A technique for content management involves storing runtime state of content externally. A system created according to the technique may include a state server that receives runtime state of content from a playback device, and provides the runtime state to that or another playback device upon request. A playback device constructed according to the technique may include a content state recovery engine for recovering runtime state that was previously stored externally to the playback device. A method according to the technique may include generating the runtime state locally, storing the runtime state externally, and re-acquiring the runtime state.