I’ve been using the ST app recently. I had read that automations run quicker locally, so I got an Aeotec hub. Now, do I need to reinstall devices on the hub or can I import them from the ST cloud? I tried to edit them and change them to “hub”, but denies me access. Go easy on me, any help is appreciated.
Automations can run locally IF all the devices included in the automation are eligible to run locally.
Right now that’s mostly Zigbee or zwave devices connected to the smartthings hub, so you wouldn’t have had any of those before you had a hub.
In your situation, starting without a hub, About the only devices that can run either in the cloud or locally through the official integration are Philips hue bulbs connected to a Philips hue bridge. So you would need to change that integration in the app from cloud to local.
Otherwise probably any devices you previously had are still going to be cloud-based.
But as always, the first rule of home automation applies: “the model number matters.” What is the brand and model number of the devices you had before you got the hub? 
(By the way, it’s possible that once official Matter support is released, more of your devices which are currently using a cloud integration will be able to integrate locally to your hub. But that’s not expected for another few months. And again, it’s just a model by model issue. Some will offer a local integration, some won’t.)
So…the good news is that you probably don’t have to do anything unless you have a Philips hue bridge. Now that you have a hub, everything that is eligible to run locally likely will without you having to do anything. And once matter is released you will have even more choices for devices that run locally, maybe even some of the devices you already have.
The bad news is that just having a hub doesn’t really change anything for the devices that you previously owned (again, with the exception of a Phillips hue bridge) because right now they probably can’t run locally anyway.
So you’ve given yourself more options for the future, but it probably doesn’t change much for the devices you already have.
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Thanks for that! I think I understand a little better now.
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