I actual have openhab running with AEONstick Gen5 and zwave binding.
I saw a lot new functions in zwave things including exchange same node. Much appreciated to all developers.
As I still thing about faster ZStick (aeonstick 10 pro maybe) I found the binding zwave JS, which would support the migration of Gen5 to ZStick 10pro.
Questions:
a) Is it possible to run both with same stick?
b) will there be a change make a migration madatory in future?
c) the installation of Zwave JS UI is just a connector to a separate running instance? Or is the installation of ZWave JS binding already includes all, whats needed?
I dont want to risk a breaking change in my system, as havin more then 100 nodes…
There are ways to transition from a gen5 to a newer zstick outside of JS UI (I have done this transition a couple of ways). I wrote this a couple of years ago when I did my transitions, although I still run a few nodes on a Aeotec Gen5.
Although JS UI might be the easiest (I have not used it). As you know the network is on the zstick itself. JS UI has apparently solved the incompatibility between the NVM configurations, although I thought you need to upgrade to the latest gen5 firmware (SDK 6.xx as I recall). Maybe someone that has actually done it can comment.
As to the specifics (as far as I know)
a) it is one or the other
b) no
c) JS UI is a separate running program and the OH JS UI binding connects to it via a web socket. In some instances, today you may need to go to OH JS UI to do some higher-level functions, but the OH JS UI binding was new with OH5.0, so has room to grow.
EDIT: One advantage for the OH JS UI was the socket connection eliminating the need to MQTT in-between. It is still possible to use JS UI with the HA configurations (allows discovery) or directly using generic MQTT things (all manual, no discovery). Personally, I started with ZUI a while ago with generic MQTT things and haven’t migrated.
not having to incur the long node interview process every time I restart OH. I run snapshot releases so I tend to restart OH pretty often,
the ability to run ZWave JS UI on a separate computer that is more centrally located in the house than my rack which is buried deep in one corner of the basement,
run the network on a more modern controller stick,
automated NVM backups, which provides some additional peace of mind,
remove failed node (although @apella12 recently fixed this in the zwave binding),
OTA firmware updates
One network is about 80 nodes and the other is around 50.
I also had a PR approved in the OH ZW binding to use the quicker ZUI start process.
My current retirement hobby is to look at the OTA firmware options for OH ZW, but jury is still out there.
Also far as I know all Zsticks will run on both addons once the network is transitioned.
ZUI does have the newer S2 security and LR inclusion and benefits from the larger HA community for device configurations. I have both addons running.
One general observation is that zwave-js has incorporated the PC Controller functions of Silabs Simplicity Studio (network, nvm, OTA firmware, etc.) management. without having to remove the stick from your home automation server. All can still be done, but not from within OH.
