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Using a Remote Archive

What is a Remote Archive?​

A Remote Archive is a dedicated server that allows projects to automatically back up their observations whenever connected to the internet.

  • When enabled, all collaborators that opt-in to exchange their observations will automatically be doing so with the Remote Archive.

What is required to set up a Remote archive​

  1. Creating server for CoMapeo Remote Archive
    • Any device can be considered a server as long as it is in perpetual state of being available to exchange observations.
  2. Generate a Remote Archive URL Using on Cloud Captain
  3. Add a Remote Archive to a CoMapeo project
    • Internet connectivity is required to both add a Remote Archive and to exchange with it.
    • Only Coordinators can enable a Remote Archive,
  4. Exchange to share Remote Archive connection with collaborators
    • After exchanging Participants can see it as part of the participants list.

Part 1: Creating server for CoMapeo Remote Archive​

⚠️ Warning: This is not a considered easy nor accessible. Familiarity and comfort with server administration is required for creating a server

Deploying a “cloud sever” instance

add disclaimer about skill here

https://github.com/digidem/comapeo-cloud

Part 2: Generate a Remote Archive URL Using on Cloud Captain​

✅

⚠️ Warning: This is not a considered easy nor accessible, but can be learned by someone eager to learn advanced technical skills. Familiarity and comfort with server administration is helpful for generating a Remote Archive URL.

👣 Step by step​

Step 1: Using a web browser, go to your server address

Step 2: Enter the server password

Step 3: Click on **Apps** on the sidebar

Step 4: Under Create A New App select **One-Click Apps/Database**

Step 5: Select **CoMapeo Archive Server**

Step 6: Set the **App Name** which will become the subdomain for the archive server https://app-name.comapeo.cloud

💡 Tip: No need to change the **Docker Image**

Step 7: Under **Token for authenticating API request** it’s good practice to generate a new token, use a token generator to do so

Step 8: Add a **Recognizable server name** which can be anything

Step 9: Set the number of projects allowed to register which will depend on the use case, if you’re creating an archive server for an organization it will likely have many projects

Step 10: Click **Deploy** which will spin the new Archive Server

Step 11: On **Apps** search for your newly created app and select it

Step 12: Click on **Enable HTTPS** wait until it’s done

💡 Tip: Select Force HTTPS by redirecting all HTTP traffic to HTTPS in to

Step 13: Select **Websocket Support**

Step 14: Click **Save and Restart**

✅ A new CoMapeo Remote Archive Server should be running and ready to use on the application.

💡 Tip: Share the server address with project coordinators through a secure messaging app. They can copy it and past it into CoMapeo Examples

✅ comapeo.example

✅ https://comapeo.example

❌ http://comapeo.example

Part 3: Add a Remote Archive to to a CoMapeo project​

Any coordinator of a project can add a Remote Archive once a they receive a URL for their server.

👣 Step by Step​

Step 1: Go to the project where you’ll use a Remote Archive.

Step 2: Open the three-line-menu-blackMenu

Step 3: On the Current Project card in the Menu, tap Switch Project

Step 4: In the app-icon-comapeo-coordinator Coordinator Tools screen, look for app-icon-comapeo-remote-archiver Remote Archive

Step 5: On the Remote Archive screen, tap +Add Remote Archive Button

Step 6: In the input field, enter the previously generated Remote Archive URL.

💡 Tip: CoMapeo supports https servers, but it does not support http servers
If the server address provided has “http” in address, a solution is to replace with “https”

Step 7: Once a valid Remote Archive URL has been entered, tap on the Save button to proceed.

Step 8: When the Remote Archive URL is successfully saved, the Remote Archive screen will update to ON. Also, when going back to Project Settings, the third module will now display **Remote Archive

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Part 4: Exchange to share Remote Archive connection with collaborators​

Exchanging with a Remote Archive​

If enabled and connected to the internet, Remote Archive will automatically backup every time a device starts an Exchange.

Attention: On CoMapeo Mobile 1.2.0 it is not possible to not exchange with the Remote Archive but this is a feature that may come in the future.

🔗 Go to Exchanging Observations

Removing a Remote Archive​

It is not currently possible to remove a Remote Archive from a Project once added. We anticipate having the ability to remove a Remote Archive available in late 2025.

  • When it becomes available, only Coordinators will be able to add and remove a Remote Archive from their projects
  • In this version and in the future, participants cannot remove the Remote Archive from the project.

Relevant Content​

Go to 🔗 Understanding How Exchange Works for full explanation

Having problems?​

Go to 🔗 Troubleshooting: Mapping with Collaborators

Coming Soon​

In the coming year, improvements to Remote Archives will include:

  • Allowing Coordinators to remove a Remote Archive
  • Making it easier process to add a Remote Archive

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