---
title: Manual MongoDB Backup and Restore for the Swimlane 10.x platform
slug: 10x-upgrade-guides/manual-mongodb-backup-and-restore-for-the-swimlane-10x-platform
docTags: 
createdAt: 2025-12-12T10:18:46.486Z
---

In case there are problems with the built in snapshots and there is a dire need to backup and archive the data then use this method to alternatively backup and restore the data.

## Backup the data

The steps outlined below will store a backup of the data inside the Swimlane Tools container, copy the data to the running host, and optionally copy them to another host for safekeeping:

:::BlockQuote
\# Run the backup script. It will generate a Swimlane.tgz backup in the /dump folder of the Swimlane Tools Container:

kubectl exec swimlane-tools-0 -n default -- /bin/bash -c "nohup python3 /usr/local/bin/backup\_restore\_ha.py -v backup > /var/log/swimlane-backup.log 2>&1 &"

\# Copy the Swimlane.tgz from the Swimlane Tools Container into the host machine
kubectl cp $(kubectl get pod -l app=swimlane-tools --no-headers | awk '\{print $1}'):/dump/Swimlane.tgz /tmp/Swimlane.tgz

\# Optionally copy from /tmp/Swimlane.tgz on the host machine to your external host for safekeeping
:::

## Restore the data

The steps outlined below will copy an existing backup into the Swimlane Tools container and perform a restore of the data:

:::BlockQuote
\# Copy the Swimlane.tgz backup into the Swimlane Tools Container 

\# Copy the Swimlane.tgz from the the host machine to Swimlane Tools Container 
kubectl cp /tmp/Swimlane.tgz $(kubectl get pod -l app=swimlane-tools --no-headers | awk '\{print $1}'):/dump/Swimlane.tgz 

\# Run the restore script
kubectl exec swimlane-tools-0 -n default -- /bin/bash -c "nohup python3 /usr/local/bin/backup\_restore\_ha.py -v restore > /var/log/swimlane-restore.log 2>&1 &"

\# Then you can follow progress with
kubectl exec -n default -it swimlane-tools-0 -- tail -f /var/log/swimlane-restore.log
:::

NOTE: The restore may take time before you start seeing progress on the screen:

:::BlockQuote
kubectl exec -it swimlane-tools-0 -- /bin/bash -c "python3 /usr/local/bin/backup\_restore\_ha.py -v restore"
Defaulted container "swimlane-tools" out of: swimlane-tools, restore-wait (init)

/usr/local/lib/python3.9/dist-packages/pymongo/common.py:813: UserWarning: Unknown option sslverifycertificate
  warnings.warn(str(exc))
2024-02-14T04:12:05.395+0000  preparing collections to restore from
2024-02-14T04:12:05.396+0000  don't know what to do with subdirectory "Swimlane", skipping...
2024-02-14T04:12:05.396+0000  don't know what to do with subdirectory "SwimlaneHistory", skipping...
2024-02-14T04:12:05.396+0000  don't know what to do with subdirectory "", skipping...
2024-02-14T04:12:05.396+0000  don't know what to do with subdirectory "admin", skipping...

\<NEED TO WAIT HERE BEFORE THE PROGRESS CONTINUES>

2024-02-14T04:12:06.400+0000  restoring users from archive '/dump/Swimlane.tgz'
2
:::