NOOB all over again? (Migrating from v1 to V2)

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#1

NOTE: I know about the ‘Migration’ thread (here), and will reference it, but since I seem to think my situation is unique (I’m sure you’ll argue that it is not; and I may eventually agree after I hear your argument), I am going to create this thread anyway. If it turns out to be unnecessary, redundant crap, I will certainly delete it. :slight_smile:

I recently got a V2 hub (after more than a couple years building my V1-based SmartThings ‘infrastructure’).

My plan is to give the V1 hub to somebody as a gift once I get the V2 up and running…assuming I find happiness after the following line of questioning…

I know we were promised (a long time ago) that they were working on a migration tool, but I assume that’s no closer to being a reality than it was the day it was promised. If I’m wrong about that, PLEASE let me know (I can certainly put this off). :slight_smile:

I have looked at the official page on the SmartThings website about this…

However, since my setup is…generally…sort of…mostly working, I don’t want to nix it yet until the new one is up and running and ready to take its place.

I have enough extra devices on-hand that will allow me to bring up a new hub/system while leaving the old/current one as-is for a while. As I get to a point where something from the old one is actually needed in the new one, I will deal with the removal/exclusion/re-adding process at that time.

Given that scenario, would you more experienced smarties please give me some of your wisdom on what is the best path for doing this?

i.e. Can I add the V2 hub as an additional one, and migrate gradually with them both being part of the same system, or would it be better to have them completely separate, independent primary hubs?

If independent, can they both be within the same Location, or will I need to create a new location for the V2 one?

If new location, can that be within my same, single account, both accessed via my same account in the IDE, or will I need to (or should I) create a completely new account for my V2 adventure?

#2

Not unique, nothing has changed, nothing new.

You still cannot have two hubs on the same SmartThings location.

https://support.smartthings.com/hc/en-us/articles/203064530-Can-I-use-two-Hubs-in-one-Location-

There’s still no migration tool, so you just have to individually move each device from one hub to the other when you are ready for it.

You still can’t have one smart app control devices from two different locations.

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#3

I forgot to mention:

If you are using any third-party services like IFTTT, harmony, Echo, etc you’ll be better off setting up two completely separate SmartThings accounts because in most cases SmartThings will only expose one location to the third-party service. There just isn’t a way to reveal the second location at the present time.

I don’t know if smarttiles can handle it, @tgauchat would know.

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#4

OK. Thanks, JD.

So, if I’m OK with having multiple locations and multiple Android devices to run multiple instances of the mobile app, then I’m fine?

I already carry multiple Androids with me once in a while these days. So, I guess perhaps it won’t be so bad to do it that way while I get the V2 fully up and running, and then ditch the V1 setup once it’s all migrated.

#5

You’re fine from the SmartThings side, but as I just posted, you’ll have a problem with most of the third-party service integrations that use Oauth.

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#6

ActionTiles (SmartTiles V6) will let you connect to an unlimited number of Locations or Hubs, even those belonging to different SmartThings Accounts.

Tiles can be mixed and matched from these multiple-Locations on a single or many dashboard Panels.

@625alex and I a very proud of this feature, even if it’s only useful to a subset of Customers that have multiple concurrent Locations.

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#7

Dare not correct you, JD, 'cuz the consequences are the same regardless; but it is actually, quite frankly, trivial for a third-party using Web Services SmartApps to connect multiple Account Locations to the same third-party “account”. IFTTT, Echo, etc., are just not “motivated” to implement it correctly.

I know of what I speak because ActionTiles does exactly that, quite successfully. Pardon the boasting, but… well, it’s not really boasting, because it’s not really that hard.

#8

You’re dealing with theory. The reality is that those services do not connect to multiple SmartThings locations at the present time. So that’s just something to be aware of.

#9

True, but I was nit-picking on this particular statement which is inaccurate:

SmartThings can and does absolutely “expose” any and all of a user’s Locations for the purpose of installing one or more instances of the particular web services SmartApp used by the third-party service.

It is entirely the responsibility of the third-party service (or whomever write the intergration, which I guess might be SmartThings in some cases?) to take advantage of this ability.

#10

I said “at the present time.” I’m just trying to help the OP figure out how to set up their two hubs.

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#11

@JDRoberts, Agreed but as a guide he could adopt a simple strategy I did whilst migrating to Vera. If you migrate some things from one hub to another. He could do what I did and create a smartapp on each hub so virtual switches could be kept in sync with the actual state of the device on hub 2. And when the virtual switch on hub 1 it triggers the switch on hub 2… I was doing this during the months I took to migrate and was still using SmartTiles until the migration was nearly finished

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#12

Radio Interference?

Is there anything in particular I need to know about or compensate for with regard to how close or far apart the two hubs need to be within my home?

#13

Same as any other transmitter for these frequencies – – try to keep them at least 10 feet apart.

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#14

OK…so, I’ve decided…
I’m going to have two completely separate SmartThings systems, in different locations, in the same account, and access them both from within the same, single instance of the SmartThings Mobile App on my Android phone.

I will bring the V2 up, get whatever I can going in it first, and once it seems good to go, I will begin migrating devices, rules, etc from the V1 system over to the V2 system until there’s nothing left in the V1 system anymore.

I think the biggest challenges for me in this migration are going to be related to SmartTiles and my Rules Engine of choice.

SmartTiles
Even though it can handle devices from multiple SmartThings instances, I can only have each dashboard Android participating in one SmartThings system at a time through SharpTools.

Rules Engine
I’m currently still using RuleMachine. I’ve been wanting to get going with CoRE at some point, and I guess this may be the time to do it.

Thoughts on any of that?

#15

I’m confused…?

Are you talking about SmartTiles or SharpTools??

ActionTiles V6 can mix and match Tiles/Things from any number of Locations on one or more dashboard Panels.

#16

Is ActionTiles released? The website shows “coming soon.” JD’s point that very few (if any) published apps support multiple locations stands. It’s something people need to consider when migrating or supporting multiple locations.

For what it’s worth, I have support for multiple locations working in an Alpha build of SharpTools. It’s at the top of the roadmap to release it, but I’ve prioritized other changes which impact the broader user base first. While the concept of taking action against multiple different locations is trivial, an intuitive integration takes effort to get it done right – especially when a legacy base of 10k+ users is in question.

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#17

I can’t wait for this! My two locations will thank you :smile:

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#18

No (coming soon…!). But our Beta testers are successfully running Panels with Tiles/Things from multiple locations concurrently.

Multiple-Location / multiple-SmartThings Account support is inherent to ActionTiles (SmartTiles V6) architecture.

#19

Ya…sorry…I was talking about SharpTools really.
In my case, each dashboard/Panel is inextricably tied to SharpTools since that’s what I use to get the screens to turn on.