Data Governance & Backups
StacksAtlas keeps inventory on your hardware with no cloud telemetry. Operational backup, reset, encryption, and column visibility live under Settings → DATA GOVERNANCE (Admin on Business appliances).
Dual-store model (Hub)
A Central Hub maintains two databases:
| Store | File / engine | Contains |
|---|---|---|
| APPLIANCE | StacksAtlas.db (LiteDB) | Hub users, local settings, appliance state. |
| FLEET | StacksAtlas.Hub.db (SQLite by default) | Enrolled nodes, fleet device inventory, federated logs and alerts. |
Standalone appliances and fleet Nodes only manage the local APPLIANCE store (
StacksAtlas.db). Fleet data on a Node lives on the Hub.For migrating the Hub fleet store to PostgreSQL or SQL Server, see Database infrastructure.
DATA SOVEREIGNTY panel (snapshots)
The top section of DATA GOVERNANCE is the snapshot manager.
RESTART SYSTEM
Use after restore or Fresh Start when the UI prompts that a restart is required. Restarts the appliance service so staged database swaps apply cleanly.
TAKE SNAPSHOT
| Control | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Snapshot Label | Optional operator note (e.g. Pre-Maintenance). |
| CREATE MANUAL BACKUP | Hot backup of the appliance database. On Hub, creates both appliance and fleet snapshots when fleet DB is present. |
SNAPSHOT HISTORY
Each row shows filename, APPLIANCE or FLEET chip, size, and timestamp.
| Action | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Download | Save the .db snapshot file for off-site archival or audit. |
| Restore | Stage this snapshot; applied on next RESTART SYSTEM. Current DB is archived first. |
| Delete | Remove the snapshot file from local storage. |
Nodes enrolled in a fleet only see APPLIANCE snapshots locally. Fleet inventory backups are managed on the Hub.
Fresh Start (danger zone)
FRESH START SCOPE chooses what to wipe. Every scope auto-creates a backup before deletion. TRIGGER FRESH START requires confirmation; restart is required to apply.
Hub scopes
| Scope | Effect |
|---|---|
| Reset appliance only | Wipes StacksAtlas.db (Hub users, local config). Keeps fleet inventory (StacksAtlas.Hub.db). |
| Reset fleet inventory only | Wipes StacksAtlas.Hub.db (nodes, fleet devices, federated logs). Keeps Hub appliance data. |
| Reset appliance + fleet | Recommended for Hub re-onboarding. Wipes both DBs. License and JSON settings preserved. |
| Factory reset | Wipes both databases and resets JSON settings. Preserves license.key only. |
Node scopes
| Scope | Effect |
|---|---|
| Reset this site | Wipes local StacksAtlas.db on this Node. Does not affect the Hub or other sites. Re-enrollment required after restart. |
| Factory reset | Wipes local database and JSON settings on this Node. Preserves license.key. Re-enroll with the Hub after restart. |
For fleet lifecycle (Reset Site vs Delete Node vs Decouple), see Hub & fleet federation.
REGISTRY SCHEMA
Column chips control which fields appear in the Devices grid (stored in browser localStorage per operator). Toggle chips to show or hide projections such as site, VLAN, stability, and security grade. This does not delete data; it only changes the visible columns.
MASTER KEY GOVERNANCE
- Enter NEW MASTER SECRET.
- Click ROTATE ENCRYPTION KEY.
- Restart if prompted.
DATABASE MIGRATION (portable)
Move a portable session or standalone appliance database between hosts:
EXPORT PORTABLE DB
- Set MIGRATION PASSWORD.
- Click GENERATE ENCRYPTED EXPORT to download an encrypted archive.
IMPORT PORTABLE DB
- SELECT ARCHIVE (
.dbexport). - Enter PASS (migration password).
- Click IMPORT to overwrite local data and reload the UI.
This is separate from Hub Fleet Engine Assistant migration. See Database infrastructure.
Privacy & permanent delete
Archived devices can be purged from inventory through device governance actions (see federation Removed from Fleet view). Snapshots and exports remain your responsibility for GDPR-style retention policies. StacksAtlas does not transmit device lists off-appliance.
Related guides
- Database infrastructure: Hub fleet store migration
- Security: encryption and TLS
- Troubleshooting: log files
- User management: account governance from the Hub