Nimble Static Random Address is not persisted after reboot (IDFGH-14516)

[vandy]

Answers checklist.

• I have read the documentation ESP-IDF Programming Guide and the issue is not addressed there.
• I have updated my IDF branch (master or release) to the latest version and checked that the issue is present there.
• I have searched the issue tracker for a similar issue and not found a similar issue.

General issue report

I'm using the Nimble stack and several functions in nimble_callback_on_sync but get an unexpected result for me.

I want to get the same Static Random Address once I've set it up, but after each restart it's updated to a different one. My code is something like this:

// on_sync
int rc = ble_hs_id_copy_addr(BLE_ADDR_RANDOM, address, NULL);
if (rc) {
    ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Random address is not set, rc: %d", rc); // rc == 21 (BLE_HS_ENOADDR)
    esp_ble_addr_t addr;
    rc = esp_ble_hw_get_static_addr(&addr);
    if (rc) {
        ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Error in esp_ble_hw_get_static_addr, rc: %d", rc); // always -1
    }
}
rc = ble_hs_util_ensure_addr(1);

What I expect is that on the first start there is no Static Random Address set. I call ble_hs_util_ensure_addr(1) which generates Static Random Address and set it via ble_hs_id_set_rnd (which sends an HCI command to the Controller (ble_hs_hci_cmd_tx(BLE_HCI_OP(BLE_HCI_OGF_LE, BLE_HCI_OCF_LE_SET_RAND_ADDR), &cmd, sizeof(cmd), NULL, 0)). From that point on I think that Controller should store the set address and give it back on the next restart, when ble_hs_util_ensure_addr loads it with ble_hs_util_load_rand_addr -> esp_ble_hw_get_static_addr. But it's not the case and a new address is generated each time.

Is it expected behavior? Why?

I want to a create random address (set it as Static Random Address) and use it as Identity Address for RPA. I believe this Static Random Address should be the same on each start for RPA to work (if I've bonded some devices).