Hello all,
I am brand new here and hopefully in the right place so that I can be helped.
I already have Docker running on a NUC with Windows running InfluxDB in a container.
Due to the many installation options I am now unsure which is the right one for me.
In the future I will also need Node-Red for the connection of KNX.
So should I install Hass.io or the core or the OS in a Docker container? should I install Node-Red in an extra container or via the apps from Home-Assistant?
Thanks a lot for your help with my beginner questions.
As you are running Windows and are new to Home Assistant you will be better off with the full HAOS experience running as a VM.
If your version of Windows supports it, there is a Hyper-V .vhdx image available that will get you up and running. It’s only limitation is USB support.
If you need USB devices connected to HAOS, then one of the other options on that page will work.
HAOS is usually the easiest option for most new users. Usually.
Though technically possible, I would caution against running HA as a VM on a windows box. Too many automatic updates and reboots and nonsense. I mean, it’s fine for a lab environment or something like that, or just to play with and see if you like it, but for a production environment that you’ll come to count on to run your house? Not reliable enough IMO.
If you’re married to the setup you have now, then I’d strongly consider either another nuc or an RPI. There have been many reports of people successfully installing into some old thin clients as well if you search the forum.
I like HAOS baremetal on a NUC for the simplicity of it, but you could install proxmox on the NUC and run it as a vm as well (or any other non-windows-based hypervisor).
You will be getting issues with Windows as the host system for VMs, unless you start to handle Windows updates yourself, so you can control the restarts many of those requires.
I would advice to run Proxmox and then install HAOS in a VM and you can make a VM for Windows with InfluxDB also.
Proxmox will be the nut to crack in the beginning, because it will take some fiddling with getting the setup right, but once that is handled, then Proxmox will be easy and running HAOS will mean you have little update issues with HA and can use addons easily.
definitely if you run other applications/services that have little to do with HA
Keeping Windows as the OS is an option but the worst option, if you don’t really need it: you are wasting resources on a desktop OS just to virtualize stuff on top of it.
Proxmox gives you a lot of flexibility and advantages, even for HA.
Just read into it and look at the topics here on the forum.
Unfortunately, I still don’t know exactly what I should choose and how, but that is probably due to my lack of basic knowledge about the possible architecture.
Therefore, I try again to describe the exact starting situation.
NUC with W11 (Windwos is needed and it is no alternative to install Proxmox directly on the NUC)
Docker with InfluxDB
Now I have the case that I would like to solve Visu and other connections with Home Assistant.
Since I already have a NUC with Docker, I thought it would be the easiest to integrate it there so I don’t need any additional hardware. But I don’t want to rely on a temporary solution, but it should be well thought out and durable from the beginning.
If not absolutely necessary I would like to run SmartHome-Assitant on my NUC. Gladly you can explain me again the disadvantages but this would be my preferred solution.
So would it be better to start a VM on my Windows and install HomeAssistant there?
Or can I just install a container in Docker and run that on it? If so with which container?
I then install Node-Red also in an extra container or just in the installation of Home-Assistant via Apps.
It would also be important that I can exchange data across all systems.
I know huge text and much demanded. So thanks a lot for all answers.
You can run Home Assistant Container in Docker, but I guess with Windows as host you’ll run into awkward problems. Container installation method also doesn’t support installation of Addons (eg. NodeRed). You would have to manage these manually.
Be aware that virtualization on a Windows desktop OS is the worst option for a server, even more if you’re planning to automate a lot in your home with it.
