Method and apparatus for configuring a mobile device
A method of configuring a mobile device allows an administrator to select multiple installation items from a set of possible installation items to include in a deployment package. At least one of the installation items includes parameters provided by an administrator that are requested from the administrator based on a configuration file associated with the installment items. The deployment package is transferred to a mobile device and the parameter values are extracted and are used to configure the mobile device.
1. A method of configuring multiple mobile devices, the method comprising:
selecting separate configuration files to associate with each of a plurality of installation items;
accessing each configuration file to identify parameter values that should be acquired from a user;
acquiring the parameter values from the user;
storing the acquired parameter values as part of the installation items;
creating a deployment package by compressing the plurality of installation items;
transferring the deployment package to a plurality of mobile devices; and
extracting the parameter values from the deployment package on each mobile device and storing the parameter values in the memory of each mobile device.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the user is a system administrator.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one parameter value comprises a network parameter used to make a connection between the mobile device and a network.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one parameter value comprises a communication parameter used to provide wireless communication to the mobile device.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein transferring the deployment package comprises storing the deployment package on a computer readable medium and inserting the computer-readable medium in the mobile device.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein transferring the deployment package comprises connecting the mobile device to a computing device through a connection other than a network connection, transferring the deployment package to the computing device and transferring the deployment package from the computing device to the mobile device.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein transferring the deployment package comprises connecting the mobile device to a network, having an agent on the mobile device request the deployment package over the network, and transferring the deployment package over the network to the mobile device.