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Backup and Migration

Choose the method that matches your goal: protect the whole installation with a volume backup, or move compatible device records with inventory export and import.

Back up the Docker installation​

All persistent Docker data is stored in the languard_database named volume. Stop the stack before taking a filesystem-level copy so SQLite is not changing during the backup.

docker compose stop
docker run --rm \
  -v languard_languard_database:/source:ro \
  -v "$PWD":/backup \
  alpine sh -c 'cd /source && tar czf /backup/languard-database.tgz .'
docker compose start

The actual volume name can include the Compose project prefix. Confirm it with docker volume ls before running the command.

To restore, stop the stack, extract the archive into an empty replacement volume, then recreate all three services at the same LanGuard version before updating.

Inventory export and import​

Administrators can open Settings > Data & migration to export or import the LanGuard device inventory. The export carries compatible device identity, profile, ports, and state fields between LanGuard installations.

An inventory file is not a full backup. It does not replace the database volume when you need users, history, notifications, settings, and Home Map layout.

Migrate from WatchYourLAN​

Download the JSON returned by WatchYourLAN's /api/all endpoint from a machine that can reach it:

curl http://WATCHYOURLAN_IP:8840/api/all -o watchyourlan-devices.json

Then open Settings > Data & migration, choose Import from WatchYourLAN, and select the file.

LanGuard matches devices by MAC address and imports compatible names, DNS hostnames, IP and MAC addresses, vendors, known and online state, and last-seen values. Invalid records are skipped.

Rooms, roles, icons, comments, port history, identity confidence, Home Map layout, and scan history are not available through that endpoint and are not imported.

Migrate from NetAlertX​

In NetAlertX, open Maintenance and download the official devices.csv backup. In LanGuard, open Settings > Data & migration, choose Import from NetAlertX, and select the CSV.

LanGuard imports compatible names, hostnames, addresses, vendors, comments, locations as rooms, recognized types as roles, known state, current status, and first/last-seen timestamps. NetAlertX's synthetic Internet device and invalid records are skipped.

NetAlertX settings, credentials, workflows, notification and presence history, custom properties, embedded icons, topology, and scan history are intentionally excluded.

After a migration​

  1. Run a fresh LanGuard scan.
  2. Review duplicate or unknown entries before deleting anything.
  3. Check rooms, roles, and visitor classifications.
  4. Reconfigure integrations and notification credentials on the destination.
  5. Keep the source backup until normal scheduled scans and notifications have completed successfully.