Controller replacement - How to ?

[mrsmc]

Hi all,

I've been using domoticz for a long time now and several collegues have also caught the "bug". It's nice to have discussions about scripting and the best way to handle things. Unfortunately I ran across a problem we haven't been able to solve yet.

I am running domoticz on a windows server with an Aeon labs USB stick S2. Lately this configuration "loses" the USB stick which results having to reboot the server in order to "find" it again. Unfortunately that means tkat all other services running on the server are also restarted

I thought to try the new AEON USB stick gen5 with my setup. This uses another type of driver and I hoped that would stabilize things.

However: How do i change the controller in my z-wave network for the S2 to the Gen5 without having to reinclude/reset all the nodes and scripts ?

I tried adding it as a secondary controller to domoticz but it doesn't like two USB sticks.

Just replacing the sticks also don't work because the new Gen5 doesn't know all existing nodes. I know that there is somesort of table in the old sticks memory that holds all the nodes. Is there some way to transfer this information from the old stick into the new one ?

any help is very much appreciated

[gizmocuz]

I had some email discussion with Aeotec.
It is not possible to transfer (with an application) the data from the old stick, to the new Gen5 stick.

The only option is to exclude, and include again.

It could also be that the NODE-ID will be different on the new stick, so i suggest to do it one by one

Also, you can not use both sticks in the same hardware (openzwave if single threaded/usage)

If you found a better way, let me know, as i have to do the same one time... (have already the new stick)

What you could try to do, to get the same node-id on the new stick, is to make sure to maybe include/exclude it multiple times.

For example

Old Stick: Temp Sensor = Node-ID 5

If you include it on the new stick (first include ever!) it will get

New Stick: Temp Sensor = Node-ID 2

So you can exclude it, include it, 3 times, so it will become Node-ID 5 again

Once all node id's are the same as they where on the old stick (and the old stick has no nodes anymore)
you can swap the sticks, and all should work normal again

(hope above makes sense...)

[bbqkees]

When I first started with domoticz I installed it on a Windows machine.

However, I ran into some configuration/hardware problems and the best solution for me was to buy a Pi and never had any real issues since.
It is only a small investment and it means you have a dedicated controller too.

[gizmocuz]

When I first started with domoticz I installed it on a Windows machine.

However, I ran into some configuration/hardware problems and the best solution for me was to buy a Pi and never had any real issues since.
It is only a small investment and it means you have a dedicated controller too.

I dont think this is what the OP means.... but i could be wrong

[bbqkees]

I dont think this is what the OP means.... but i could be wrong

He's having problems with his Windows setup and wants to buy a new Z-Wave stick.
He could also switch to a Pi while using the old Z-Wave stick.

[mrsmc]

hi guys,

thank you for the quick responses. i actually came from a pi before i went to the windows server. Main reason for that is that i'm comfortable with a windows system and not that much on a a linux one. On the pie I also had frequent freezes on the domotics service and the solution was to run somesort of script that would restart the ope when it was not responding. that was the point where you lost me I can do such things on windows, no problem, but linux...nah.

I already received the new Gen5 stick so it seems that i'll be excluding and including the whole system again With 194 devices and around 20 z-wave devices that is not something i am looking forward to I understand the method you desribed to keep the ID's the same. I think i will give that a try so at least my scripts remain working. But ofcourse io will also have to keep the friendly name the same. damn this will be a hell of a job !!!

[stlaha2007]

QuickReply: Another Approce?
Dont get the 2USB-stick issue, Windows or just Domoticz.
Another way perhaps:
- Create a second domotixz iinstance (other Win-pc) or second ipaddress.
- Assign the new Aeonlabs stick to the second instance.
- According to my understanding new Node-Id (say NODE-ID=201) in your Zwave network.
- Create and Assign temporary names to the new devices (read and build your zwave net again) on the second instance
- Setup de second instance as a slave to your existing Windows Domoticz
- Import / create de devices including the temp names on your existing domoticz.
- After the disable Old Zwave stick, en replace original device with the temporary
- Then "again" disable the slave
- replace zwave stick(v5) from second to first and remove old zwave stick (v2)
- (networknodetable) i assume it should be the same. So "again" create new devices with temp-names.
- Replace the old ones with the new temp-names and assign the scripted lua/blockly/batch names, so everything is back

Perhaps an idea for the names: keep them the same and adding the sequence number of the renaming steps eg. "_01" "_02" "_03" etcetera

Used this kind of replacement with the hardware replacement of a Pi. And moving/upgrading several solution of GroupWare on different kinds of OSses.

[mrsmc]

I asked Aeon labs syupport if i can somehow transfer the configuration from the S2 to the Gen5 stick, and this is the reply:

Unfortunately, the memory structure between the Z-Stick S2 and the Gen5 are very different so this isn't possible.

Rebuilding is the only way to go then.

thanx all for helping with this.

[tohn]

Im in the same problem. Are moving to a new Gen5stick with a bunch of zwave devices.

How did yours switch go? And witch method did you use?

[eguliker]

I have the same problem here

[elgarne]

I had some email discussion with Aeotec.
It is not possible to transfer (with an application) the data from the old stick, to the new Gen5 stick.

The only option is to exclude, and include again.

It could also be that the NODE-ID will be different on the new stick, so i suggest to do it one by one

Also, you can not use both sticks in the same hardware (openzwave if single threaded/usage)

If you found a better way, let me know, as i have to do the same one time... (have already the new stick)

What you could try to do, to get the same node-id on the new stick, is to make sure to maybe include/exclude it multiple times.

For example

Old Stick: Temp Sensor = Node-ID 5

If you include it on the new stick (first include ever!) it will get

New Stick: Temp Sensor = Node-ID 2

So you can exclude it, include it, 3 times, so it will become Node-ID 5 again

Once all node id's are the same as they where on the old stick (and the old stick has no nodes anymore)
you can swap the sticks, and all should work normal again

(hope above makes sense...)

Hi Gizmocuz,

Will this procedure keep the history of sensors and their position in the house and the scenario?

Thanks.

[rolandbreedveld]

Thanxzz for the tips, replaced my RaZberry controller for an Aerotec v5, with the help of a 2nd Domoticz instance,
but it's much more simple:
create a new domoticz instance on a new 2nd raspberry pi, with the domoticz.db of the old instance
in the hardware, change the device of the zwave controller
receive config from other controller
on the original system : send config to another controller
controller is now a secondary controller, on the old instance it's recognized as unknown and red.
allz-wave devices are found after a while and connected to the original devices, so no need of replacement,
both domoticz instances work perfect together, as failsafe system.
If you want to remove the original pi, first do the "transfer primary role" on the original system to the new instance.