diff --git a/ironic/db/api.py b/ironic/db/api.py
index 42839aa74b..dfc0b2dbc6 100644
--- a/ironic/db/api.py
+++ b/ironic/db/api.py
@@ -967,16 +967,6 @@ class Connection(object, metaclass=abc.ABCMeta):
                  ident does not exist.
         """
 
-    @abc.abstractmethod
-    def get_not_versions(self, model_name, versions):
-        """Returns objects with versions that are not the specified versions.
-
-        :param model_name: the name of the model (class) of desired objects
-        :param versions: list of versions of objects not to be returned
-        :returns: list of the DB objects
-        :raises: IronicException if there is no class associated with the name
-        """
-
     @abc.abstractmethod
     def check_versions(self, ignore_models=()):
         """Checks the whole database for incompatible objects.
diff --git a/ironic/db/sqlalchemy/api.py b/ironic/db/sqlalchemy/api.py
index 9231428084..e9450f3462 100644
--- a/ironic/db/sqlalchemy/api.py
+++ b/ironic/db/sqlalchemy/api.py
@@ -1736,31 +1736,6 @@ class Connection(api.Connection):
             if count == 0:
                 raise exception.VolumeTargetNotFound(target=ident)
 
-    def get_not_versions(self, model_name, versions):
-        """Returns objects with versions that are not the specified versions.
-
-        This returns objects with versions that are not the specified versions.
-        Objects with null versions (there shouldn't be any) are also returned.
-
-        :param model_name: the name of the model (class) of desired objects
-        :param versions: list of versions of objects not to be returned
-        :returns: list of the DB objects
-        :raises: IronicException if there is no class associated with the name
-        """
-        if not versions:
-            return []
-
-        if model_name == 'Node':
-            model_name = 'NodeBase'
-        model = models.get_class(model_name)
-
-        # NOTE(rloo): .notin_ does not handle null:
-        # http://docs.sqlalchemy.org/en/latest/core/sqlelement.html#sqlalchemy.sql.operators.ColumnOperators.notin_
-        query = model_query(model).filter(
-            sql.or_(model.version == sql.null(),
-                    model.version.notin_(versions)))
-        return query.all()
-
     def check_versions(self, ignore_models=(), permit_initial_version=False):
         """Checks the whole database for incompatible objects.
 
diff --git a/ironic/tests/unit/db/test_api.py b/ironic/tests/unit/db/test_api.py
index 2396b12532..d69414112a 100644
--- a/ironic/tests/unit/db/test_api.py
+++ b/ironic/tests/unit/db/test_api.py
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ from unittest import mock
 from oslo_db.sqlalchemy import utils as db_utils
 from oslo_utils import uuidutils
 import sqlalchemy as sa
-from testtools import matchers
 
 from ironic.common import context
 from ironic.common import exception
@@ -105,45 +104,6 @@ class UpgradingTestCase(base.DbTestCase):
         self.assertFalse(self.dbapi.check_versions())
 
 
-class GetNotVersionsTestCase(base.DbTestCase):
-
-    def setUp(self):
-        super(GetNotVersionsTestCase, self).setUp()
-        self.dbapi = db_api.get_instance()
-
-    def test_get_not_versions(self):
-        versions = ['1.1', '1.2', '1.3']
-        node_uuids = []
-        for v in versions:
-            node = utils.create_test_node(uuid=uuidutils.generate_uuid(),
-                                          version=v)
-            node_uuids.append(node.uuid)
-        self.assertEqual([], self.dbapi.get_not_versions('Node', versions))
-
-        res = self.dbapi.get_not_versions('Node', ['2.0'])
-        self.assertThat(res, matchers.HasLength(len(node_uuids)))
-        res_uuids = [n.uuid for n in res]
-        self.assertEqual(node_uuids, res_uuids)
-
-        res = self.dbapi.get_not_versions('Node', versions[1:])
-        self.assertThat(res, matchers.HasLength(1))
-        self.assertEqual(node_uuids[0], res[0].uuid)
-
-    def test_get_not_versions_null(self):
-        node = utils.create_test_node(uuid=uuidutils.generate_uuid(),
-                                      version=None)
-        node = self.dbapi.get_node_by_id(node.id)
-        self.assertIsNone(node.version)
-        res = self.dbapi.get_not_versions('Node', ['1.6'])
-        self.assertThat(res, matchers.HasLength(1))
-        self.assertEqual(node.uuid, res[0].uuid)
-
-    def test_get_not_versions_no_model(self):
-        utils.create_test_node(uuid=uuidutils.generate_uuid(), version='1.4')
-        self.assertRaises(exception.IronicException,
-                          self.dbapi.get_not_versions, 'NotExist', ['1.6'])
-
-
 class UpdateToLatestVersionsTestCase(base.DbTestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):