Gateway managed mode
OCE enables managed mode by default for each new Agent whose Compute Driver supports it; on other Compute Drivers a new Agent defaults to off. It applies to Gateway administration through native clients, including the Console’s native admin UI. An Installation administrator can turn it off to try local configuration changes. Dedicated Gateways start with the model tool policy saved in OCE. With managed mode off, an authorized Gateway admin can explicitly widen the local allowlist. After a native Gateway restart, later Agent turns can use those tools if their other permissions allow it.
In the Console, open the version draft’s Configuration tab. Creating an Agent
with gatewayManagedMode=false or changing the saved setting requires Installation
administer alongside the usual permissions. Anyone authorized to deploy the Agent
can apply the saved setting. The revision records the requested mode. OCE can
select the revision before the replacement starts, so verify that deployment
succeeded on a supporting runtime before relying on the restrictions.
After configuration setup, OCE applies three enforcement controls to the managed Gateway.
| Setting | Effect |
|---|---|
OPENCLAW_CONFIG_READONLY=1 |
The OpenClaw config writer refuses edits. The watcher still picks up trusted OCE updates. |
OPENCLAW_DISABLE_GATEWAY_LOCAL_TERMINALS=1 |
The Gateway refuses local terminals. Authorized node-relayed terminals remain available. |
OPENCLAW_DISABLE_CRON_HOST_EXECUTION=1 |
The Gateway refuses Gateway-hosted command jobs. Ordinary scheduled Agent turns still run. |
OCE also sets OPENCLAW_CONFIG_READONLY_NOTICE with guidance for the Gateway UI.
Gateways that support the notice show where to edit the Agent's draft Configuration
while native configuration is read-only. Save the draft and select Deploy new version
to apply your changes. See Edit Agent Configuration.
The pinned OpenClaw revision includes all three controls.
The Compute Driver must declare support and launch a qualified runtime.
Kubernetes requires a configured Gateway runtime. SSH does not support managed mode.
Agent save refuses gatewayManagedMode=true without that support, and deployment
refuses an existing Agent that has it until an Installation administrator turns it off.
See the Docker deployment limits.
After a hard crash in either mode, an embedded Gateway can require
operator recovery.
Deploying with managed mode back on restores OCE’s saved configuration. Tools excluded by that revision become unavailable again. Replacement can interrupt service. Protecting files against direct writes under the Gateway’s identity requires filesystem protection or separate write authority.