To rename a node, change the name in Controller UI and then in the app agent configuration file. Changing the node name in the configuration file ensures that the new name is retained through the next agent restart.

If you rename a node from the app agent configuration file only, the effect is that a new node is created with the restarted agent reporting data as that node. Splunk AppDynamics retains the historical data previously collected for the node, but the data is associated with the old node name. For most purposes, renaming the node involves changing it in the UI first, and then in the configuration file.