Implications of Deleting Users

 Before deleting a user, read this topic to understand the consequences and some potential workarounds..

Deleting a User

Here are a few things to think about before you delete a user:  

• Does this user perform key functions for the team using their API key? 
• Does the Cisco Vulnerability Management instance use a Virtual Tunnel which relies on this user's credentials?
• Do other users rely on shared dashboards that this user created? 
• What kind of access does this user have today?  Such as Read-only, Administrator, or Custom Role. 
• Does the organization rely on metrics from this user? 

Important: When a user is deleted, the API key and all dashboard views associated with that user are permanently deleted.

For users that have shared dashboard views, the following warning message will display: 

"Warning! Deleting a user will remove all of their Dashboard Views.

Are you sure you want to delete NAME?

This is a permanent action and cannot be undone. If you desire to retain Dashboard Views created and shared by this user, consider resetting their User ID and Password rather than deleting the user. Read more."

Workarounds:

Service Account for Automated Jobs

If you use a lot of scripts or have a lot of automated jobs running, you might want to create a service account and use the API key associated with that account. Ensure you control how this account should and shouldn't be used because audit logs will only show the service account.

Re-provision the Account

You can keep the account and change its credentials so that you don't lose any information. This prevents the user that you are going to delete from accessing the account. If you don't already have a service account, you could turn the deleted user's account into one. 

Re-create the Shared Dashboards

If you have to delete the user, but you want to keep their shared dashboards, you can re-create the dashboards using another active account before you delete the user. Once you have re-created the dashboards, you can share them to the same groups and delete the user.

Update Jobs with New API Key

If you must delete the user but you rely on jobs (or the Virtual Tunnel) which use their API key, you will need to re-enter a new API key. Copy the API key from another account, or your newly created service account, and update the keys before deleting the user.