# The Server Component

The normal backup that you perform for your server instance will also take care of backing up Composable Agentic Platform code components.

However, if you are performing a selective backup, you must make sure you include the server's HOME folder in the backup.

During a restore, the HOME folder should be restored in synchronization with the application server restore.

## Per-Agent state under HOME

Each Programmable Data Agent (PDA) running on the server has its own directory under `HOME/` named after the Agent (for example `HOME/TestServer1/`, `HOME/LocalProxy/`, `HOME/MPServer1/`, plus any custom Agent names). Each of these directories contains:

* `ActiveRules.xml` — the deployed rule configuration the Agent is running.
* `metadata` — the encryption key material used to decrypt sensitive fields within `ActiveRules.xml` (proxy passwords, mail credentials, JDBC passwords, vault values).
* Other runtime state such as `global.properties`, `backups/`, and Agent-specific subdirectories.

**The `metadata` file inside each Agent directory must be backed up alongside the Agent's `ActiveRules.xml`.** Without the matching `metadata`, the encrypted fields in `ActiveRules.xml` cannot be decrypted and the Agent will not operate correctly.

A selective backup that captures the whole `HOME/` directory includes all per-Agent state automatically. If you back up individual files, ensure both `ActiveRules.xml` and `metadata` are captured for every Agent.

## Restore considerations

* Restore `HOME/` and the server install directory as a matched pair from the same backup snapshot.
* For each Agent's directory, `metadata` and `ActiveRules.xml` must be restored together. Mixing `metadata` from one snapshot with `ActiveRules.xml` from another will produce decryption failures at runtime.
* `metadata` files carry file permissions that restrict read access to the service user. When restoring to a different host, re-apply ownership and permissions (`0600`, owned by the service user on POSIX; equivalent ACLs on Windows).


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