consider exploring uptime monitoring techniques available in ControlUp's device health metrics.
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