Provisioning for Windows Mobile-Based Devices

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Provisioning is managing the device before and after deployment to your customers. That is, configuring device settings as well as installing and updating applications and device utilities. Managing a device before deployment is called initial provisioning or bootstrapping (for more information on bootstrapping Windows Mobile-based devices see Bootstrapping Windows Mobile-Based Devices ). On-going device management after deployment is called continuous provisioning.

Provisioning a Windows Mobile-based device involves creating a provisioning XML file that contains configuration information, and then sending the file to the device. Configuration Manager and Configuration Service Providers configure the device based on the contents of the provisioning XML file. There are a number of ways to deliver this file to the device including, but not limited to, Over the air (OTA), download from a website, placement in device ROM or persistent storage.

Note   Settings provisioned over the air or those requiring physical access to the device do not persist after cold boot. Settings that are shipped in ROM or updated through Image Update persist.

Windows Mobile Version 5.0 uses the following standards for OTA provisioning

  • OMA Client Provisioning, the Wireless Application Protocol based provisioning standard intended primarily for bootstrapping
  • OMA Device Management (DM) the OMA DM-based standard for continuous provisioning.

For more information about these protocols, see Device Management Architecture.

In This Section

  • Best Practices in Managing Devices
    Discusses device management architecture for OMA Client Provisioning (formerly WAP) and OMA Device Management (DM).
  • Configuration Service Providers
    Describes Configuration Service Providers and the metabase. This section also provides XML examples for the various Configuration Service Providers.

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