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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11node-purge-ttl controls how long PuppetDB keeps a node after it has been deactivated or expired. Puppet documents a default of 14 days; after that period, PuppetDB purges the node and its associated facts, catalogs, and reports. This is separate from node-ttl, which determines when inactivity makes a node expire in the first place.
How PuppetDB’s node-retention timers work
Node cleanup has two distinct stages: expiration and purge. The timers measure different periods, so the time from a node’s last activity to deletion is not just node-purge-ttl.
| Setting | What it controls | Documented default |
|---|---|---|
node-ttl |
How long a node can be inactive before PuppetDB considers it expired. | 7 days, as documented by Puppet in 2026. |
node-purge-ttl |
How long an expired or deactivated node is retained before PuppetDB deletes it and its associated data. | 14 days, as documented by Puppet in 2026. If set to 0s, automatic node deletion is disabled. |
report-ttl |
How long reports are retained by age, independently of node expiration. | 14 days, as documented by Puppet in 2026. |
gc-interval-purge-nodes |
How often PuppetDB checks for nodes eligible for purging. | Defaults to gc-interval; Puppet’s 2026 configuration reference does not give a separate interval value here. |
node-purge-gc-batch-limit |
Maximum number of nodes purged during one garbage-collection cycle. | 25 nodes per cycle, as documented by Puppet in 2026. |
With the documented 7-day node-ttl and 14-day node-purge-ttl defaults, a node that simply stops reporting would ordinarily reach the expiration threshold after seven days, then become eligible for purging after a further 14 days. The elapsed time can be longer because PuppetDB performs the checks on its garbage-collection schedule and may process eligible nodes over multiple cycles.
What happens when a node is deactivated, expired, or purged
Deactivated or expired: retained, but not treated as active
Deactivation removes a node from normal active-node behavior without immediately deleting its stored data. Expiration is the inactivity-based transition governed by node-ttl. In either case, the node remains available during the purge-retention period.
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New data can reactivate a retained node
PuppetDB’s maintenance documentation says that a deactivated or expired node is reactivated if PuppetDB receives new catalogs or facts for it. This means a node name that returns before purge can resume active status rather than being treated as permanently removed.
Purge: node data is removed
When a node becomes eligible and a purge cycle processes it, PuppetDB deletes the node and its associated facts, catalogs, and reports. Purging is therefore more consequential than merely marking a node inactive: the node’s stored PuppetDB history associated with that node is removed.
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How to set node-purge-ttl in Puppet Enterprise
- In the Puppet Enterprise console, open the PuppetDB node group and set
puppet_enterprise::profile::puppetdb::node_purge_ttlto the desired duration, such as14d. - Commit the node-group change.
- Run Puppet on the primary server and console hosts so the configuration change is applied.
- Allow for the purge-check schedule and batch processing when verifying that eligible nodes have been removed.
PuppetDB duration values accept d for days, h for hours, m for minutes, s for seconds, and ms for milliseconds. An explicit 14d setting expresses the documented default directly. Setting 0s disables automatic node deletion; it does not mean purge nodes immediately.
Why old nodes or reports can still be present
- The node is inactive but still inside its purge-retention period. Expiration and deletion are separate events, with
node-purge-ttlapplying after deactivation or expiration. - The next purge check has not run yet. The
gc-interval-purge-nodessetting controls check frequency and defaults togc-interval. - The batch limit is constraining throughput. The documented
node-purge-gc-batch-limitdefault is 25 nodes per cycle. If eligible nodes accumulate faster than the process clears them, Puppet recommends raising the limit or supplementing automatic garbage collection with manualpurge_noderequests. - The node has sent new data and been reactivated. New catalogs or facts can reactivate a deactivated or expired node before it is purged.
- Report retention is being confused with node retention.
report-ttlcontrols report age separately, while purging a node removes reports associated with that node. Longer report retention increases database size.
Check whether PuppetDB considers a node inactive
To check inactive nodes, query with node_state = 'inactive'. The PuppetDB API also supports node_state = 'any' when the result should include both active and inactive nodes. Seeing a node in an inactive-node query does not by itself mean the purge deadline has passed; retention and garbage-collection processing still determine when deletion occurs.
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Before shortening node-purge-ttl, consider how quickly a returning machine must be recoverable with its existing PuppetDB data and how long operators need that history for audits or troubleshooting. Also check whether the purge batch capacity can keep pace with the number of nodes becoming eligible. A shorter setting reduces how long deactivated-node data remains available; a longer setting preserves it longer and can contribute to database growth, particularly when report retention is also extended.
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