WTH - restorable backups of ZHA/Zwave-JS networks

Archive Month of "What the heck?!" 2022
,
1

For a stable system a stable restorable backup is a key component. If a bit of hardware fails, or gets upgraded (USB zwave or zigbee stick using ZHA or Zwave-JS) the backup function should be able to restore these to a bit of replacement hardware, without requiring the user to spend hours manually rebuilding the device network. Not sure that this is possible, but it would be a really big benefit for those that have our HA setup close to steady state and don’t wish to have to spend a whole weekend rebuilding it in case of failure. I’m not very inspired by the just rebuild your whole network to “xxxxx-mqtt” as those are just as likely to change over time, and as far as I understand ZHA and Zwave-JS are considered the standard supported integrations for HA…

Update: Since I posted it has been made clear to me that ZHA backup and restore as part of an automated UI process has been added for ZHA, however, despite the discussion below the same functionality does not exist for Zwave-JS. My request should be modified to state that I would like the same functionality for Zwave-JS as is currently implemented in the UI for ZHA…

2

Zigbee backups are already fully automatic: 2022.9: Home Assistant Birthday Release! - Home Assistant

2 Likes
3

And they work really well. I had to use it a couple days after updating to 2022.9

4

That is awesome! Thank you for pointing it out. I guess I somehow missed it when I was reading the update announcement. Hopefully they will at least keep my request to do the same for Zwave… :crossed_fingers:

5

Zwave doesn’t need a backup per se as the pairings are stored in the stick’s NVRAM.

6

Thank you for the info. However, I was referring specifically to an even that would involve replacement of the stick itself. Much like the new ZHA backup ability.

1 Like
7

Ah then the NVM backup function would work for that, but it’s not something you want to run on a weekly basis.

8

what are the downsides to running the backup?

I haven’t run a backup of my stick yet because I didn’t know what impact it would have on the system.

does it completely interrupt the network while it’s taking the backup?

9

yes, the radio is turned off while the NVM backup runs, then is turned back on.

I’m not really aware of any, but NVRAM is something I tend to usually only backup once in a long while.
Fortunately for zwave, unless you’re adding new devices daily, you only need 1 backup.

1 Like
10

Yeah, I only take a backup via Aeotec’s software when I add a few devices (which reminds me…it’s been a while… :thinking:).

I’ll give the zwavejs backup method a try.

thanks. :slightly_smiling_face:

1 Like
11

Fun caveat, if you are using the Aeotec Gen5 (the non-plus version) and are on firmware 1.0 or 1.1, you will not be able to restore this NVM backup to any other type of stick. You’d need firmware 1.2 in order to be able to restore the NVM backup to any newer stick.

This is due to major SDK changes.

12

Well, crap, now I have to decide to update the firmware or not too since I’m on v1.0.

I assume that’s even possible? and not totally dangerous for bricking the stick?

13

You can do a OTW firmware update for the stick.

:man_shrugging: AFAIK you HAVE to use the Aeotec firmware stuff to update these sticks. It does a NVM backup in the process, last I knew, but that won’t really help if the stick bricks.

This is part of the reason I grabbed a 700 series stick and have been moving my devices over.

14

which brand 700 series stick did you buy?

15

Are you plugging in both sticks and running an exclude from old stick/include to new stick one device at a time?

16

Yah, so I’m on a get 5 non plus, firmware V1.1… So, I guess I need to figure out how to upgrade the firmware to 1.2 so I can upgrade when the stick finally fails?

17

This one:

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/silicon-labs/SLUSB001A/9867108

18

Exclude run on the new stick, then inclusion on the new stick. That way the old entities just go “dead” and I can rename them easier.

You can see about doing the FW upgrade. I don’t want to until I move all my devices over.

19

Does that one have the issue with needing a powered USB hub that the Aeotec 7 stick has?

It really would be ideal if I could just transfer my network directly from one stick to another tho since I’ve got some stuff in fairly inaccessible locations. I think the Gen5 can be transferred to a Gen5+ stick but then I’m still on a Gen5+ stick.

Unfortunately I don’t know how future proof that will be. Probably not very.

20

That was the Gen5 (non-plus) not the Gen7.

This is why you’d want to try to update the firmware to 1.2, then at that point you could NVM backup then restore to a Gen7 stick, no re-pairing needed.