Discovery causing IP Address flapping: Existing value is still changed by the Pattern to the IP we are scanning, and then changed straight back in an unwanted second update - Known Error

Discovery causing IP Address flapping: Existing value is still changed by the Pattern to the IP we are scanning, and then changed straight back in an unwanted second update Description During Pattern-based Discovery, IP Address values of the main CI may change and then change back immediately in a subsequent update. Unwanted side-effects of the value flapping include:

hundreds/thousands of unwanted update records in Audit History and History Line tables Triggers update business rules twice adds lots of flapping clutter to activity streams, baselines and timelines. unauthorized change request may be created due to this unplanned CI activity Problem PRB1343838 has been fixed in Madrid Patch 9, New York Patch 3 and Orlando with the purpose: to preserve the first IP address used when discovering a CI using Pattern. If user input different IP address for the same CI in the discovery, the CI's old IP address should not be modified.

The fix was implemented as a second non-IRE update to repair the IP Address value after the main IRE update, rather than to avoid changing it in the first place. The flapping remains, and the only difference is that we flap back immediately rather than on the next scan.

Steps to Reproduce

Create a device with multiple IP address (A and B), for instance: a Cisco switch. Discover the CI for the first time with IP address A. Observe that this CI has filled in with IP address A. Create new discovery with IP address B. Observe that the CI in step 2 still has filled in with IP address A. Check the Audit History for this CI to see what actually happened in the background. You can see that the CI was updated with IP address B and immediately updated back again to IP address A. Workaround This problem has been fixed. If you are able to upgrade, review the Fixed In or Intended Fix Version fields to determine whether any versions have a planned or permanent fix.

There is no workaround.

Unfortunately the fix for this has led to another problem: PRB1443223 Discovery leaves an invalid/removed IP address in the main device CI attribute, without updating it to a newly discovered IP. (discovery.device.complete event is not getting fired)