# Scheduling Downtime

Maintaining network devices is important for effective network management. Sometimes, you need to perform maintenance on certain types of devices at specific times. During the maintenance period, devices may be taken offline or restarted, causing alarms to alert that they are unavailable. However, because the devices are intentionally offline for maintenance, these alarms are unnecessary. To avoid monitoring devices during maintenance, you can schedule maintenance tasks for them.

[![How to schedule downtime?: Video](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/help/images/nm-schedule-vdo.png)](https://www.youtube.com/embed/A5M17BShfBU)

- [Schedule downtime for a device](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/help/scheduling-downtime.html#schedule)
- [Time zone support](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/help/scheduling-downtime.html#time)
- [To disable a Device Downtime Schedule](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/help/scheduling-downtime.html#disable)
- [To stop the currently running Device Downtime Schedule](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/help/scheduling-downtime.html#stop)
- [For Enterprise edition](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/help/scheduling-downtime.html#enterprise)
- [Notes](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/help/scheduling-downtime.html#points)

## Schedule downtime for a device

Following are the steps to schedule downtime for a device:

- Go to **Settings -> Configuration -> Device Downtime Schedules**.
- Click on **Add Schedule**.
- In the **Add Schedule** form, provide the following details:
  - Schedule Name
  - Schedule Description
  - Select the Status as **Enabled**, if you want the Scheduled task to take effect immediately. Else select **Disabled**, so that you can enable it when required.
  - Select the frequency at which the Task has to be scheduled/executed. It can be **Once**, **Every Day**, **Every Week**, and **Every Month**.

![Downtime Schedule](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/help/images/downtime-scheduler-frequency.png)

  - Specify the start and end time/day of the task in the corresponding fields.
  - If it is a schedule to be executed **every day**, then specify the date from which the task must be scheduled.
  - If it is a monthly schedule, select either the date or the day with the time window for the schedule.
  - You can assign the task to only one of the following options:
    - **Category** (switch, router, server, etc.)
    - **Business view**
    - **Device**
    - **URL Monitors**
- **Alternatively, you can assign devices using a CSV file:**
  - Select the **Configure using CSV file** checkbox.
  - Click **Browse/Upload** and select the CSV file containing the device IP addresses.
- Click **Save**

The schedule will be executed as configured.

**Note:**

**The CSV file must meet the following requirements:**

- It must not contain any header.
- Each IP address should be listed in a single column.
- No additional data should be present in the file.

## Time zone support

OpManager’s Downtime Scheduler includes a Time Zone option, available for all schedule frequencies (Once, Daily, Weekly, and Monthly). This allows downtime to be scheduled based on the time zone provided by the user instead of the OpManager server’s time.

![Downtime Schedule](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/help/images/downtime-scheduler-timezone.png)

- This feature is included in all OpManager editions and you can choose to **enable or disable** the time zone checkbox, while configuring downtime schedule.
- Users no longer need to convert time zones manually. Simply select the local time zone for the device, and the scheduler adjusts automatically.
- **For central:** If the time zone option is disabled, maintenance will follow the local time of the respective probes.
- **For probes & standalone:** You can enable the time zone option to schedule maintenance in the selected time zone. If it's disabled, the maintenance will take place at the server's default time.

## To disable a Device Downtime Schedule

If you wish to disable the device downtime schedule, go to **Settings > Configuration > Device Downtime Schedules** and set the status as **Disable** for the corresponding device downtime schedule.

## To stop the currently running Device Downtime Schedule

- Go to **Settings > Configuration > Device Downtime Schedules** and select the one to be stopped.
- In the **Edit Schedule** page, scroll to the bottom and click on **Save**.
- A message stating _"This schedule is active. Click here to stop the schedule, or update the schedule details after the process is completed"_ will be displayed. You can stop the schedule or update it by doing so.
- To delete a Device Downtime Schedule, click on the delete icon under **Actions** header of the respective schedule.

## For Enterprise edition

**Centralized Configuration:** In enterprise edition, downtime schedules can be configured from both the Central server and individual probes. Devices from multiple probes can be associated under a single schedule, avoiding the need to create separate schedules on each probe. These centralized schedules will be visible on the respective probes. In addition to unified management from the Central, probe-specific downtime schedules can still be configured directly from each probe.

![Downtime Schedule](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/help/images/downtime-scheduler-central.png)

- Devices can be associated to a downtime schedule from the **inventory list view** in Central.

![Downtime Schedule](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/help/images/downtime-scheduler-inventory.png)

- **Dependency details** can be seen in the Central downtime scheduler; if a parent device is under maintenance, dependent devices will be marked as unavailable.

![Downtime Schedule](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/help/images/downtime-scheduler-dependency.png)

- The **audit info** of who created the schedule and other details can be seen under the downtime scheduler list view.

![Downtime Schedule](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/help/images/downtime-scheduler-audit.png)

- From Central, you can set **time zones** for selected probes to ensure maintenance runs at the correct local time.

## Points to remember

- If a device is added under multiple device downtime schedules, chances are that one of the device downtime schedules under which the device is specified may still be in running state. Hence, the specific device will continue to remain in downtime.
- When the parent device is on maintenance, the child devices will not be monitored and their status will be shown as dependent unavailable.
- On Maintenance devices are also considered in the OpManager license count.