# Hermes Disaster Recovery Runbook

Goal: rebuild the ByteLyst root Hermes and Uma/Bheem Hermes setup on a new VM quickly, with durable memory, sessions, cron definitions, skills, scripts, and dashboard/service configuration restored from GitHub-backed artifacts.

Last verified: 2026-05-27.

## Current Recovery Confidence

**High for durable Hermes state.** Both root and Uma now have sanitized `.hermes` persistent backups pushed to GitHub and recurring systemd backup timers.

What is recoverable:

- root Hermes config, memories, skills, sessions JSON exports, cron definitions, scripts, channel directory, gateway state, SOUL, and Kanban DB
- Uma Hermes config, memories, skills, sessions JSON exports, cron definitions, scripts, channel directory, gateway state, SOUL, and Kanban DB
- root and Uma gateway systemd unit definitions
- root and Uma private dashboard systemd unit definitions
- root and Uma backup timer systemd unit definitions
- Uma wrapper/memory/docs repo content
- root operational docs and rebuild knowledge in this repo

What still requires operator-provided credentials or re-authentication:

- GitHub token or credentials for clone/push if the new VM does not already have them
- OpenAI Codex OAuth/provider login, unless restored from an encrypted emergency bundle
- Telegram bot/user credentials, unless restored from an encrypted emergency bundle
- Tailscale login for the new machine, unless restoring Tailscale state is explicitly chosen
- any optional provider/search/browser API keys

What is intentionally not restored from git:

- raw `.env` secret values
- Hermes `auth.json`
- raw `state.db`, SQLite WAL/SHM files, logs, cache directories, sandboxes, locks, and PIDs
- live OS processes or in-flight terminal commands that were running at the exact moment the VM was lost

Expected data-loss window:

- durable backups run every 10 minutes through systemd timers
- latest in-memory/live process activity since the last backup may need manual reconstruction from Telegram/GitHub context

## Backup Sources

| Instance | GitHub repo | Backup path | Recurring sync |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| root/vijay | `https://github.com/saravanakumardb/bytelyst_hostinger_hermes_vm.git` | `hermes_persistent_backup/` | `hermes-root-backup.timer` every 10 minutes |
| Uma/bheem | `https://github.com/umadev0931/uma_hostinger_hermes_vm.git` | `hermes_persistent_backup/` | `uma-hermes-backup.timer` every 10 minutes |
| ops docs | `https://github.com/saravanakumardb/learning_ai_devops_tools.git` | `docs/`, `systemd/`, `scripts/` | pushed manually after changes |

## Encrypted Emergency Bundle

Normal GitHub backups are sanitized and intentionally exclude raw secrets, auth state, and raw `state.db`. For faster break-glass recovery, create a separate encrypted bundle and store the encrypted `.gpg` file in Google Drive or another private location.

Create bundle on the old/current VM:

```bash
/root/repos/learning_ai_devops_tools/scripts/hermes-emergency-bundle-create.sh
```

The script creates:

```text
/root/hermes-emergency-bundles/hermes-emergency-bundle-<host>-<timestamp>.tar.zst.gpg
```

It includes an allow-list only:

- `/root/.hermes/.env`, `auth.json`, `state.db*`
- `/home/uma/.hermes/.env`, `auth.json`, `state.db*`
- `/root/.git-credentials`
- `/root/.gitea_admin_password`, `/root/.gitea_npm_token`, `/root/.gitea_npm_token_home`
- `/var/lib/tailscale/tailscaled.state`

It does not include logs, caches, locks, PIDs, or sandboxes.

Decrypt on a new VM into staging only:

```bash
/root/repos/learning_ai_devops_tools/scripts/hermes-emergency-bundle-decrypt.sh \
  /path/to/hermes-emergency-bundle.tar.zst.gpg
```

The decrypt script extracts to `/root/hermes-emergency-restore-staging/...` by default. It does not overwrite live `.hermes` or credential files. Inspect the staging directory first, then manually copy only the files needed for the recovery.

For unattended operation, both scripts support:

```bash
export BUNDLE_PASSPHRASE_FILE=/root/path/to/passphrase-file
```

Keep the passphrase outside GitHub and outside the encrypted bundle.

Latest verified commits on 2026-05-27:

- root persistent backup: `d286a03`
- Uma persistent backup: `bbad574`
- ops docs/systemd templates: update after this runbook commit

## Fast Rebuild Order

### 1. Prepare Base VM

Install the minimum system packages:

```bash
apt-get update
apt-get install -y git curl rsync python3 python3-venv nodejs npm systemd
```

Create Uma if missing:

```bash
id uma || useradd -m -s /bin/bash uma
loginctl enable-linger uma
```

### 2. Restore Git Access

Root is the operator for both root and Uma repo pushes.

Restore GitHub credentials for root without printing them:

```bash
git config --global credential.helper store
chmod 700 /root
# Create /root/.git-credentials from the external secret source.
chmod 600 /root/.git-credentials
```

Then clone the three recovery repos:

```bash
mkdir -p /root/repos /home/uma/repos
git clone https://github.com/saravanakumardb/learning_ai_devops_tools.git /root/repos/learning_ai_devops_tools
git clone https://github.com/saravanakumardb/bytelyst_hostinger_hermes_vm.git /root/repos/bytelyst_hostinger_hermes_vm
git clone https://github.com/umadev0931/uma_hostinger_hermes_vm.git /home/uma/repos/uma_hostinger_hermes_vm
chown -R uma:uma /home/uma/repos
```

### 3. Install Hermes Source

Use the official Hermes source and the same shared install path:

```bash
mkdir -p /usr/local/lib
git clone https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent.git /usr/local/lib/hermes-agent
cd /usr/local/lib/hermes-agent
python3 -m venv venv
./venv/bin/pip install -e .
```

If the repo provides a setup/update script in the future, prefer the official upstream instructions, then verify:

```bash
/usr/local/lib/hermes-agent/venv/bin/hermes --version
```

### 4. Restore Root Hermes Persistent Data

```bash
HERMES_HOME=/root/.hermes \
  /root/repos/bytelyst_hostinger_hermes_vm/restore_hermes_persistent_data.sh \
  /root/repos/bytelyst_hostinger_hermes_vm/hermes_persistent_backup
```

Re-enter secrets from the external source into `/root/.hermes/.env` or via Hermes auth flows. Do not copy secrets from docs or chat.

Verify:

```bash
HERMES_HOME=/root/.hermes /usr/local/lib/hermes-agent/venv/bin/hermes doctor --fix
HERMES_HOME=/root/.hermes /usr/local/lib/hermes-agent/venv/bin/hermes cron list
```

### 5. Restore Uma Hermes Persistent Data

```bash
mkdir -p /home/uma/.hermes
HERMES_HOME=/home/uma/.hermes \
  /home/uma/repos/uma_hostinger_hermes_vm/restore_hermes_persistent_data.sh \
  /home/uma/repos/uma_hostinger_hermes_vm/hermes_persistent_backup
chown -R uma:uma /home/uma/.hermes
```

Re-enter Uma secrets from the external source into `/home/uma/.hermes/.env` or via Hermes auth flows.

Verify:

```bash
sudo -u uma HERMES_HOME=/home/uma/.hermes /usr/local/lib/hermes-agent/venv/bin/hermes doctor --fix
sudo -u uma HERMES_HOME=/home/uma/.hermes /usr/local/lib/hermes-agent/venv/bin/hermes cron list
```

### 6. Reinstall Systemd Units

```bash
cp /root/repos/learning_ai_devops_tools/systemd/hermes-gateway.service /etc/systemd/system/hermes-gateway.service
cp /root/repos/learning_ai_devops_tools/systemd/hermes-root-dashboard.service /etc/systemd/system/hermes-root-dashboard.service
cp /root/repos/learning_ai_devops_tools/systemd/uma-hermes-dashboard.service /etc/systemd/system/uma-hermes-dashboard.service
cp /root/repos/learning_ai_devops_tools/systemd/hermes-root-backup.service /etc/systemd/system/hermes-root-backup.service
cp /root/repos/learning_ai_devops_tools/systemd/hermes-root-backup.timer /etc/systemd/system/hermes-root-backup.timer
cp /root/repos/learning_ai_devops_tools/systemd/uma-hermes-backup.service /etc/systemd/system/uma-hermes-backup.service
cp /root/repos/learning_ai_devops_tools/systemd/uma-hermes-backup.timer /etc/systemd/system/uma-hermes-backup.timer
```

Install Uma user gateway:

```bash
mkdir -p /home/uma/.config/systemd/user
cp /root/repos/learning_ai_devops_tools/systemd/uma-hermes-gateway.service /home/uma/.config/systemd/user/uma-hermes-gateway.service
chown -R uma:uma /home/uma/.config
```

Enable services:

```bash
systemctl daemon-reload
systemctl enable --now hermes-gateway.service
systemctl enable --now hermes-root-backup.timer uma-hermes-backup.timer

sudo -u uma XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/$(id -u uma) systemctl --user daemon-reload
sudo -u uma XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/$(id -u uma) systemctl --user enable --now uma-hermes-gateway.service
```

### 7. Reconnect Tailscale And Dashboards

```bash
curl -fsSL https://tailscale.com/install.sh | sh
systemctl enable --now tailscaled
tailscale up
tailscale ip -4
```

Update the dashboard service files if the new Tailscale IP differs from the old `100.87.53.10`, then:

```bash
systemctl daemon-reload
systemctl enable --now hermes-root-dashboard.service uma-hermes-dashboard.service
```

### 8. Final Verification

```bash
systemctl status hermes-gateway.service --no-pager
sudo -u uma XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/$(id -u uma) systemctl --user status uma-hermes-gateway.service --no-pager
systemctl status hermes-root-backup.timer uma-hermes-backup.timer --no-pager
systemctl list-timers --all --no-pager | grep 'hermes.*backup'

HERMES_HOME=/root/.hermes /usr/local/lib/hermes-agent/venv/bin/hermes cron list
sudo -u uma HERMES_HOME=/home/uma/.hermes /usr/local/lib/hermes-agent/venv/bin/hermes cron list

python3 /root/.hermes/scripts/sync_hermes_persistent_backup.py
HERMES_HOME=/home/uma/.hermes HERMES_BACKUP_REPO=/home/uma/repos/uma_hostinger_hermes_vm HERMES_BACKUP_REMOTE=https://github.com/umadev0931/uma_hostinger_hermes_vm.git python3 /home/uma/.hermes/scripts/sync_uma_hermes_persistent_backup.py
```

Telegram smoke tests:

- send root Hermes: `Hi`
- send Uma/Bheem Hermes: `Hi`
- verify both reply without model-provider errors
- verify root and Uma dashboards return HTTP 200 on the current Tailscale IP/ports

## Restore Test Evidence

Root restore test on 2026-05-27:

- restored into `/tmp/hermes-restore-test-root-current`
- `MANIFEST.json` source: `/root/.hermes`
- restored file count: `751`
- restored cron job count: `1`
- confirmed absent: `state.db`, `auth.json`, `logs/`

Uma restore test on 2026-05-27:

- restored into `/tmp/hermes-restore-test-uma`
- `MANIFEST.json` source: `/home/uma/.hermes`
- restored file count: `600`
- restored cron job count: `2`
- confirmed absent: `state.db`, `auth.json`, `logs/`

## Hard Rule During Recovery

Do not expose Hermes dashboard/API publicly during rebuild. Use only local shell, SSH tunnel, or Tailscale/private network unless S explicitly approves the hostname, authentication gate, and access path.