Please help explain pros and cons for different hosting options

Hi All
I am sorry for posting this message as I know that very similar threads have been posted before but none of them have really explained simply what the pros and cons of each install type are (in a way that I understand).
I have been running HA in a VM on synology for a while. The discs on my synology never span down and I assumed that this was because of the VM accessing them. Because of this I moved to HA OS installed on a RPI 4 with an SSD. I seem to have some performace issues with that though so I am now considering other options. I am currently setting up a Truenas box that will have some sold state storage so I am considering using the solid state drives for HA.
It seems that my hosting options are:

  • HA OS on RPI 4
  • Docker container on TrueNas
  • VM on TrueNas

I think that I probably want supervised - so that seems to rule out docker. Is that correct? I know that when I try HA docker and it boots up there is no restore from backup option that I want. I also want to run the node-red add on.
Am I correct in saying that given the above I need HA OS either in a VM or running on my RPI4?

Are there any pros and cons between running as a VM or on a RPI?

Many Thanks

Supervised uses docker. Container uses docker. HAOS uses docker.

No, you don’t. There are no “pros” to Supervised. You either want:

  • Docker (Container) so you have full control and can run any Docker image you want
  • HAOS so that you can use add-ons

You also don’t want to run on a Pi (at least one with an SD card).

Based off what you said, HAOS in a VM would be the right solution for you.

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thanks for the reply. HAOS is supervised isn’t it? I can certainly see the supervisor on my Pi when I run it on that.
If I run in docker I can’t have add ons can I?
So it sounds like I want HAOS on either the PI (which has an ssd) or in a VM (like you said!) :slight_smile:

No

HAOS has the Supervisor, but there’s another method (documented on the official install page) that’s called Supervised

No, but add-ons are just software, they’re not magic. Almost every add-on has a Docker or manual install equivalent.

I plan to run most stuff separately from HA - for example mqtt and zigbe2mqtt will be separate docker containers as well as one instance of node-red. BUT I think that I need to have another HA hosted version of node red to get the HA nodes within node-red. I never managed to get the magic to work that allowed the communication between HA and node-red without installing NR as a HA addon.

Then you did it wrong.

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Ok, any pointers on how to get it to work? At the time I did significant research into the subject and wasn’t able to come up with any solutions or find any information about how to set it up.

It is a long time since I did it, before addons even existed. (Didn’t like NR so never bothered reinstalling).

IIRC you need to install Node Red, then add a NR flow (if that is the right word) what links NR to HA. Configure that and you’re good to go.

I think this one

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