Assistance Requested for OTA Configuration on nRF7002DK with Memfault Integration

[Actif]

Dear Nordic Support Team,

I am currently working on a project involving Over-the-Air (OTA) firmware updates using the Memfault platform with a Nordic sample application. While I can download new firmware using the shell, I'm encountering difficulties with the installation process post-download.

Memfault representatives have advised enabling mcuboot and dfu support in the sample app, either by using a specific sample app or by updating the prj.conf in the Memfault+Nordic sample app. Additionally, Memfault's documentation was referenced for configuring and invoking an OTA update in the Nordic nRF Connect SDK.

However, my specific concern is with implementing this configuration on the nRF7002DK board, particularly over WiFi. The available documentation and guidance seem primarily focused on LTE and Bluetooth configurations. I am seeking clarification on whether the standard Memfault configurations for OTA (as applied to nRF9160) are applicable to nRF7002DK, and any specific considerations or challenges I should be aware of, especially regarding the use of internal vs. external flash memory for secondary image slots.

I would appreciate a complete walk-through of the configuration I need to make it work from your memfault sample. 

Your expert advice on this matter would be greatly appreciated to ensure successful implementation and address any potential issues specific to the nRF7002DK board.

Thank you for your assistance.

Best regards,
Actif

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Vincent Morin (Actif)

Hello, folks; I have another question.

One of my clients tasked my team to investigate OTA capabilities with memfault from the Nordic sample. I wonder if the sample provides OTA out of the box.

I am able to download the new firmware with the shell, but I don't see any installation process triggered after.

Any guidance that could help me answer my client's request faster would be welcome.

Regards,

Vincent

8 replies

(Memfault)

Hi

@Vincent Morin (Actif)

-- for OTA to work end to end, mcuboot + dfu support needs to be enabled in the sample app.

One option would be to try this sample app which does enable Mcuboot.

Alternatively, you could enable mcuboot in the memfault+Nordic sample app by updating the prj.conf. These should be the approximate flags you need.

Vincent Morin (Actif)

Thank you, name_hidden! I appreciate your support. I will definitely give it a try.

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Vincent Morin (Actif)

Hello, folks; I have another question.
One of my clients tasked my team to investigate OTA capabilities with memfault from the Nordic sample.  I wonder if the sample provides OTA out of the box.
I am able to download the new firmware with the shell, but I don't see any installation process triggered after.
Any guidance that could help me answer my client's request faster would be welcome.
Regards,
Vincent
8 replies


(Memfault)
Hi 
@Vincent Morin (Actif)
 -- for OTA to work end to end, mcuboot + dfu support needs to be enabled in the sample app.
One option would be to try this sample app which does enable Mcuboot.
Alternatively, you could enable mcuboot in the memfault+Nordic sample app by updating the prj.conf. These should be the approximate flags you need.


Vincent Morin (Actif)
Thank you, name_hidden! I appreciate your support. I will definitely give it a try.


(Memfault)
Depending on the specific chip, there's a few more bits of information here:
https://docs.memfault.com/docs/mcu/nordic-nrf-connect-sdk-guide/#configuring-and-invoking-an-ota-update
docs.memfault.comdocs.memfault.com
Nordic nRF Connect SDK Integration Guide | Memfault Docs
Integrate Memfault using the Nordic Semiconductor's nRF Connect SDK.

Vincent Morin (Actif)
Thank you for providing the information.
I am attempting to configure it, but I am facing some issues. Although I plan to investigate the issue further, could you clarify whether this configuration has been tested with a 7002DK over WiFi? I tried looking for a mention of the 7002DK in the documentation, and the steps appear to have been written for LTE and Bluetooth.
Is the configuration could be different for the 7002DK?


(Memfault)
The nRF7002 will use the same Memfault configs as the nRF9160 for OTA. Note that as far as I know, Nordic doesn't have a functional OTA example for that board; the base image size is about 700kB, which prevents using a secondary image slot using internal (nRF53) flash, and requires placing the secondary slot in the external qspi nor flash chip, which is tricky. If you're getting stuck I definitely recommend posting to Nordic devzone, they're pretty responsive usually.

Vincent Morin (Actif)
Thank you for following up with me. I will reach out to Nordic for assistance regarding this matter.

(Memfault)
No problem! Let us know if you get it working, it's been on our to-do list to get OTA tested on that board

[Sigurd Hellesvik]

Hi,

We do not yet have comprehensive documentation on how to do DFU over Wi-Fi, unfortunately. I have forwarded your feedback on this, but I would guess we already have plans to document this somewhere down the road.

Anyhow, FOTA over Wi-Fi is already supported in our Azure IoT Hub and AWS IoT networking samples. Since the DFU for nRF7002 just uses IP, it should in theory be similar to the nRF9160 DFU.
I suggest that you try to implement it, and then ask for help if you are not able to make it work.

especially regarding the use of internal vs. external flash memory for secondary image slots.

The networking samples listed above add configurations to enable external flash for over SPI for the nRF7002DK I think. You can learn how to do it from them, and ask me if anything is unclear.

Did I answer your question?

Regards,
Sigurd Hellesvik

[Actif]

Hi Sigurd,

Thank you for your reply.

For months, we have been working on making the networking sample for the nRF7002DK work with Azure IoT Hub + FOTA + DPS. Unfortunately, we have not received good support from Nordic yet. We have reached the critical limit on our risk assessment for this project and need a real solution to our problem. We have been referred to other samples and documentation, but we have not been able to make our solution work with the provided materials. That's why we are seeking help here.

Could you please assign an engineer to this ticket who can focus on resolving our request for a complete walk-through of the configuration needed to make it work from your memfault sample? We are thankful for all the replies we've received so far, but ultimately we are looking for a solution that works.

Regards,
Vincent

[Sigurd Hellesvik]

I will test the Azure IoT sample with DFU for  the nRF7002DK myself.
If I am not able to make it work, I will get help from our experts and developers in Nordic until I get it to work.
I am not able to give any timelines for how long this will take, but I hope it will not take too long.

I were able to make the AWS IoT sample work for the nRF7002DK a couple of months ago, for what it's worth

Does that sound good to you?

[Actif]

Hi Sigurd,

Thank you for your prompt response and commitment to addressing our concerns. We highly appreciate your willingness to personally test the Azure IoT sample with DFU for the nRF7002DK, and we understand that timelines cannot be guaranteed. Your proactive approach gives us hope for a timely resolution.

We have an open ticket detailing our struggles: Azure IoT Hub sample integration of DPS and FOTA not working. We welcome your expertise on this ticket and any documentation or insights you can provide there would be greatly beneficial to not only us but also the wider community.

Our primary challenge is understanding the complete architecture and deployment process involving DPS, IoT Hub, and FOTA. Specifically, we need clarity on where the device firmware is deployed and the configurations used within the Azure portal to achieve a successful FOTA implementation.

Additionally, a clear explanation of DFU processes and a deeper understanding of flash partitioning (both internal and external) would enable us to integrate with the Memfault sample effectively. This knowledge is crucial for us to replicate the process and provide a comprehensive solution on the mentioned thread and the Memfault forum.

Your assistance in these areas will not only help us resolve our current hurdles but also contribute significantly to our ongoing project development. We look forward to your updates and are eager to collaborate closely to find a viable solution.

Regards,

Vincent

[Sigurd Hellesvik]

I see that you are already getting help testing Azure FOTA as standalone in   NEED HELP WITH FOTA VIA DEVICE PROVISIONING ON MY NRF7002DK - AZURE FOTA - IOT HUB  on-my-nrf7002dk---azure-fota---iot-hub.

When you are able to make it work without Memfault there, we can go on with this ticket on integrating memfault. Since Jan Tore was able to make the sample work in that case, I may not finish the testing on my side here.