Before you reimage a server running a self-managed Rocket.Chat workspace, preserve and verify more than the database: identify where uploaded files, deployment settings, and network configuration live, and make a copy that will survive the wipe. Reimaging the host is not, by itself, a Rocket.Chat reinstall or recovery plan. The safe sequence is to map the deployment, back up persistent data and configuration, rebuild using a supported method, restore, then verify the workspace before directing users to it.
Map what must survive before shutting down the old server
Rocket.Chat does not publish one universal server-reimage checklist for every deployment topology. The files and storage locations differ between Docker Compose, Kubernetes, manual installs, external databases, and object-storage setups. Confirm each item on the actual system rather than assuming it lives in the Rocket.Chat application directory.
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- Application and database: Record the Rocket.Chat release, MongoDB version and location, replica-set or managed-database details, and how the application connects to MongoDB.
- Uploads: Identify the configured file-storage backend and its persistent data. Rocket.Chat recommends object storage such as Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, or MinIO for uploads and says GridFS is not recommended; a MongoDB dump should not be assumed to include every uploaded file. See Rocket.Chat System Requirements.
- Deployment configuration: Save Compose manifests, Kubernetes manifests or Helm values, `.env` files, service definitions, environment variables, custom integrations, and any scripts or secrets needed to recreate the service. Store credentials securely.
- Network and access: Record the domain and DNS records, reverse-proxy configuration, TLS certificate and renewal setup, firewall rules, and any external dependencies.
Also note the server’s resource allocation and whether availability or scaling requirements have changed. Keep this inventory somewhere other than the host being erased.
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Rocket.Chat’s Docker backup guide demonstrates creating an archive with mongodump --archive and restoring it with mongorestore --archive. In its Docker example, replace <container_name> with the MongoDB container name:
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docker exec <container_name> sh -c 'mongodump --archive' > db.dumpCopy db.dump to storage that will remain available after the reimage. An external or offline drive can be one destination, but it does not preserve configuration or uploaded files and does not prove that the archive can be restored.
For an external MongoDB target, Rocket.Chat’s guide also shows restoring an archive with a URI:
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mongorestore --uri=... --archive=db.dumpTreat credentials embedded in a connection URI as secrets. Follow the official Docker and Docker Compose backup and restore guidance for the topology and MongoDB access method you actually use. Before wiping the old host, verify that the backup is readable and, where feasible, test a restore in an isolated environment.
Preserve uploaded files and configuration separately
Back up the upload backend according to how it is configured. If uploads are stored in an external object-storage service, confirm the bucket, access credentials, policies, and any required data copy or retention process. If storage is local or attached to the old host, copy its persistent data to a surviving destination. Do not infer the upload location from the database dump.
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Keep the deployment files and settings with the recovery materials, but protect secrets such as database credentials, storage keys, and TLS private keys. A backup that contains only MongoDB may preserve messages and other database records while leaving the rebuilt service unable to connect to its database, serve files, or reproduce its original network behavior.
Choose a deployment method and check compatibility
Rocket.Chat identifies Docker Compose, Kubernetes with the official Helm chart, Podman, and OpenShift as recommended self-managed deployment methods. Its overview treats additional platforms separately and warns of compatibility challenges; it says Rocket.Chat does not support those other methods. Keep the existing method if it remains suitable, or deliberately plan and test a migration rather than changing deployment style during an emergency restore. See Rocket.Chat deployment methods.
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For Docker Compose, Rocket.Chat’s official guide calls it “a highly recommended deployment method” because of its simplicity and flexibility. The guide lists Docker, Docker Compose v2, and Git as prerequisites and recommends pinning a specific Rocket.Chat release tag in production, rather than allowing an unplanned change to the latest version. See the Docker Compose deployment guide.
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Check the requirements for the exact Rocket.Chat release and deployment method before rebuilding. Rocket.Chat’s current System Requirements page, accessed 2026-10-07, lists MongoDB 8.0 or later for Rocket.Chat 8.x. It also lists current Node.js requirements; official Docker deployments bundle Node.js, but operators remain responsible for MongoDB compatibility. Requirements can change, so consult the release-specific documentation before restoring production data.
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The same page gives planning examples, not capacity guarantees:
| Scenario listed by Rocket.Chat | Rocket.Chat resources | MongoDB resources |
|---|---|---|
| Starter, no high availability, up to 500 concurrent users | 2 vCPU, 4 GiB memory, 20 GiB storage | 2 vCPU, 4 GiB memory, 10 GiB storage; three replicas listed |
| Commercial/Government/Defense high-availability scenario, more than 500 concurrent users | 4 vCPU, 8–12 GiB memory, 20 GiB storage | 2 vCPU, 8–16 GiB memory, 20–80 GiB storage; three replicas |
| More than 5,000 concurrent users | Kubernetes microservices approach; per-component minimums are specified on the requirements page | Kubernetes microservices approach; per-component minimums are specified on the requirements page |
These values are from Rocket.Chat’s undated System Requirements page, accessed 2026-10-07. Rocket.Chat says actual sizing depends on expected concurrency and workload. They are not guarantees of performance; account for uploads, availability needs, and the workload before selecting replacement capacity.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Rebuild the host, then restore before reopening access
- Install the operating system and prerequisites. Recreate the chosen deployment platform. For Docker Compose, install Docker, Docker Compose v2, and Git as required by Rocket.Chat’s guide.
- Recreate network access. Restore the domain’s DNS configuration, reverse proxy, HTTPS certificates, and firewall allowances. Rocket.Chat’s production Docker guide requires a domain pointing to the server; its Ubuntu installation guide recommends serving the workspace over HTTPS.
- Restore persistent storage and settings. Make the MongoDB archive available to the target database, reconnect the configured upload backend, and restore the deployment files and environment settings. Keep application and database versions compatible with the release you intend to run.
- Restore MongoDB and start Rocket.Chat. Use the matching restore procedure for the deployment. For the container example in Rocket.Chat’s Docker guide, the command is:
docker exec -i <container_name> sh -c 'mongorestore --archive' < db.dumpUse the external-database restore method instead when MongoDB is not in the container. Do not expose the rebuilt service to users until it is using the intended database and upload storage.
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Verify the recovery before sending users back
- Confirm that the Rocket.Chat application starts and connects to MongoDB; inspect the deployment’s logs and service or container status for errors.
- Check that users can log in, expected messages are present, and uploaded files open.
- Test integrations and other deployment-specific behavior that depends on environment settings or network access.
- Confirm that DNS resolves to the intended host, the reverse proxy reaches Rocket.Chat, and HTTPS works in a browser.
For Docker deployments, Rocket.Chat’s FAQ says to check containers with docker ps and confirm the relevant container status is Up. For a manual Ubuntu install, its guide gives systemctl status rocketchat as the service-status check. See the Rocket.Chat FAQ and Ubuntu installation guide. A running process alone is not sufficient: verify messages, files, login, and the network path as well.
Do not treat an application-folder replacement as a reimage plan
Rocket.Chat’s Ubuntu update instructions include removing /opt/Rocket.Chat in the context of a particular manual installation or update procedure. That is not a general host-recovery step and does not preserve or restore MongoDB, uploads, environment settings, or network configuration. Use the procedure for the actual deployment, and retain the old host or its verified backups until recovery checks pass.
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