Method, system and apparatus for dynamic staging of client computing devices

A client computing device, comprising:

• a communications interface;
• a memory;
• and
• a processor interconnected with the communications interface and the memory, the processor configured to:
• receive a staging profile identifier definition including a string of characters;
• generate a staging profile identifier corresponding to one of a plurality of staging data files stored at a server, by:
• detecting a bounding character in the string of characters, the bounding character indicating a dynamic field including a subset of the characters in the staging profile identifier definition;
• retrieving a set of prompt definitions according to the subset of characters of the dynamic field, wherein the set of prompt definitions comprises user-selectable parameters to be inserted in the string of characters to generate the staging profile identifier;
• presenting prompts via an output assembly of the client device according to the set of prompt definitions;
• receiving input data corresponding to the prompts via an input assembly of the client device;
• retrieving a selected parameter corresponding to the input data;
• and
• replacing the subset of characters of the dynamic field with the selected parameter to generate the staging profile identifier;
• and
• receive network configuration data with the staging profile identifier definition, the network configuration data configured for establishing a connection between the client device and a network;
• transmit a request to the server including the staging profile identifier requesting the one of the plurality of staging data files stored in the server;
• and
• retrieve the one of the plurality of staging data files from the server in response to transmitting the request to the server.

A method of dynamic staging in a server, comprising:

• storing, in a memory of the server, (i) a plurality of staging data files, each staging data file containing client device configuration data, and (ii) a plurality of sets of prompt definitions, wherein each one of the plurality of sets of prompt definitions comprises user-selectable parameters to be inserted in a string of characters of a staging profile identifier definition, to generate a staging profile identifier;
• receiving, from a client device, a request for one of the sets of prompt definitions, the request including an identifier of a storage location of the one of the sets of prompt definitions;
• retrieving and sending, based on the storage location, the one of the sets of prompt definitions to the client device;
• receiving, from the client device, a request for network configuration data, the request including the staging profile identifier, wherein the staging profile identifier includes a selected parameter inserted by the client device into the string of characters of the staging profile identifier definition to replace a dynamic field of the staging profile identifier definition and thereby generate the staging profile identifier, responsive to receipt of input data corresponding to the prompts at the client device;
• in response to receiving the request, retrieving one of the staging data files from the memory that corresponds to the staging profile identifier;
• and
• transmitting the retrieved staging data file to the client device.