Abstract: A SetupClaw deployment is only complete when the customer can operate OpenClaw safely without waiting for vendor intervention. That means handoff is part of the security and reliability model, not an afterthought. This guide outlines the practical operability pack that keeps a Hetzner-hosted OpenClaw setup stable after go-live: access boundaries, command-level runbooks, cron and Telegram SOPs, change-control safeguards, and recovery drills.
Most AI assistant rollouts do not fail at installation. They fail at day-two operations.
The first incident tends to be small, a token rotation, a missed scheduled run, a restart side effect, a Telegram policy drift. But small incidents become expensive when no one knows what to check first or who owns the fix.
That is why handoff is part of the product. If the customer cannot run checks, recover safely, and keep controls in place after launch, the setup is not really finished.
Begin with the boundary that prevents backup and restore mistakes
Before checklists, define where runtime state lives and where operational knowledge lives.
The state directory holds runtime-critical material: service state, credentials, sessions, and config context. The workspace holds memory notes, runbooks, and operating docs.
If this distinction is not explicit, teams back up the wrong things, restore partially, and discover gaps only during recovery. A good handoff names both locations and ties each to backup and restore steps.
Deliverable one: one-page access map
Operators need a fast answer to one question: who can access which control surface, and how?
Include Telegram control path, dashboard access model, SSH/Tailscale route, approved operator identities, and private-only defaults. Keep this short enough for incident use.
A clear access map reduces risky improvisation when pressure is high.
Deliverable two: security baseline sheet
This document should show current safe posture, not generic policy language.
Capture SSH/firewall expectations, gateway auth assumptions, Telegram allowlist and mention-gating policy, token/key locations, and rotation ownership. Add explicit “do not do this” reminders for common unsafe shortcuts.
Under stress, teams often remember convenience first. This sheet keeps safe defaults visible.
Deliverable three: “run this first” command card
A non-specialist operator should have deterministic first checks.
Include commands for system status, gateway status, logs follow, doctor checks, channel health, and cron checks. Add examples of healthy output patterns, not just command syntax.
Expected outputs are what convert commands into usable diagnostics.
Deliverable four: cron reliability SOP
Cron trust is earned through consistency.
Document timezone rules, schedule type guidance (at versus recurring schedules), timeout/retry/idempotency defaults, and post-restart cron verification. Explain idempotency in plain terms: repeated runs should not create repeated damage.
Without this SOP, cron failures usually surface late.
Deliverable five: Telegram operations SOP
Telegram often appears stable until policy drift appears.
Document DM policy, group mention-gating behaviour, mode choices, and troubleshooting sequence for delivery failures. Separate transport faults from authorisation-policy faults so teams do not reboot healthy services to fix policy mistakes.
This keeps channel issues contained and faster to resolve.
Deliverable six: PR-only change-control SOP
Even small teams need review boundaries when AI-assisted workflows touch code or configuration.
Handoff should define what the assistant may propose, what needs review, branch protection assumptions, and rollback path. Emergency mitigations may happen, but durable fixes should still be auditable and reversible.
PR-only controls reduce repeat incidents caused by undocumented hot edits.
Deliverable seven: memory governance note
Memory improves continuity when curated, and degrades quality when unmanaged.
Document what belongs in durable memory, stable decisions, constraints, runbook facts, and what should remain transient, especially sensitive material.
This keeps recall useful without turning memory into an operational liability.
Deliverable eight: incident matrix for recurring failures
A concise matrix should cover common incidents: auth mismatch, webhook errors, restart regressions, rate limits, cron misses, browser drift.
For each row include symptom, likely cause, command checks, expected output, rollback path, and escalation owner. Ownership should be explicit by role or name.
This replaces guesswork with repeatable response.
Deliverable nine: backup and restore recipe
Backup confidence comes from restore confidence.
Document what to back up (state plus workspace), cadence, restore order, and validation steps before reopening automation. Include a migration drill path to a clean Hetzner node.
An untested backup is a theory, not a control.
Deliverable ten: ownership and operating cadence
Handoff only works when responsibility is assigned.
Define weekly checks (status, logs, cron), monthly rotation tasks, quarterly recovery drills, and named owners for each checklist row. This keeps operations stable when team attention shifts.
No named owner usually means no execution.
Practical implementation steps
Step one: build a fixed handoff template
Use a standard structure so critical controls are never skipped under deadline pressure.
Step two: populate it with environment-specific details
Replace placeholders with actual paths, IDs, owners, commands, and expected outputs.
Step three: run a guided operator session
Walk through status checks, logs, one cron smoke test, and one Telegram policy check with the customer.
Step four: run an independent drill
Have the customer repeat the same sequence without intervention. Any confusion found here is a handoff defect to fix before sign-off.
Step five: schedule a 30-day review
Review policy drift, incident trends, token rotation status, and cron reliability. Update handoff docs as living operational assets.
Originally published on clawsetup.co.uk. If you want a secure, reliable OpenClaw setup on your own Hetzner VPS — see how we can help.
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