Patent ID: 7017155

Claim:
In a network environment that includes a source of a set of computer-executable instructions, and a plurality of mobile computing devices, a method for at least one of the mobile computing devices installing the set of computer-executable instructions using the security features of a configuration manager residing on the mobile computing device, wherein the configuration manager is configured for changing and managing configuration settings of the mobile computing device, the method comprising the following: an act of the mobile computing device accessing at least a version of at least one file that is to be installed on the mobile computing device; an act of the mobile computing device accessing computer-executable installation instructions that define how the at least one file is to be installed on the mobile computing device, wherein the installation instructions are structured according to a schema associated with the configuration manager so as to be directly interpretable by the configuration manager associated with the mobile computing device, and such that the configuration manager is enabled to parse both configuration setting instructions as well as file operation instructions included in the installation instructions; an act of the configuration manager causing the computer-executable instructions to be executed, by at least one of either executing the installation instructions or parsing the installation instructions and sending the parsed installation instructions to one or more configuration service providers; and for at least one of the computer-executable instructions, an act of the configuration manager determining whether or not the execution of the computer-executable instructions is authorized.