MANAGEMENT APPARATUS, MANAGEMENT APPARATUS CONTROL METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

• US 20120096147A1
• Filed: 10/04/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Koji
• Granted Patent: US 8,719,405 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport

Abstract

An apparatus includes a storage device configured to store a map image of one or more floors on which a network device is installed, positional information about an installation location of the network device on the map image, and configuration information about the network device, a setting unit configured to set a region on the map image and a rule that the network device complies with in the region, a moving unit configured to designate a movement destination for moving the network device by changing the positional information, a determination unit configured, if the positional information has been changed, to determine a content of a change of a configuration required to be executed to the network device when the network device is moved, and a notification unit configured to notify to an operator the content of the change of the configuration.

Claims

1. An apparatus configured to manage a network device, the apparatus comprising:

a storage device configured to store a map image of one or more floors on which the network device is installed, positional information about an installation location of the network device on the map image, and configuration information about the network device;

a setting unit configured to set a region on the map image and a rule that the network device complies with in the region;

a moving unit configured to designate a movement destination for moving the network device by changing the positional information;

a determination unit configured, if the positional information has been changed, to determine a content of a change of a configuration required to be executed to the network device when the network device is moved, by comparing the configuration information whose positional information has been changed and the rule in which the changed positional information belongs; and

a notification unit configured to notify to an operator the content of the change of the configuration.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a generation unit configured to generate a display screen for displaying the map image, on which an icon indicating the installation location of the network device is provided, by using the map image and the positional information,

wherein the setting unit is configured to set the region by designating a range on the map image via the display screen, and

wherein the moving unit is configured to designate the moving destination by moving the icon via the display screen on the map image.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a notification by the notification unit indicates that it is necessary to execute the change of the configuration before or after moving the network device.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the determination unit is configured, if the positional information has been changed from information about a position in a region other than a specific region to information about a position in the specific region to which the rule has been set, to determine that it is necessary to execute the change of the configuration before moving the network device.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the determination unit is configured, if the positional information has been changed from information about a position in the specific region to which the rule is applied to information about a position in the other region, to determine that it is necessary to execute the change of the configuration after moving the network device.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a configuration changing unit configured to transmit a configuration change request for requesting a configuration change to the network device.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a designation unit configured to prompt a user to designate a date and time for transmitting the configuration change request, wherein the configuration changing unit is configured to transmit the configuration change request at the designated date and time.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a designation unit configured to prompt the user to designate a date for transmitting the configuration change request, wherein the configuration changing unit is configured to transmit the configuration change request at predetermined designated time of the date.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the rule includes a designation of an application program required to be installed to or uninstalled from the network device, and

wherein the change of the configuration includes a change of the configuration of the application program installed in the network device.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the rule includes a designation of a user to be set as a user who can or cannot utilize the network device, and

wherein the change of the configuration includes a change of the user who can utilize the network device set to the network device.

11. A method for managing one or more network devices, the method comprising:

storing, on a storage device, a map image of one or more floors on which the network device is installed, positional information about an installation location of the network device on the map image, and configuration information about the network device;

setting a region on the map image and a rule that the network device complies with in the region;

designating a movement destination for moving the network device by changing the positional information;

determining, if the positional information has been changed, a content of a change of a configuration required to be executed to the network device when the network device is moved, by comparing the configuration information whose positional information has been changed and a rule in which the changed positional information belongs; and

notifying, to an operator, the content of the change of the configuration.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

generating a display screen for displaying the map image, on which an icon indicating the installation location of the network device is provided, by using the map image and the positional information,

wherein the setting the region includes designating a range on the map image via the display screen, and

wherein designating the moving destination includes moving the icon via the display screen on the map image.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein a notification by the notifying indicates that it is necessary to execute the change of the configuration before or after moving the network device.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising transmitting a configuration change request for requesting a configuration change to the network device.

15. The method according to claim 11,

wherein the rule includes a designation of an application program required to be installed to or uninstalled from the network device, and

wherein the change of the configuration includes a change of the configuration of the application program installed in the network device.

16. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computer configured to execute a method for managing a network device, causes the computer to perform operations comprising:

storing, on a storage device, a map image of one or more floors on which the network device is installed, positional information about an installation location of the network device on the map image, and configuration information about the network device;

setting a region on the map image and a rule that the network device complies with in the region;

designating a movement destination for moving the network device by changing the positional information;

determining, if the positional information has been changed, a content of a change of a configuration required to be executed to the network device when the network device is moved, by comparing the configuration information whose positional information has been changed and the rule in which the changed positional information belongs; and

notifying, to an operator, the content of the change of the configuration.

17. The storage medium according to claim 16, further comprising:

generating a display screen for displaying the map image, on which an icon indicating the installation location of the network device is provided, by using the map image and the positional information,

wherein the setting the region includes designating a range on the map image via the display screen, and

wherein designating the moving destination includes moving the icon via the display screen on the map image.

18. The storage medium according to claim 16, wherein a notification by the notifying indicates that it is necessary to execute the change of the configuration before or after moving the network device.

19. The storage medium according to claim 16, further comprising transmitting a configuration change request for requesting a configuration change to the network device.

20. The storage medium according to claim 16,

wherein the rule includes a designation of an application program required to be installed to or uninstalled from the network device, and

wherein the change of the configuration includes a change of the configuration of the application program installed in the network device.