OMA Device Management - Overview

Overview

OMA DM specification is designed for management of small mobile devices such as mobile phones, PDAs and palm top computers. The device management is intended to support the following typical uses:

• Provisioning – Configuration of the device (including first time use), enabling and disabling features
• Configuration of Device – Allow changes to settings and parameters of the device
• Software Upgrades – Provide for new software and/or bug fixes to be loaded on the device, including applications and system software.
• Fault Management – Report errors from the device, query about status of device

All the above functions are supported by the OMA DM specification, and a device may optionally implement all or a subset of these features. Since OMA DM specification is aimed at mobile devices, it is designed with sensitivity to the following:

• small foot-print devices, where memory and storage space may be limited
• bandwidth of communication could be constrained, such as in wireless connectivity
• tight security, as the devices are vulnerable to virus attacks and the like; authentication and challenges are made part of the specifications