Once Zigbee devices are working on a C-8, they will need to be re-paired on the C-7.
Correct
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A C-8 would be the better choice as backup, because it can support seamless Zigbee migration. C-7 and older models do not support Zigbee migration, migrating to a C-7 or older model requires re-pairing of Zigbee devices.
Ok, so the only scenario for a pain free backup and restore (without resetting zigbee and zwave devices) would be another C8 hub, and a Hub Protect subscription, correct?
Thanks again Bobby for your prompt replies 
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That's what I would do.
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As you may know, Hub Protect provides you with a free hub if anything goes wrong with existing hub. Having a C-8 on hand as backup means that you will always have a hub ready to restore a cloud backup and be back online in 10 minutes or less. When the Hub Protect replacement arrives, that hub becomes your new backup.
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Stop, stop... [finger inches towards "buy" button again...] 
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The fly in the ointment is the Zigbee frame counter, which makes the timing of the cloud backup and restore a factor in the ability to recover.
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Interesting. So does this explain why I didn't get the option to migrate my Zwave on my New Zealand C5? It has a Hubitat branded external dongle but I'm sure I saw somewhere else that the Aus/NZ dongles supported migrating. I went back to my C5 when I saw that the Zwave wasn't there.
I'm contemplating doing the migration again on the coming weekend, it would be great to know for sure that my only option is this approach, or if the migration should have picked up the zwave and there's more I could do to troubleshoot.
I haven't paid close attention because I don't use a USB dongle with my hub, but I didn't think any Hubitat devices that use a dongle were supported by the automated migration process.
In Hubitat's own words....
" ***** Zigbee network migration only available for C-8 model hubs.. Hubs prior to Model C-7 shipped with the ZWave.Me adapter will work with Z-Wave radio migration; model C-4 or C-5 hubs utilizing other external Z-Wave adapters do not support Z-Wave radio migration."
What isn't clear is what the "ZWave.Me" is. My dongle has a big Hubitat sticker covering the make/model of the adapter so I'm not sure if mine is one of those or not. I could always take it off I suppose, but I'd hope we can get the answer from Support.
@bobbyD any ideas?
The Z-Wave.Me adapter is a short, stubby, black adapter. From https://z-wave.me/products/uzb:
The one with the sticker on it is likely the Nortek HUSBZB-1 stick used for Zigbee and Z-Wave with C-3/C-4 hubs in the US or just Zigbee with these models in other regions. It is normally white on top and gray on the bottom, plus quite a bit longer than the above. The Z-Wave.me adapter was, I think, mostly found with C-5 hubs sold outside North America, as the internal radio was fixed to that frequency (unlike the C-7/C-8).
So, if you have an external radio and it isn't the one above, that would indeed be why.
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A question about re-utilising the C7 hub just for zigbee. If it's running on a different channel, are there any recommendations about distance between the C8 and C7 hubs (both zigbee only)? At the moment they're quite close, probably 6 inches, as they're both plugged into the same switch and ups.
I’ll do this, but this seems like an oversight on your part. If I forget to renew the service you are out revenue and I won’t have the feature that I don’t often use. The likely hood of me for getting to renew is far greater than me remembering. Thus, the likely hood of my two subscriptions continuing is far less.
I don’t understand why you would make this trade off. It puts more work on the people that pay you where they would just rather have an automatic payment for the service and not have to worry about it.
I hope you fix this. It’s such a terrible design on both parts. The trade offs are very bad.
UPDATED 5/22/2023
For users looking to transfer their subscriptions from one hub to another, please check out this post:
True, but generally extended warranties are not transferable, and Hub Protect is no exception. The alternative would have been not to help existing users, which I don't think would have been fair for existing subscribers. Sure, some will forget to sign-up again, but we will try to notify users before the service expires.
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Prior to upgrading to the C8, my C7 (ch 20) and ST hub (ch 25) were around 6-8 inches apart.
At the time, there was also an Echo 4 with active zigbee radio (channel unknown) within 10 feet of those.
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@mike.maxwell
Just wondering what happens when a hub sees more than 32 zigbee devices? Could it be some of the C8 zigbee issues are related to this issue?
It makes sense to me since many users have reported lowing the zigbee broadcast power resolves many of their issues. Likely by forcing some previously directly connected devices to use a repeater.
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It just stops adding more, once it has 32 directly connected that's it.
However as long as one of those 32 is a repeater it too will have a table, therefore the 32 devices can be more. As zigbee self heals and finds the best path what is more likely is that it won't get to the 32 as a device out there will have a stronger signal to a repeater and it will use that as it's a more efficient route back.
It's always trying to find the quietest and most efficient route so that the rest of the devices can also talk. It won't shout if there is a device which can get back to the hub through a hop, which costs less power to get there.
Obviously though if it's easier to go direct it will. Unless it can't due to the max 32, in which case the above is true again.
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Great summary, BTC.
Apart from awful English because I was falling asleep when I wrote it 
edited it now.
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