We have just implemented a small new feature in NM (Network Management).
If you don't use NM, this does not apply to you.

This falls in the category of housecleaning.  You can specify on a per-
network basis an expired dynamic IP address removal time and once a day
NM will remove any dynamic IP addresses that have not been used for the
specified time.  This does not affect static IP addresses or IP address
aliases at all.

Setting this value currently requires Network Update authorization, so
you may have to call the help desk to get this set.  The default will be
30 days.  What this means is that if a machine with a dynamic IP address
is not used on the network for 30 days (or the time specified for the
network), its IP address on that network will be returned to the pool
and the machine will be assigned a new IP address if and when it is used
on that network again.

The other part of this automated database cleaning has to do with
dead/unused host entries.  If a host entry has no IP addresses, MX data,
CNAME,  etc. and has not been touched in any way for 270 days (9
months), it will be removed.

None of this should actually affect anyone's use of the network since
only unused entries will be removed.

The dynamic IP address removal is active for networks where a non-
default value is set now.  We will wait a week until we turn on the 30
day default dynamic IP address removal and the 270 day dead/unused host
removal.

--
Irelann Kerry Anderson          phone:    (207)581-3508
Systems Group                   internet  [log in to unmask]
University of Maine Network - UNET
University of Maine System