The details are on our blog. Please use this thread for discussion.
9 Likes
As per ST Blog, the v1 to v2 Migration tool is dead
So, here are my questions:
- What does this mean for replacing an existing v2 hub when it dies? I assume the answer is âsame procedureâŚno tool provided.â
- From the blog post, it sounded like they were shooting for perfection. I never thought it would be automated. I would have loved to have seen a device replacement process when you can swap a device out within ST and the new device takes over all of the SmartApps of the old one. That is really all I ever wanted, which would, in theory, allow for a migration between hubs since you would have to re-associate the device anyway.
and for the most obvious questionâŚ
Why was Wink able to create one? What is different about their process/system compared to ST?
Basically, I was only ever looking for a way to not have to recreate EVERYâŚSINGLEâŚAUTOMATION⌠in the system, which is what the manual process entails. There is no back up and restore option, there is no export settings option so you can refer to the way everything is configured. The process is âwrite everything down on paper, hope you got everything, then start over.â
3 Likes
Weâre not sure yet. We are still taking about this internally and if/when we have an answer weâll make sure to let everyone know.
We donât have a path forward right now so we thought it best to announce that it isnât happening in the way we promised.
Unfortunately I donât have a better answer than that. [quote=âbrianlees, post:2, topic:73587â]
Why was Wink able to create one?
[/quote]
I know they created one and thatâs cool. Iâll just share a response to the same question I had to a high level wink employee who now works for us.
âIâm sure weâll get the âWink can do itâ comments but I can personally attest that the experience isnât great, especially for larger networksâ
So while yes, they did it⌠Itâs not a great experience and can make the whole process more messy and harder. We found the same thing, that a migration tool not properly implemented can make lives harder and that is the thing that was unacceptable to us.
It was a better the devil you know than the devil you dont kind of thing.
1 Like
Thanks @slagle, for the quick response. I still come back to one of my core questions - why was Wink able to do it? This is not me saying âdude, your competitor can do it so you suckâ since ST does things they canât. However, the basic premise is still the same and Iâm curious why they could do it.
1 Like
You picked Friday the 13th to announce this?!
Seriously though, the transparency is appreciated, thanks.
5 Likes
I had hoped for some good news as well, something to look forward to. What a bummer to read the announcement with only âbadâ news in store for 2017.
Thanks for being open about it though.
4 Likes
Response above.
This is just clearing the air so we can move forward. There are great things coming for 2017 just not anything weâre ready to announce.
4 Likes
Thanks for coming out with the info even though it isnât what people wanted to hear. On the upside I assume stopping work on a migration tool and Windows phone frees up resources to be used elsewhere.
2 Likes
Yeah I understand. Canât wait to hear more about your plans for us. Honestly, I need more to play with. Such as an ST app for my gorgeous Gear S3 
1 Like
(Let me offer the usual disclaimer up front that this is in no way aimed at you personally, as I realize that youâre just doing your job.)
More messy and harder for whom? Iâd be interested to hear how whatever migration tool Wink came up with actually made things harder for the customer than having to recreate everything manually. âWe couldnât make it greatâ is not a valid excuse for not at least coming up with something that is better than nothing.
And the fact that ST isnât able to create an effective migration tool means that migration was not taken into account when designing and implementing the v2 hub and ST software, which is either an extremely amateurish mistake or a sign that ST simply had a âscrew our existing customers who might want to upgrade, migration is their problem, not oursâ attitude.
And I say these things as someone who has been developing software professionally for nearly 30 years.
1 Like
Here is my takeâŚ
SmartThings never started on the migration utility. Yes, it may have been on an engineerâs to do list, but it was quickly pushed to the bottom when fires had to be put out.
Secondly, version 2 should not have been released until a migration utility was complete. It should have been part of the beta and considered part of the version 2 product.
Hopefully, SmartThings can learn from this. At least it must relieve SmartThings staff erasing a promise they knew they couldnât fulfill.
This still begs the question about the backup, restore, recovery or move hub need.
1 Like
15 Likes
@slagle Regarding the smartapp curation, Apps that are no longer supported by their developers etc. etc. etc. Does this mean that if we have rule machine installed, it will disappear from our account.?
Iâve always thought about this my self. How do they make money? I personally hate subscriptions to things and prefer the buy to play model but the reality is without some form of consistent income stream a company canât sustain itself. So Iâve resigned my self that a well priced sub may be the most transparent and direct solution. Maybe they thought theyâd make it on additional hardware like sensors and such but I canât see the margin and volume on that really cutting it either. Seeing the announcement by Nvidia though makes me think there could be a model where other companies pay for use of the ST platform to make their products more appealing. So users see it as free but really its baked into the price of what ever product or service they sell.
2 Likes
You know the saying that sometimes the best thing to say is nothing ⌠keeping your mouth shut if you donât have anything nice to say at this point I keeping my thoughts and mouth quite.
4 Likes
It just says theyâll be removed from the Marketplace list. I donât imagine theyâll remove custom code youâve already got in your account.
1 Like
I need to stop adding devices to my v1 hub. 
2 Likes
Thank you for the transparency and clear statements about the migration toolâs demise. While this obviously is not the answer people were looking for I can understand the reasoning and have an official statement will make it easier to decide when to upgrade my hub.
4 Likes
Does no more Windows Phone OS mean no Windows UWP app? Or are those two different types of apps?
1 Like