MDM Migration Cleanup: The Post-Migration Sterilization Guide

In an enterprise migration of 500,000 devices, the most critical phase is not the enrollment of the new agent it is the death of the old one.

Residual binaries, stale certificates, and “Ghost” profiles from legacy UEMs (Intune, Workspace ONE, Jamf) are not merely digital clutter; they are stability killers. They cause authentication loops, massive battery drain, and “Configuration Fratricide” where two management agents fight for control of the same registry key.

This document defines the Hexnode Legacy MDM migration cleanup as a deterministic, automated logic that identifies, isolates, and incinerates legacy management stacks, ensuring every device reaches a “Golden State” of purity.

The Safety Lock: The “Transition Handshake”

The automated MDM migration cleanup is never triggered blindly. To prevent the catastrophic “Orphaned Device” scenario (where the old MDM is removed, but the new one isn’t working), the engine enforces a strict Biometric Logic Gate.

The Sterilization Sequence initiates ONLY when the following boolean state is TRUE: Hexnode_Agent_Status == “Active” AND MQTT_Socket == “Connected” AND Security_Baseline == “COMPLIANT”

The Implication: Hexnode must prove it has full command-and-control over the OS encryption and policy layer before it is granted permission to cleanup the previous MDM software before full migration.

Phase 01: The Binary Purge (Surgical Removal)

Once the handshake is verified, the Hexnode Agent initiates a Process Scan to identify known signatures of the previous occupier (e.g., IntuneManagementExtension.exe or AirWatch Hub).

The Execution: Instead of a polite uninstall, the Agent executes a Genie AI Script designed to bypass legacy “Self-Protection” mechanisms.

1. Terminate: A kill -9 or Taskkill /F command halts the background services (daemons) from the old provider immediately.
2. Eradicate: The uninstallation strings are executed silently.
3. Verify: The Agent performs a forensic scan of /Program Files/ or /Applications/ to ensure the directory is null.

Phase 02: Identity Sanitation (PKI Scrub)

Removing the app is easy; removing the trust is hard. Stale Wi-Fi and VPN certificates from the old PKI are the primary cause of “Connection Flapping” post-migration.

The Action: The Sterilization Engine audits the System Keychain and Certificate Store.

• Identify: The system scans for any security certificates issued by your previous Certificate Authority (CA) provider.
• Purge: These certs are revoked and deleted from the local store.
• Re-Bind: The system explicitly marks the new Hexnode SCEP certificates as the “Preferred Identity” for all network handshakes (802.1x/VPN).

Phase 03: The Deep Scrub (Registry & Profiles)

Even after an agent is gone, “Ghost Profiles” dormant XML settings or Registry Keys can persist, causing unpredictable behavior.

The Forensic Sweep:

• Windows: The Agent scrubs HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Enrollments, surgically removing GUIDs associated with the old MDM provider while preserving system-critical keys.
• macOS: It verifies the removal of all third-party Configuration Profiles that do not match the cryptographically signed manifest from the Hexnode Dedicated Cluster.

Phase 04: The “Golden State” Certification

A device is not “Migrated” until it is “Clean.”

The Final Loop:

• System Performance Baseline (DEX): The Agent recalculates the system’s health metrics (CPU load, battery drain, and boot time). With the legacy software removed, these metrics typically improve by 15-20%, establishing a new performance baseline.
• Automated Ticket Closure (ITSM Sync): Once the device is certified clean, Hexnode sends a real-time data signal (Webhook) directly to your service desk platform, such as ServiceNow or Zendesk. By transmitting a secure data packet containing the unique Device ID and a “Success” status, the system automatically resolves the migration ticket and updates the asset record to “Operational”.

Governance: The Deadman Switch

Managing a global uninstallation campaign requires “Nuclear Safety” protocols.

1. The “Safety Stop” (Connectivity Preservation)

If the Hexnode Agent detects a drop in network connectivity during the execution of the purge script, the script halts immediately. It does not attempt to resume until a stable connection is re-established. Rule: Never leave a device in limbo.

2. Success Throttling (The Wave Model)

We do not sterilize 500,000 devices at once. The cleanup is deployed in concentric waves:

• Wave 1: 1,000 Devices (Canaries)
• Wave 2: 5,000 Devices
• Wave 3: 50,000 Devices

3. The Immutable Audit

Every file deleted, every certificate revoked, and every registry key scrubbed is logged. This data is pushed to the Action History and Audit Reports within the Hexnode portal, providing a forensic-grade “Proof of Cleanliness” for security auditors.