Go Backend Rollback

Go Backend Rollback Controls

CAVRA now requires rollback controls before promoted mode can select Go as an optional backend. Python remains the recovery backend. If rollback readiness is missing or invalid, promoted-mode evaluation falls back to Python.

What Rollback Requires

Rollback readiness requires:

• CAVRA_GO_BACKEND_MODE=promoted or an explicit rollback plan request.
• Python fallback remains available.
• CAVRA_GO_ROLLBACK_PLAN points to valid JSON metadata.
• The rollback plan has status=ready.
• The rollback plan has target_mode=disabled.
• The rollback plan is approved.
• Required controls are present.
• Rollback steps and evidence references are public-safe and parseable.

The public rollback plan schema is cavra.go-backend-rollback-plan.v1:

{
  "schema_version": "cavra.go-backend-rollback-plan.v1",
  "status": "ready",
  "target_mode": "disabled",
  "approved": true,
  "approval_id": "apr_go_backend_rollback",
  "max_recovery_minutes": 15,
  "controls": [
    "python-fallback-available",
    "promoted-mode-disable-tested",
    "rollback-approval-recorded",
    "operator-runbook-linked",
    "evidence-capture-enabled"
  ],
  "rollback_steps": [
    "Set CAVRA_GO_BACKEND_MODE=disabled.",
    "Restart API, CI runner, or workstation process using CAVRA.",
    "Capture rollback readiness and production readiness reports."
  ],
  "evidence_refs": [
    "go-rollback-readiness://ci/ready",
    "go-promotion-rollback-runbook://docs/current"
  ]
}

Do not include secrets, private customer details, private endpoint identifiers, or proprietary operational data in the public rollback plan.

Environment Variables

export CAVRA_GO_BACKEND_MODE=promoted
export CAVRA_GO_PROMOTION_EVIDENCE=/etc/cavra/go-backend-promotion-evidence.json
export CAVRA_GO_ROLLBACK_PLAN=/etc/cavra/go-backend-rollback-plan.json
export CAVRA_GO_ROLLBACK_REHEARSAL_EVIDENCE=/etc/cavra/go-backend-rollback-rehearsal.json

To roll back immediately:

export CAVRA_GO_BACKEND_MODE=disabled

Then restart the API, CI runner wrapper, workstation service, or process hosting CAVRA so the disabled mode is loaded.

CLI Usage

cavra runtime go-rollback-readiness \
  --mode promoted \
  --rollback-plan-path /etc/cavra/go-backend-rollback-plan.json \
  --json

Promoted-mode evaluation also checks rollback readiness:

cavra runtime go-pilot-evaluate execute_command "terraform plan" \
  --mode promoted \
  --runtime-path /opt/cavra/bin/cavra-runtime \
  --policy-path /etc/cavra/compiled-policy.json \
  --package-dir /opt/cavra/go-runtime-release \
  --promotion-evidence-path /etc/cavra/go-backend-promotion-evidence.json \
  --rollback-plan-path /etc/cavra/go-backend-rollback-plan.json \
  --rollback-rehearsal-path /etc/cavra/go-backend-rollback-rehearsal.json \
  --json

API Usage

curl http://127.0.0.1:8000/runtime/go-pilot/rollback-readiness
curl http://127.0.0.1:8000/deployment/production-readiness

Production readiness includes a go_backend_rollback section and a go_backend_rollback_controls check. not_requested is acceptable when promoted mode is not configured. needs_attention blocks readiness when promoted mode is requested without an approved rollback plan. Rehearsal evidence is documented in Go backend rollback rehearsal evidence.

User Stories

• As a platform owner, I can prove that promoted Go backend pilots have a documented path back to Python-only mode.
• As an incident commander, I can disable promoted Go selection by setting CAVRA_GO_BACKEND_MODE=disabled.
• As a security reviewer, I can require rollback approval before Go becomes the selected optional backend.
• As an auditor, I can attach rollback plan, approval, evidence references, and recovery-time expectations to promoted backend evidence.

Enterprise Challenge Solved

Backend promotion is only production-ready when rollback is boring, explicit, and auditable. These controls keep Go backend adoption reversible and give regulated teams a clear recovery path before they allow promoted-mode enforcement in CI runners or workstation services.

Next Work

The next recommended implementation step is to add rollback drill notification acknowledgements and escalation policy for missed drill notifications.