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cv merged 3 commits into from
Jun 6, 2026
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docs: recommend backup-all for host backups #4164

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docs: recommend backup-all for host backups
glenn-agent Jun 4, 2026
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Merge branch 'main' into docs/backup-all-restore-guide
cv Jun 6, 2026
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Merge branch 'main' into docs/backup-all-restore-guide
cv Jun 6, 2026
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23 changes: 19 additions & 4 deletions docs/manage-sandboxes/backup-restore.mdx
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Expand Up @@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ skill:
import { AgentOnly } from "../_components/AgentGuide";

Workspace and state files define your agent's personality, memory, user context, and durable runtime state.
They persist across sandbox restarts but are **permanently deleted** when you destroy the sandbox.
They persist across sandbox restarts, but destroying the sandbox **permanently deletes** them.

This guide covers snapshot commands, manual backup with CLI commands, and an automated script.
This guide covers snapshot commands, all-sandbox backups, and manual backup with CLI commands.

## When to Back Up

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -159,11 +159,26 @@ openshell sandbox upload "$SANDBOX" "$BACKUP_DIR/platforms/" /sandbox/.hermes/pl

</AgentOnly>

## Back Up All Running Sandboxes

To back up every registered, running sandbox in one step, run `nemoclaw backup-all`.
This is the recommended host-installed command before broad maintenance such as `nemoclaw update`, `nemoclaw upgrade-sandboxes`, or an OpenShell gateway migration.

```console
$ nemoclaw backup-all
```

`backup-all` walks the sandboxes registered on the host, creates a snapshot for each running sandbox, and stores the snapshot bundles under `~/.nemoclaw/rebuild-backups/<name>/`.
Use `nemoclaw <name> snapshot list` and `nemoclaw <name> snapshot restore` to inspect or restore one sandbox's bundles later.

## Using the Backup Script

<AgentOnly variant="openclaw">

The repository includes a convenience script at `scripts/backup-workspace.sh`.
<Note title="Source-tree helper script">
The [`scripts/backup-workspace.sh`](https://github.com/NVIDIA/NemoClaw/blob/main/scripts/backup-workspace.sh) helper exists only in the NemoClaw source repository for engineering workflows.
It is not installed by the standard `curl -fsSL https://www.nvidia.com/nemoclaw.sh | bash` installer, so host installs should use `nemoclaw backup-all` or the snapshot commands above.
</Note>

### Backup

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -217,7 +232,7 @@ When you configure OpenClaw with multiple named agents, each agent has its own w
Refer to [Multi-Agent Deployments](workspace-files#multi-agent-deployments).

`$$nemoclaw <name> snapshot create` automatically discovers every `workspace-*/` directory under the sandbox state tree and includes it in the snapshot bundle alongside the default `workspace/`.
`snapshot restore` reapplies the full per-agent set.
`$$nemoclaw <name> snapshot restore` reapplies the full per-agent set.
You do not need a manual per-workspace backup pattern.

The sandbox entrypoint ensures every per-agent workspace lives directly under the persistent `.openclaw/` tree, so state also survives `openshell sandbox restart`.
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