Air-Gap and Local Mode

Parent: MongoDB Ops Manager and Cloud Manager · Published reference · snapshot 2026-10-02

Depth-first rabbithole dossier for Air-Gap and Local Mode; source-anchored research pack.

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Structure and components

[M,H; H part is summarizer] https://opsmanager.mongodb.com/static/version_manifest/8.0.json - D8. Inference: the manifest says which builds exist, and the directory says which builds are present. Local Mode works only where the two overlap. [M] - D9. MongoDB says the manifest's fields "can change without notice". [H,E] update-om-with-latest-version-manifest-with-api - D10. The `isSpecialLTSVersion` field breaks `PUT` response handling on Ops Manager 8.0 releases before 8.0.12. Fix it by upgrading to 8.0.12+ or filtering out the field. [H,E] same page - D11. The Go client exposes `VersionManife [source]
11. In Remote and Hybrid modes, Ops Manager updates the manifest automatically. In Local Mode, an admin must update it manually. A manifest must not contain MongoDB versions newer or older than the running Ops Manager release supports. — https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/update-version-manifest/ 12. To update offline, paste the JSON from `https://opsmanager.mongodb.com/static/version_manifest/<major.minor>.json` into Admin → General → Version Manifest. The current page uses `8.0.json` as its example. — https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/update-ver [source]

How it works

1. **"Air-gap means Local Mode" is too strong.** There are four ways around it: - Remote Mode can point `Base URL` at an internal HTTP(S) mirror. - Hybrid Mode works when only the Ops Manager hosts have egress. - On Kubernetes, static containers avoid binary hosting altogether. - MongoDB recommends against Local Mode on Kubernetes. (A4, A5, G5, G8; all four reports.) 2. **The pre-flight check is narrower than the parent says.** It covers only the versions that projects use, and one platform's archives per version is enough. A manifest entry with no archive does not stop startup. (C1–C3; all fo [source]
1. **Backup Versions Auto Download in Local Mode.** The configuration reference warns: set `mongodb.release.autoDownload` to `false` when running in Local Mode. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/reference/configuration/ — The Local Mode tutorial's settings table says select `true` unless Backup Daemon and Ops Manager run on different platforms. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/configure-local-mode.md — Both are current MongoDB docs; not resolved here. 2. **Local Mode as the air-gap answer.** Ops Manager docs present Local Mode as the no-Internet option ( [source]
- A1. `automation.versions.source` (UI label "Installer Download Source") defaults to `remote`. Its values are `remote`, `hybrid` and `local`. [M,H,E,P] https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/reference/configuration/ - A2. In `hybrid` mode only the Ops Manager hosts reach the Internet, and the Agents download from Ops Manager. [M,H,E,P] https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/configure-local-mode/ - A3. In `local` mode neither Ops Manager nor the Agents have Internet access. An administrator uploads the manifest and the binaries to the Ops Manager host. [M,H,E,P] ht [source]
- H1. 2015-03-02: first Automation Agent release, 1.4.14.983. [H] https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/release-notes/automation-agent/ - H2. 2015-06-02: an air-gapped host in Remote Mode logged `Failed to update MongoDB default versions from https://opsmanager.mongodb.com/static/version_manifest/1.6.json` with `java.net.UnknownHostException: opsmanager.mongodb.com`. The 2015-07-01 reply prescribed `automation.versions.source=local` plus `automation.versions.directory`. [E] https://groups.google.com/g/mongodb-user/c/yNvnjrp3RVQ - H3. 2016-12-27: Agent 3.2.8.1942, shipped with Ops Ma [source]
17. When Ops Manager starts in Local Mode, a pre-flight check confirms that the Versions Directory holds the archives for **at least one platform** of every *needed* MongoDB version. If any are missing, Ops Manager stops. — https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/resolve-pre-flight-check/ 18. The documented recovery has three steps: 1. Add `automation.versions.source=remote` to `conf-mms.properties` on every Ops Manager host and start Ops Manager. 2. Fix the version list. 3. Delete that line and restart. If you skip step 3, the config page shows that the local file overrides [source]
24. 2015-03-02: the Automation Agent's first release (1.4.14.983). This is the earliest automation that a binary-source mode could apply to. — https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/release-notes/automation-agent/ 25. 2016-12-27: the earliest dated changelog mention of "Local Mode" found. Automation Agent 3.2.8.1942, shipped with Ops Manager 3.4.1, fixed "Can install MongoDB on Power Linux when using Ops Manager in 'Local Mode'." So Local Mode existed by Ops Manager 3.4. — https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/release-notes/automation-agent/ 26. Two MongoDB Jira docs ticke [source]
- **"Air-gap means Local Mode" is too strong.** Remote Mode also works without the public Internet if hosts can reach an internal HTTP(S) mirror set via `Base URL` / `automation.versions.download.baseUrl`. Hybrid Mode covers an air-gapped data tier when the Ops Manager hosts have egress. Local Mode is only for when *no* host can reach any binary endpoint. — https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/configure-local-mode/ , https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/reference/configuration/ - **Pre-flight scope.** The parent says startup fails "if a binary referenced by the [source]
1. **Backup Versions Auto Download in Local Mode.** - The configuration reference says of `mongodb.release.autoDownload`: "Set to `false` when Ops Manager is running in Local Mode." — https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/reference/configuration/ - The Local Mode procedure says: "Select `true` unless your Backup Daemon and Ops Manager Application run on different platforms." — https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/configure-local-mode/ 2. **Whether to use Local Mode at all on Kubernetes.** - The Ops Manager docs present Local Mode as the standard no-Internet path [source]
Distinct hosts: mongodb.com (docs + community forum), github.com (official sample), techdocatwill.blogspot.com (independent practitioner). Only the blogspot source is independent of MongoDB, Inc.; the forum and GitHub sources are vendor-operated. **The ≥3 independent-source gate is met by host count but only weakly by vendor independence.** A disconfirming source was found (claims 31, 33; disagreement 1). The shared-source cache was not read because local Bash was denied; no inherited pages were counted. [source]
**Inputs:** the mechanism (M), history (H), edge-cases (E) and practice (P) reports under `~/.global-ai-hub/research-tests/mongodb-full-frontier-20261002/full-frontier-run/air-gap-and-local-mode-e58f9fe837/reports/`. Every claim and URL below comes from those reports. I fetched nothing new, added no URLs and did not touch the tree. A **[summarizer]** tag means the claim came only from a WebFetch summary of a very large page. [source]
- B1. `automation.versions.directory` is the directory on the Ops Manager Application server that holds the binaries. Automation reads it when it installs or changes a version. [M] https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/reference/configuration/ - B2. The default path depends on the platform: - RHEL and Ubuntu: `/opt/mongodb/mms/mongodb-releases` - Linux archive install: `<userSelected>/mongodb-releases` - Windows: `C:\MMSData\MongoDBReleases` [source]
Run: /rabbithole, 2026-10-02. Verdict: **BUDGET_EXHAUSTED (soft stop)**, not SATURATED-DEPTH. Passes 2 and 3 found almost nothing new about history, because the archived doc versions and the Jira tickets could not be retrieved (see Gaps). [source]
There was only one empty pass, and it was empty because of access blocks, not because the topic was exhausted. More passes are likely to pay off once the version-history sources can be fetched. [source]

How-to and procedures

Run date: 2026-10-02. Method: /rabbithole depth passes (pass 0 + 3 deepening passes). Tools: WebFetch/WebSearch only (Bash and Firecrawl were denied in this run; shared-source cache was not read). [source]

Measurements and reference values

- G1. Enable Local Mode with `spec.configuration.automation.versions.source: local`. [M,H,E,P] https://www.mongodb.com/docs/kubernetes/current/tutorial/deploy-om-container-local-mode/ - G2. Each pod gets its own `ReadWriteOnce` PVC from `volumeClaimTemplates` (20G/20Gi), mounted at `/mongodb-ops-manager/mongodb-releases`. You must `kubectl cp` (or `oc rsync`) the archives into each replica. [M,H,E,P] same page; https://github.com/mongodb/mongodb-enterprise-kubernetes/blob/master/samples/ops-manager/ops-manager-local-mode.yaml - G3. The sample pins Ops Manager `5.0.5` with App DB `4.4.11-ent`, [source]
- **"Air-gap means Local Mode" is too strong.** Remote Mode also covers hosts that "can access an internal or external HTTP or HTTPS endpoint that hosts the MongoDB installation binaries." You set this endpoint with `Base URL`. An air-gapped site with an internal mirror can therefore run Remote Mode, not Local Mode. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/configure-local-mode.md - **On Kubernetes, air-gap does not require Local Mode.** Static containers "don't require that you host the MongoDB binary on either Ops Manager or another HTTPS server, which is especially useful if [source]
| Pass | Focus | New claims | Cumulative | Rate | |---|---|---|---|---| | 0 | Config reference and manifest pages | 9 | 9 | 100% | | 1 | Full tutorial, pre-flight, Kubernetes Local Mode | 14 | 23 | 61% | | 2 | Upgrade path, API manifest, static containers, forums | 9 | 32 | 28% | | 3 | Independent hosts (Google Groups, blog, Jira), changelog | 6 | 38 | 16% | [source]
| Pass | Focus | New claims | Total | New-info rate | |---|---|---|---|---| | 0 | Core Local Mode procedure and settings | 12 | 12 | 100% | | 1 | Manifest API, pre-flight, override semantics | 10 | 22 | 45% | | 2 | Kubernetes, changelog history, forum | 8 | 30 | 27% | | 3 | Archived docs, Jira, GitHub history attempts | 0 (all blocked) | 30 | 0% | [source]
No step reached the "two consecutive < 5%" rule. Each report also self-reported a soft stop: M after one deepening pass; H at 100/45/27/0%, where the 0% came from access blocks; E at 100/61/28/16%; P at 100/41/21/0%. All runs had Firecrawl and Bash denied, so the pages the next pass needs went unread (archived docs, Jira bodies, per-version changelogs). [source]

Problems, failure modes and limitations

1. **Should Backup Versions Auto Download be on in Local Mode?** [M,H,E,P] - The configuration reference says: "Set to `false` when Ops Manager is running in Local Mode." https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/reference/configuration/ - The Local Mode tutorial says: "Select `true` unless your Backup Daemon and Ops Manager Application run on different platforms." https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/configure-local-mode/ - The configuration reference also uses the older label "Version Manifest Source" for the setting. [E] 2. **Who extracts the archives?** (new fro [source]
27. MongoDB advises against this setup: "Configuring Ops Manager to use Local Mode in Kubernetes is not recommended." It recommends Remote Mode instead. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/kubernetes/current/tutorial/deploy-om-container-local-mode/ 28. Each Ops Manager pod gets its own `ReadWriteOnce` PVC (20Gi in the example) mounted at `/mongodb-ops-manager/mongodb-releases`. You must `kubectl cp` (or `oc rsync`) every archive into every replica. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/kubernetes/current/tutorial/deploy-om-container-local-mode/ ; https://github.com/mongodb/mongodb-enterprise-kubernetes/blob/m [source]
[M,H,E,P] same page - C5. `conf-mms.properties` settings override the global settings stored in the App DB. If the line stays in the file, the UI shows "the Local Mode setting in your `conf-mms.properties` overrides this setting", and UI changes have no effect. [M,H,E,P] https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/reference/config/ui-settings/ ; resolve-pre-flight-check - C6. Ops Manager 8.0 fails pre-flight and will not start if any managed deployment runs MongoDB 4.2 or earlier. Deployments need 4.4 or later (6.0 recommended) before the upgrade. [M,H,E,P] same page; https://www.mongodb. [source]
- D1. The manifest lists the released MongoDB versions. Ops Manager needs it to run in Local Mode. [M] https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/admin/general/version-manifest-page/ - D2. Remote and Hybrid modes update the manifest automatically. Local Mode needs a manual update. [M,H,E,P] https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/update-version-manifest/ - D3. Download the manifest from `https://opsmanager.mongodb.com/static/version_manifest/<major.minor>.json` and paste it at Admin → General → Version Manifest. [M,H,E,P] same page - D4. Success signal: the "last update [source]
[E] same page - G10. A 2025-08-07 forum report: with operator 1.33.0 and Ops Manager 8.0.7 in Local Mode, enabling backup left the resource `Failed` with `Can't execute update on forbidden fields`. The poster says the same step worked up to 7.0.9. The thread has no resolution. [E,P] https://www.mongodb.com/community/forums/t/trying-to-enable-backup-mode-in-ops-manager-local-version-8-0-7-b20250714t000000z/326947 - G11. A 2023-06 forum report: binaries were in the PVC, yet creating the MongoDB CR returned `401 unauthorized`. The root cause was not found. [E] https://www.mongodb.com/community/fo [source]
16. **Pre-flight stop.** If the needed version archives are missing, Ops Manager "fails this check and stops." The documented escape hatch has two steps. First, add `automation.versions.source=remote` to `/opt/mongodb/mms/conf/conf-mms.properties` on every HA host and start Ops Manager. Second, after you fix the directory, delete that line and restart. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/resolve-pre-flight-check.md 17. **The properties file overrides the UI.** If `automation.versions.source` stays in `conf-mms.properties`, the UI shows a notice that "the Local Mode settin [source]
1. Ops Manager has three download modes: - **Remote** is the default. - **Hybrid**: only the Ops Manager hosts reach the Internet, and the Agents download from Ops Manager. - **Local**: no host reaches the public Internet or a binary HTTP(S) endpoint. — https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/configure-local-mode/ 2. The setting is `automation.versions.source`. Its values are `remote` (the default), `hybrid` and `local`. With `local`, "an Ops Manager administrator must upload the version manifest and the MongoDB binaries to the Ops Manager host." The UI label for this setting [source]
**In scope:** how Ops Manager Local Mode works internally. That covers the download-source enum, the Versions Directory, the version manifest, the startup pre-flight check, how the Backup Daemon uses binaries, binary inventory rules, the Kubernetes Operator variant, and the limits and failure modes of each. [source]
- C17. In Local Mode, Ops Manager runs a pre-flight check at startup. The check verifies that the Versions Directory holds the archives for **at least one platform** of each *needed* MongoDB version. If it does not, Ops Manager fails the check and stops. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/resolve-pre-flight-check/ - C18. "Needed" means the versions that projects actually use, not every version in the manifest. The recovery procedure says to place binaries "for every project in Ops Manager". https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/resolve-pre-flight-chec [source]
- C23. The version manifest lists every released MongoDB version. Ops Manager needs it to run in Local Mode. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/admin/general/version-manifest-page/ - C24. In Remote and Hybrid modes, Ops Manager updates the manifest automatically. In Local Mode, an administrator must update it by hand. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/update-version-manifest/ - C25. The manifest is downloaded from `https://opsmanager.mongodb.com/static/version_manifest/<OM-major.minor>.json`. It can be loaded in two ways. One is to paste it at Admin → Gene [source]
- **Quality gate partly met.** I used five source hosts: www.mongodb.com (docs and community forum), opsmanager.mongodb.com, raw.githubusercontent.com (mongodb org), and techdocatwill.blogspot.com. Only the blog is independent of MongoDB, Inc. MongoDB is the only primary source for this proprietary feature. jira.mongodb.org tickets DOCS-4982 and DOCS-5251 are behind a login, so I could not read them. - **Disconfirming search.** The search turned up disagreement 1, the K8s "not recommended" note, and the non-Local-Mode pre-flight failure (C22). I found no third-party source that contradicts how [source]
IN: how Ops Manager's binary-source modes (`remote` / `hybrid` / `local`) work when hosts lack Internet access; what must be pre-staged; the version manifest; pre-flight checks; Backup Daemon binary needs; Kubernetes-operator variant; operational failure modes and trade-offs. OUT: App DB, Backup Daemon placement/sizing, auth federation, Cloud Manager features, Live Migration (separate frontier items). Inherited parent claims are not repeated except where this report corrects or limits them. [source]
1. `automation.versions.source` (UI: Installer Download Source) is a string with default `remote` and three values: `remote` (Ops Manager and Agents have Internet access), `hybrid` (Ops Manager has Internet, Agents do not; Agents download from Ops Manager), `local` (neither has Internet; an admin uploads manifest and binaries to the Ops Manager host). https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/reference/configuration/ 2. Local Mode is the documented choice when no host can reach the public Internet **or** an HTTP/HTTPS endpoint hosting MongoDB binaries. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-m [source]
8. Archives go into the Versions Directory (`automation.versions.directory`); defaults: `/opt/mongodb/mms/mongodb-releases` (RHEL, Ubuntu), `<userSelected>/mongodb-releases` (Linux archive install), `C:\MMSData\MongoDBReleases` (Windows). https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/configure-local-mode.md 9. The binaries must be copied to the Versions Directory on **every** Ops Manager host, not one shared host. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/configure-local-mode.md 10. Required server archives: each platform+version current and planned deployments run, [source]
23. Correction to parent ("if a binary referenced by the manifest is missing, startup fails"): the Local Mode pre-flight check verifies archives for **at least one platform of each needed MongoDB version** — versions in use, not every manifest entry — and Ops Manager stops if that fails. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/resolve-pre-flight-check.md 24. Recovery: add `automation.versions.source=remote` to `conf-mms.properties` on every Ops Manager host, start, fix the needed versions, then delete that line and restart; until removed, the UI shows a notice that the file s [source]
28. Enable with `spec.configuration.automation.versions.source: local` and a per-pod PVC mounted at `/mongodb-ops-manager/mongodb-releases`; archives are placed with `kubectl cp` into each pod. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/kubernetes/current/tutorial/deploy-om-container-local-mode/ 29. The official sample uses `replicas: 2`, `ReadWriteOnce` 20G PVC via `volumeClaimTemplates`, so each replica has its own volume that must be populated separately. https://github.com/mongodb/mongodb-enterprise-kubernetes/blob/master/samples/ops-manager/ops-manager-local-mode.yaml 30. Docs require `spec.replicas` > [source]
- Local Mode turns every MongoDB, Tools and mongosh upgrade into a manual supply-chain step: download → transfer → stage on N hosts (or N PVCs) → update manifest. Missing one host or one Tools version is the main failure source (claims 9, 12, 13, 29). - An internal HTTP(S) mirror plus Remote Mode with a custom Base URL removes per-host staging and is MongoDB's own recommendation on Kubernetes (claims 3, 31–33). Local Mode remains the only option when no internal HTTP endpoint is allowed (claim 2). - Evaluation checklist: pre-flight passes on restart; manifest "last updated" is current and matc [source]
26. With `automation.versions.source=local`, the Backup Daemons also read MongoDB binaries from `automation.versions.directory`. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/reference/configuration/ 27. `mongodb.release.modulePreference` = `enterpriseRequired` or `communityRequired` causes backup to fail if the Versions Directory lacks the matching binary. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/reference/configuration/ [source]
[M,H,E,P] https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/core/requirements/ ; https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/reference/firewall-configuration/ - A9. Apart from those hosts, the requirements page lists only SMTP as outbound traffic. [E] https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/core/requirements.md - A10. Only a Global Owner can change the download mode. [M,H,E,P] https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/configure-local-mode/ - A11. The UI path is Admin → General → Ops Manager Config → Miscellaneous → MongoDB Version Management, applied with "Confirm [source]
[M,H,E,P] https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/configure-local-mode/ - B3. The binaries must be on **every** Ops Manager host. There is no shared store by default. [M,H,E,P] same page - B4. Inference: one unpopulated HA node can serve a failing download. [E] - B5. The directory holds archives: `.tgz` on every platform except Windows, which uses `.zip`. Filenames keep the Download Center name, for example `mongodb-linux-x86_64-enterprise-suse12-3.6.4.tgz`. [M,H,E,P] same page - B6. Microsoft Edge saves archives as `.gz`. Rename them to `.tgz`. [M,H,E,P] same page - B7. The [source]
- C9. `automation.versions.directory` (UI label "Versions Directory") is the directory on the Ops Manager Application server that holds MongoDB binaries. Automation reads it when it installs or changes MongoDB versions. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/reference/configuration/ - C10. The default path depends on the platform. On RHEL/Ubuntu it is `/opt/mongodb/mms/mongodb-releases`. On a Linux archive install it is `<userSelected>/mongodb-releases`. On Windows it is `C:\MMSData\MongoDBReleases`. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/configure-local-mode/ - C1 [source]
19. In Local Mode the version manifest must be updated manually; in remote/hybrid mode Ops Manager updates it automatically. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/update-version-manifest/ 20. Offline update: download `https://opsmanager.mongodb.com/static/version_manifest/<OM-major>.json` (8.0.json in current docs) on an Internet-connected machine, then paste the JSON into Admin > General > Version Manifest. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/update-version-manifest/ 21. A manifest containing MongoDB versions newer or older than the running Ops Manage [source]
Pass 0: 16 claims. Pass 1 (Tools/mongosh, permissions, pre-flight): +11 (41%). Pass 2 (K8s, Cloud Manager limit, forums): +7 (21%). Pass 3 (contradiction hunt): +0 new claims, 3 disagreements logged. Verdict: BUDGET_EXHAUSTED (soft stop) — one more pass on the manifest storage location and hybrid-mode edge cases might still pay off. [source]

Comparisons and alternatives

- E1. In Local Mode, the Agent's "downloading MongoDB" plan step fetches the archive from the Ops Manager Application server. [M] https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/configure-local-mode/ (the FAQ corroboration is inherited) - E2. Backup Daemons read binaries from the same Versions Directory. [M,H,P] https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/reference/configuration/ - E3. `mongodb.release.autoDownload` controls whether the daemons install the versions they need. If it is `false`, an administrator must download **and extract** every needed version. [M] same page - E [source]
- F1. Stage every platform × version that deployments run now or will run, plus every version on the upgrade path. [M,H,E,P] configure-local-mode - F2. Server archives no longer include the Database Tools. Stage the Tools `.tgz` at the exact version in the compatibility table, because newer Tools can break compatibility. [M,H,E,P] same page - F3. From Ops Manager 7.0.5 you can stage `mongosh`, at the version the changelog lists. [M,H,E] same page - F4. From 6.0.4 and 5.0.16, Amazon Linux 2 hosts use Amazon 2 Tools packages instead of RHEL7 packages. [M,H,E,P] same page - F5. Before a Local Mod [source]
1. `automation.versions.source` has three values. `remote` is the default. With `hybrid`, Ops Manager has Internet access and the Agents download from Ops Manager. With `local`, neither has Internet access, and an admin must upload the manifest and the binaries. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/reference/configuration/ 2. The default `automation.versions.directory` is `/opt/mongodb/mms/mongodb-releases/` on RHEL and Ubuntu, `<userSelected>/mongodb-releases` for the Linux archive install, and `C:\MMSData\MongoDBReleases` on Windows. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/curre [source]
- **Should Backup Versions Auto Download be on in Local Mode?** - The configuration reference says to turn it off: `mongodb.release.autoDownload` "⚠ Set to `false` when Ops Manager is running in Local Mode." https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/reference/configuration/ - The Local Mode tutorial says to turn it on: "Select `true` unless your Backup Daemon and Ops Manager Application run on different platforms." https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/configure-local-mode.md - These two pages are not reconciled. The configuration reference also uses an older term fo [source]
- C1. The `automation.versions.source` setting (UI label "Installer Download Source") selects where MongoDB installer binaries come from. It defaults to `remote` and accepts `remote`, `hybrid` or `local`. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/reference/configuration/ - C2. In `local` mode, neither Ops Manager nor the Agents have Internet access. An Ops Manager administrator must upload both the version manifest and the MongoDB binaries to the Ops Manager host. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/reference/configuration/ - C3. In `hybrid` mode, only the Ops Manager hosts [source]
- C29. An automation plan for an install starts with a "downloading MongoDB" step. In Local Mode, the Agent fetches that archive from the Ops Manager Application server, not from the Internet. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/reference/faq/faq-automation/ ; https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/configure-local-mode/ - C30. In Local Mode, the Backup Daemons read MongoDB binaries from the same Versions Directory. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/reference/configuration/ - C31. `mongodb.release.autoDownload` ("Backup Versions Auto Download") con [source]
1. **Backup Versions Auto Download in Local Mode.** The configuration reference warns: "Set to `false` when Ops Manager is running in Local Mode" (https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/reference/configuration/). The Local Mode procedure says: "Select `true` unless your Backup Daemon and Ops Manager Application run on different platforms" (https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/configure-local-mode/). Both are current docs, and neither explains the conflict. One possible reading: with no Internet access, `true` may let the daemon extract archives from the local Ver [source]
- Hybrid Mode in depth - HTTP proxy allow-listing - Static-container architecture and container image mirroring - Agent self-upgrade and Agent binary hosting when air-gapped - Offline license activation - Database Tools compatibility matrix - App DB upgrade order - Backup Daemon head-DB versus backup-cursor binaries [source]
1. **Which gate reading should apply to this row?** Counted by host, it passes with 6 new non-inherited hosts. Counted by independent organisation, it fails with 2 of 3. I assumed the runner's host-count rule, as the batch README describes, but I flagged the weak vendor independence instead of hiding it. 2. **Save the dossier to disk?** I returned it inline and did not write a file into the run directory, because the brief named no output path. Default: no file. [source]
Verdict: **BUDGET_EXHAUSTED (soft stop), not SATURATED-DEPTH.** The rate is falling but is still above 5%. One or two more passes would likely still find something, mainly in the Jira OM/CLOUDP tickets (most need a login) and the release notes of older Ops Manager versions. Handoffs for concept-family-explorer (not chased here): static-container architecture, the App DB upgrade order, and Backup Daemon head-DB versus backup-cursor binaries. [source]

Facts and statements

- **Which Ops Manager release introduced Local Mode and which introduced Hybrid Mode is still unknown.** The closest bound found is "by 3.4.1, Dec 2016" (claim 25). - Archived doc URLs (`/docs/ops-manager/v2.0/`, `v4.0`, `v4.4`) redirect to or serve **current** content. - The `mms-docs` and `docs-mms` GitHub raw paths returned 404. - The Jira REST API returned 401. - The current application changelog reached WebFetch truncated to the 7.0/8.0 sections. - Next step: a session with Bash/curl allowed could fetch `raw.githubusercontent.com/mongodb/docs-ops-manager` or the per-version changelog `.md [source]
- The parent said: "if a binary referenced by the manifest is missing from the Versions Directory, startup fails". **Narrower in the source:** the check covers versions that projects need, and it passes with **one platform** per needed version (C17, C18). A manifest entry with no archive does not stop startup. - The parent said: "Air-gap means Local Mode". **Not always:** if any internal HTTP(S) mirror is reachable, MongoDB documents Remote Mode with `Base URL` as the right choice (C4). On Kubernetes, MongoDB recommends against Local Mode (C44). [source]
- **In scope:** the `automation.versions.source` modes, the Versions Directory, the version manifest, the Local Mode pre-flight check, the binaries the Agent and Backup Daemon need, the Kubernetes variant, and the dated history of all of these. - **Out of scope:** App DB, Backup Daemon placement, auth federation, general HA, Atlas, and Hybrid Mode in depth. These are siblings. - **Inherited parent facts:** not restated. The shared-cache automation FAQ page is inherited, so it does not count toward the gate. [source]
- C1. At startup in Local Mode, Ops Manager checks that the directory holds archives for at least one platform of each *needed* version. If the check fails, Ops Manager stops. [M,H,E,P] https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/resolve-pre-flight-check/ - C2. "Needed" means versions that projects actually use. The recovery steps say to place binaries "for every project". [M,E,P] same page - C3. Inference: an archive for a second platform can be missing and the check still passes. That gap then fails later, at deploy time. [E] - C4. Recovery: 1. Add `automation.versions.source=r [source]
**New from combining the reports:** H2 (from E) moves the earliest evidence for Local Mode from the history report's "by 3.4.1, Dec 2016" back to **June–July 2015, the era of the 1.6 manifest**. The release that introduced Local Mode, and the one that introduced Hybrid Mode, are still unknown. [source]
**Open for the next pass:** - where the manifest is stored; - disagreements #1 and #2; - the reason for the FCV 6.0 note; - which release introduced Local Mode and Hybrid Mode; - the HTTP path Agents use to pull archives; - whether Ops Manager checks archive checksums against `gitVersion`; - how Agent binaries reach hosts in Local Mode; - whether `9.0.json` exists; - whether licensing phones home. [source]
In scope: the `automation.versions.source` download modes (`remote` / `hybrid` / `local`), the Versions Directory, the manually supplied version manifest, the Local Mode pre-flight check, and how these behave for Backup Daemons and for Ops Manager on Kubernetes. Out of scope: Ops Manager in general, App DB sizing, backup mechanics, auth federation, Atlas, and Cloud Manager. Those are sibling or parent concepts. The parent facts are reused only where this report corrects or limits them. [source]
**In scope:** - Ops Manager's binary-download modes: Remote, Hybrid and Local. - What Local Mode needs: the Versions Directory, the version manifest, the pre-flight check and the related settings. - Local Mode on the Kubernetes Operator. - Dated changes to all of the above. [source]
21. To enable Local Mode on an Ops Manager custom resource, set `spec.configuration.automation.versions.source: local`. Each pod gets a ReadWriteOnce PVC mounted at `/mongodb-ops-manager/mongodb-releases`. You must `kubectl cp` the archives into **each** replica separately. — https://www.mongodb.com/docs/kubernetes/v1.2/tutorial/deploy-om-container-local-mode/ 22. The operator sample pins Ops Manager `5.0.5` with AppDB `4.4.11-ent`. It runs `replicas: 2` and has backup disabled. — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mongodb/mongodb-enterprise-kubernetes/master/samples/ops-manager/ops-manager-loc [source]
**Out of scope:** sibling concepts, which are separate frontier items. These are App DB sizing, Backup Daemon placement, LDAP/SAML/OIDC federation, general HA, and Remote/Hybrid mode, except where they define what Local Mode is. [source]
- C34. Stage these archives: every platform × version the deployments run now or will run, and every version on the upgrade path of existing deployments. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/configure-local-mode/ - C35. Server archives no longer bundle the Database Tools (`mongodump`, `mongorestore`). In Local Mode, the `.tgz` of the exact Tools version from the compatibility table must be staged separately. A newer Tools version can break compatibility. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/configure-local-mode/ - C36. From Ops Manager 7.0.5, `mongosh` [source]
- C41. On the Kubernetes Operator, Local Mode is enabled with `spec.configuration: {automation.versions.source: local}` on the `MongoDBOpsManager` resource. https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mongodb/mongodb-enterprise-kubernetes/master/samples/ops-manager/ops-manager-local-mode.yaml - C42. To add the PVC, you delete the Ops Manager StatefulSet with `--cascade=false`, re-apply the resource, and delete the pods one at a time. Set `spec.replicas > 1` first to avoid downtime. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/kubernetes/current/tutorial/deploy-om-container-local-mode/ - C43. In both the Kubernetes docs [source]
| New host | Origin | Substantive | |---|---|---| | opsmanager.mongodb.com | MongoDB, Inc. | yes (D7) | | raw.githubusercontent.com / github.com | MongoDB org | yes (G2, G3) | | jira.mongodb.org | MongoDB, Inc. | partly (titles; TOOLS-2687 body) | | pkg.go.dev | MongoDB module | yes (D11) | | techdocatwill.blogspot.com | independent practitioner | yes (B9, H4) | | groups.google.com | independent user thread | yes (H2) | | stackharbor.com | independent | no; only says air-gap is a reason to run Ops Manager | [source]
- **Counted by host:** passes, with 6 substantive new hosts. - **Counted by independent organisation:** fails, with 2 of the needed 3. Both are old (2015 and 2018), and the third non-vendor source is not substantive. [source]
- Distinct hosts used: mongodb.com (docs and forums), github.com, jira.mongodb.org, groups.google.com, techdocatwill.blogspot.com. - The gate of 3 or more sources is **met on host count (5)**. However, only **2 are independent of MongoDB, Inc.**: groups.google.com and techdocatwill.blogspot.com, and both are old (2015, 2018). - Every disagreement above is internal to MongoDB's own docs. No independent recent source was found that confirms or disputes them. - Several MongoDB Jira tickets (DOCS-4982, DOCS-5251, DOCS-9345) sit behind a login and could not be read. [source]
**Out of scope:** - Sibling concepts such as Backup Daemon placement, LDAP/SAML federation, AppDB and HA. - Atlas. - License activation. The parent's claim that Ops Manager "doesn't phone home for licensing" was **not verified** in this run and is not repeated here. [source]
Tool note: Firecrawl and Bash were denied in this session. All evidence came from WebFetch and WebSearch. Claims taken only from a WebFetch summary of a very large page are marked **[summarizer]**. [source]
- **Hosts:** the gate's host count is met. Evidence comes from 5 distinct hosts: `www.mongodb.com` (docs and forum), `opsmanager.mongodb.com`, `raw.githubusercontent.com`, `pkg.go.dev` and `jira.mongodb.org` (titles only). - **Independence: not met.** Every substantive source is written by MongoDB. No independent third-party confirmation exists. - **Disconfirming sources:** found and recorded under the disagreements above (Kubernetes "not recommended", the autoDownload conflict, and the Remote-mirror correction). [source]
- MongoDB Agent self-upgrade and agent-binary hosting in air-gapped installs - Ops Manager HTTP proxy configuration and allow-lists - Container image mirroring for the Kubernetes Operator in air-gapped clusters - License activation without Internet access [source]
Retrieved 2026-10-02. Run: /rabbithole, single concept. Parent: MongoDB Ops Manager and Cloud Manager. [source]
**Inherited parent facts:** I did not repeat them as findings. Claims C17, C18 and C20 correct or narrow two inherited claims; see "Corrections to inherited claims". [source]
**Research method:** Firecrawl and Bash were denied in this session, so I fetched every page with WebFetch. The shared-source cache gave one relevant claim, from the automation FAQ (C29). [source]
1. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/configure-local-mode/ (also `.md` twin) 2. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/reference/configuration/ 3. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/resolve-pre-flight-check/ 4. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/update-version-manifest/ 5. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/tutorial/update-om-with-latest-version-manifest-with-api/ 6. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/current/admin/general/version-manifest-page/ 7. https://www.mongodb.com/docs/ops-manager/curren [source]
Handoffs (not researched): Hybrid Mode in depth; HTTP proxy allow-listing for Ops Manager; Database Tools compatibility matrix. [source]

Related concepts

and — is a part of Air-Gap and Local Mode
Mode — is a part of Air-Gap and Local Mode
Local — is a part of Air-Gap and Local Mode
Air-Gap — is a part of Air-Gap and Local Mode

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