Delete Idle Address

ℹ️

Prerequisite: To use this check, you must set up a GCP Recommender connection.

CloudZero has identified Google Compute Engine external IP addresses that appear to be idle (reserved but not attached to any running resource). Unused reserved external IPs can incur ongoing charges, so releasing them can reduce spend with low operational risk when validated.

Google's Recommender flags idle IP addresses using association/usage signals. Treat these as starting points and confirm ownership and dependencies before releasing.

Recommendations

• Verify the IP is truly unused - Confirm it is not attached to a VM NIC, forwarding rule, or load balancer configuration (and isn't being used by any active service).
• Check dependencies before release - Review DNS records, firewall allowlists, application configs, and documentation that may reference the IP.
• Validate ownership/intent - Confirm the IP is not reserved for disaster recovery, cutovers, or upcoming migrations; coordinate with service owners (especially for prod).
• Release safely - Prefer non-prod validation first, schedule changes during maintenance windows, and monitor after release.
• Understand recovery limitations - Once released, the same IP address may not be recoverable; plan updates to any references accordingly.

Note: For how to view, apply, or manage these recommendations in Google Cloud, refer to Google's official documentation on viewing and applying idle resources recommendations.