> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.everabyte.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Backup agent

> What the desktop backup agent does, how it authenticates, and why it is not a general-purpose integration contract.

The Everabyte backup agent is a first-party desktop application for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It backs up a machine to Everabyte storage on a schedule.

This page describes it from a developer's perspective. It is not a guide to building your own agent against platform internals.

## What it does

* Enrolls a device with an Everabyte account.
* Runs scheduled or manual backup jobs from selected paths.
* Uploads files through the same encrypted storage pipeline.
* Records runs, including partial runs.
* Supports restore from a chosen restore point.

## Authentication

The agent uses a **device-bound API key**. This is the one documented exception to the company-only rule for the REST surface.

| Property | Detail |
| - | - |
| Key binding | Tied to an enrolled device |
| Scope | Limited to the backup agent surface |
| Revocation | Blocking the device invalidates access |
| General-purpose use | Not intended |

> [!WARNING]
>
> A device-bound backup key is not a substitute for a developer API key. Do not extract one from the agent and use it for your own integration. Blocked devices receive `403 DEVICE_BLOCKED`.

## Partial runs

A run that could not read some files completes as **partial**, not success. The paths that failed appear in an error sample, and the outcome is visible in the console and notifications.

This is deliberate. A backup that silently skips an important locked file is worse than a backup that reports a partial result.

### Open and locked files

Windows Volume Shadow Copy (VSS) is **not implemented**. Files locked by another process, such as Outlook PST files or open databases, may be skipped.

Practical mitigations:

* close applications that hold locks before the backup window,
* schedule backups outside working hours,
* exclude directories that are always locked, explicitly, so a partial run is expected rather than surprising,
* verify after runs that critical paths were included.

## Restore points

Runs can produce restore points, subject to a retention count per job. The most recent restore point is always kept.

Restore verification is server-side: a sample from a restore point is decrypted and checked. That demonstrates usability rather than mere presence. Backup jobs can also schedule verification tests that the agent performs locally: it restores a sampled set of files into an isolated directory and reports the outcome.

## Limits

| Limit | Value |
| - | - |
| Automatic multi-region redundancy | None |
| Guaranteed RTO/RPO | Not published for standard plans |
| VSS on Windows | Not implemented |
| Retention | Per job, with a keep count; newest always retained |

Because objects live in one region, the agent is a backup against deletion and corruption, not against losing a region. Keep an independent copy if regional loss matters to you.

## Agent versus API integration

| Need | Use |
| - | - |
| Back up a laptop or desktop | Agent |
| Back up a server on a schedule | Your own scheduler plus the REST API |
| Restore a file to a user | Agent, or the dashboard |
| Embed storage in a product | REST API |
| Back up a database consistently | Application-native dump, then upload via REST |

The agent is a product, not an SDK. Treat it as a consumer of the platform, not as an interface you build against.

## Related

> **[Upload files](https://docs.everabyte.com/storage/upload-files.md)**
>
> The pipeline the agent writes through.

> **[Versions and restore](https://docs.everabyte.com/storage/versions-and-restore.md)**
>
> Restore semantics.

> **[Data residency](https://docs.everabyte.com/security/data-residency.md)**
>
> Why regional loss matters.

> **[Integration overview](https://docs.everabyte.com/integrations/overview.md)**
>
> Other paths.


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