Email OAuth 2.0 Configuration on Headless Installations

Product version: 11.1

Last modified: 10 February 2026

Problem

Email OAuth 2.0 authentication cannot be completed on headless or non-GUI installations of NAKIVO Backup & Replication, such as NAS devices, virtual appliances, or Linux servers without a graphical interface.

During Email OAuth configuration (for example, Google OAuth), the authorization flow requires opening a browser-based URL. On headless systems, this is not possible, which prevents users from completing authentication and blocks integration with OAuth-based services.

Background

Email OAuth 2.0 authentication in NAKIVO Backup & Replication relies on a browser-based authorization step.

This step requires access to a graphical environment to open the authorization URL and complete user consent.

Headless environments (NAS devices, NAKIVO Virtual Appliance, Linux servers without GUI) do not support opening a browser locally. As a result:

The OAuth authorization URL cannot be accessed directly.
The authentication flow cannot be completed on the target system.

At the moment, there is no dedicated mechanism to export and import OAuth tokens independently. The supported workaround is to transfer the authenticated configuration using a database export and import, as the OAuth token is stored within the product's configuration database.

Solution

To configure Email OAuth 2.0 on a headless or non-GUI system, use the following workaround based on database export and import.

Temporarily install NAKIVO Backup & Replication on a system with a graphical interface.
Complete Email OAuth 2.0 authentication on that system.
Export the product database.
Import the database into the headless installation.

Important

Importing the database overwrites the existing database on the target system.

This workaround transfers the entire product configuration, not only OAuth tokens.

Ensure that no critical configuration changes are made on the headless system before performing the import.