[SDK Mesh 0.9.2 Alpha] [nRF52832] Is it possible to sleep/reconnect without repeated provisioning?

RE: [SDK Mesh 0.9.2 Alpha] [nRF52832] Is it possible to sleep/reconnect without repeated provisioning?

Hung Bui — Mon, 30 Oct 2017 08:29:57 GMT

It's hard to guarantee mesh operation if there is no guarantee that there will be relays nodes to cover all the network. If the range from a node to the clients doesn't require any hop, you may want to think about normal BLE/RF solution in which a central scans all the time and server sends data directly when it wakes up.

RE: [SDK Mesh 0.9.2 Alpha] [nRF52832] Is it possible to sleep/reconnect without repeated provisioning?

godmode — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 13:19:41 GMT

I am aware of Friend node feature. Still we can not use it because all devices will run on batteries. All the devices will go to sleep and then wake up the same time just to send the data. We only update from servers to one client.

RE: [SDK Mesh 0.9.2 Alpha] [nRF52832] Is it possible to sleep/reconnect without repeated provisioning?

Hung Bui — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 12:48:09 GMT

Seems like you are trying to do Low Power Node without Friend node.

The problem of this solution is that, if all devices most of the time stay in sleep mode, who will relay the data ? You would need a number of nodes which provide full coverage to act as relay nodes.

Also this is only when your data is on single direction, from the server to client, if you want to query data/command from a node, and it's sleeping, you won't be able to cache the packet for it when it is waking up.

Other than that it should work fine, you can hard code configuration&provisioning and let the devices work out of the box.

RE: [SDK Mesh 0.9.2 Alpha] [nRF52832] Is it possible to sleep/reconnect without repeated provisioning?

godmode — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 10:06:21 GMT

Background: I want to make a network of about 50-100 measurements device's (servers) and one device (client) that gathers all the data. It is possible that some device's will run out of battery, so power ups and downs are possible. All devices make measurements in seconds and fall to sleep for 15 minutes. The best would be if all the devices would have static keys, static subscription and publication addresses. As far as I understand reading "Mesh Profile" chapter 3.10.4 "Key refresh procedure" I don't need that feature even If my device will go down It will be powered up later with same credentials. Subscription/publication addresses won't change. 3.10.5 "IV Update procedure" do not need the provisioner as long as device is not out of network longer than 48 weeks. Is it correct for above scenario that I can flash everything and skip provisioner? @Hung Bui Thank you for your answers!

RE: [SDK Mesh 0.9.2 Alpha] [nRF52832] Is it possible to sleep/reconnect without repeated provisioning?

Hung Bui — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 09:26:14 GMT

It is correct, you can do that. As far as you can make sure there won't be any conflict on the address distributing.

Provisioner/Configuration client is still needed when you want to do Key Refresh, or re-configure subscription/publication addresses.

RE: [SDK Mesh 0.9.2 Alpha] [nRF52832] Is it possible to sleep/reconnect without repeated provisioning?

godmode — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 09:16:18 GMT

Yes it is set. I have had a problem with this setting but that is the other story. Do I understand correctly that provisioning is only needed once to deploy the keys from provisioner/client to servers (light control example) and then after power cycle or sleep provisioner is not needed anymore? If so can I store generated keys and flash them on production stage and skip provisioning?

RE: [SDK Mesh 0.9.2 Alpha] [nRF52832] Is it possible to sleep/reconnect without repeated provisioning?

Hung Bui — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 08:58:01 GMT

Hi Godmode,

No, provisioning only needed once. Provisioning and configuration data are already stored in flash by default. Please check if PERSISTENT_STORAGE set = 1 in nrf_mesh_config_core.h