Client device configuration with hooks

1. A method for configuring a client device, the method comprising the steps of:

associating a hook in a configuration bundle with customized programming;

wherein the hook is a call from within the configuration bundle to one or more executable software programs that are not associated with a call to the configuration bundle;

wherein associating a hook in a configuration bundle with customized programming comprises:

receiving a description of the hook from a manufacturer;

integrating the customized programming with the configuration bundle through the hook in dependence upon the description;

downloading the configuration bundle for a client device to a services gateway, including downloading a generic configuration bundle to the services gateway,

wherein the services gateway provides vendor neutral application and device layer application programming interfaces and functions; and

executing the configuration bundle on the services gateway, including calling the hook, further comprising:

executing the generic configuration bundle, including:

reading a configuration prompt from the client device;

providing the configuration prompt to a user;

receiving configuration parameters from the user; and

writing the configuration parameters to the client device.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising detecting a client device and requesting a configuration bundle for the client device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, at a vendor, the configuration bundle for a client device.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising receiving, at a vendor, user-provided configuration parameters for the client device.

5. The method of claim 4 , comprises associating the user-provided configuration parameters with the configuration bundle.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, at a configuration services provider, a configuration bundle for a client device.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising receiving, at a configuration services provider, user-provided configuration parameters for the client device.

8. The method of claim 7 , comprising associating the user-provided configuration parameters with the configuration bundle.

9. A system for configuring a client device, the system comprising:

a computer processor and a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions for:

associating a hook in a configuration bundle with customized programming;

wherein the hook is a call from within the configuration bundle to one or more executable software programs that are not associated with a call to the configuration bundle;

wherein associating a hook in a configuration bundle with customized programming comprises:

receiving a description of the hook from a manufacturer;

integrating the customized programming with the configuration bundle through the hook in dependence upon the description;

downloading the configuration bundle for a client device to a services gateway, including downloading a generic configuration bundle to the services gateway,

wherein the services gateway provides vendor neutral application and device layer application programming interfaces and functions; and

executing the configuration bundle on the services gateway, including calling the hook, further comprising:

executing the generic configuration bundle, including:

reading a configuration prompt from the client device;

providing the configuration prompt to a user;

receiving configuration parameters from the user; and

writing the configuration parameters to the client device.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the computer memory also has disposed within it computer program instructions for detecting a client device and

computer program instructions for requesting a configuration bundle for the client device.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the computer memory also has disposed within it computer program instructions for receiving, at a vendor, the configuration bundle for a client device.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the computer memory also has disposed within it computer program instructions for receiving, at a vendor, user-provided configuration parameters for the client device.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the computer memory also has disposed within it computer program instructions for associating the user-provided configuration parameters with the configuration bundle.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the computer memory also has disposed within it computer program instructions for receiving, at a configuration services provider, a configuration bundle for a client device.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the computer memory also has disposed within it computer program instructions for receiving, at a configuration services provider, user-provided configuration parameters for the client device.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the computer memory also has disposed within it computer program instructions for associating the user-provided configuration parameters with the configuration bundle.

17. A computer program product for configuring a client device, the computer program product disposed upon a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the computer program product comprising:

computer program instructions for associating a hook in a configuration bundle with customized programming;

wherein the hook is a call from within the configuration bundle to one or more executable software programs that are not associated with a call to the configuration bundle;

wherein associating a hook in a configuration bundle with customized programming comprises:

computer program instructions for receiving a description of the hook from a manufacturer;

computer program instructions for integrating the customized programming with the configuration bundle through the hook in dependence upon the description;

computer program instructions for downloading the configuration bundle for a client device to a services gateway, including downloading a generic configuration bundle to the services gateway,

wherein the services gateway provides vendor neutral application and device layer application programming interfaces and functions; and

computer program instructions for executing the configuration bundle on the services gateway, including calling the hook, further comprising:

computer program instructions for executing the generic configuration bundle, including:

computer program instructions for reading a configuration prompt from the client device;

computer program instructions for providing the configuration prompt to a user;

computer program instructions for receiving configuration parameters from the user; and

computer program instructions for writing the configuration parameters to the client device.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 , comprising computer program instructions for detecting a client device and requesting a configuration bundle for the client device.

19. The computer program product of claim 17 , further comprising computer program instructions for receiving, at a vendor, the configuration bundle for a client device.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 , further comprising computer program instructions for receiving, at a vendor, user-provided configuration parameters for the client device.

21. The computer program product of claim 20 , comprises computer program instructions for associating the user-provided configuration parameters with the configuration bundle.

22. The computer program product of claim 17 , further comprising computer program instructions for receiving, at a configuration services provider, a configuration bundle for a client device.

23. The computer program product of claim 22 , further comprising computer program instructions for receiving, at a configuration services provider, user-provided configuration parameters for the client device.

24. The computer program product of claim 23 , comprising computer program instructions for associating the user-provided configuration parameters with the configuration bundle.