"Retire" devices

Feature Requests
1

I would like to be able to retire devices in HA.

Right now I am forced to delete devices that are no longer available (e.g. the TV breaks or fridge is
replaced).
But when you delete a device you also lose the ability to access the associated database data.

If there were a retire feature, then the device would still be available for database access whilst at the same time not showing as unavailable everywhere else.

Ideally this would also work for re-appropriated devices such as smart sockets. When the socket gets a new name (because the consumer changes), the old name should be retired and now deleted/replaced. Otherwise again all data access is lost.

Thank you for your consideration.

Alex

2

Why not just disable it?

3

Because then you cannot use the device anymore.

Take power sockets. They will be named after the connected appliance, e.g. Sony TV.
No the Sony TV dies and you connect a Samsung TV.

Disable: You cannot monitor the new TV.
Delete: You cannot look at your old data.
Rename: You cannot look at your old data because it is stored in the DB under its old name.

Retire: You can rename/reuse without limitations.