Network device management apparatus and method, and storage medium

• US 6,430,612 B1
• Filed: 03/29/1999
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Iizuka, Yoshio
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/277,820
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/220, 709/221, 709/223, 709/224, 709/250, 709/328
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

Based on identification data specifying the type of network device, a device subjected to monitoring and controlling is searched. If the device cannot be specified, a device group to which the device belongs is specified based on the identification data. In a case where a subjected network device cannot be specified but the device belongs to a predetermined device group, detail data is displayed on a display window for the device group.

Claims

1. A network device management apparatus for monitoring or controlling a network device connected through a network, comprising:

an acquisition unit adapted to acquire data related to a network device;

a specification unit adapted to specify a type of network device, based on the data acquired by said acquisition unit; and

a group specification unit adapted to specify at least one of a plurality of device groups to which the network device belongs, in a case where the type of network device is not specified by said specification unit.

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

a display control unit adapted to display the data related to the network device on a display unit.

3. The network device management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said display control unit displays the data related to the network device in a format for each type of the network device, or in a format for each of the plurality of device groups.

4. The network device management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said display control unit notifies of a display impossibility, in a case where a device group cannot be specified.

5. The network device management apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a first designation unit adapted to designate a network device to be monitored; and

a second designation unit adapted to designate a data item related to the network device designated by said first designation unit,

wherein said display control unit displays data for the designated data item related to the designated network device.

6. The network device management apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said second designation unit designates at least one of a state sheet for displaying data related to a state of a network device, a job sheet for displaying information related to a printer queue, a management sheet for displaying manager information, and a network sheet for displaying information related to a network protocol.

7. The network device management apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an identification data acquisition unit adapted to acquire identification data that specifies a type of network device, wherein said specification unit specifies a type of network device based on the identification data.

8. The network device management apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said group specification unit specifies a device group to which the network device belongs based on the identification data.

9. The network device management apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the identification data is MIB (Management Information Base) data.

10. The network device management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the network device, which satisfies previously defined conditions, is a member of each of the plurality of device groups.

11. The network device management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the type of network device specifies a device on the network.

12. The network device management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the network device includes a printer.

13. The network device management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the network device includes a copy machine.

14. A network device management method for monitoring or controlling a network device connected through a network, comprising:

an acquisition step of acquiring data related to a network device;

a specification step of specifying a type of network device, based on the data acquired in said acquisition step; and

a group specification step of specifying at least one of a plurality of device groups to which the network device belongs, in a case where the type of network device is not specified in said specification step.

15. The network device management method according to claim 14, further comprising a display control step of displaying the data related to the network device on a display unit.

16. The network device management method according to claim 15, wherein, in said display control step, the data related to the network device is displayed in a format for each type of the network device, or in a format for each of the plurality of device groups.

17. The network device management method according to claim 15, wherein, in said display control step, a display impossibility is notified, in a case where a device group cannot be specified.

18. The network device management method according to claim 15, further comprising:

a first designation step of designating a network device to be monitored; and

a second designation step of designating a data item related to the network device designated in said first designation step,

wherein, in said display control step, data for the designated data item related to the designated network device is displayed.

19. The network device management method according to claim 18, wherein, in said second designation step, at least one of a state sheet for displaying data related to a state of a network device, a job sheet for displaying information related to a printer queue, a management sheet for displaying manager information, and a network sheet for displaying information related to a network protocol is designated.

20. The network device management method according to claim 14, further comprising an identification data acquisition step of acquiring identification data that specifies a type of network device, wherein a type of network device is specified in said specification step based on the identification data.

21. The network device management method according to claim 20, wherein, in said group specification step, a device group to which the network device belongs is specified based on the identification data.

22. The network device management method according to claim 20, wherein the identification data is MIB (Management Information Base) data.

23. The network device management method according to claim 14, wherein the network device, which satisfies previously defined conditions, is a member of each of the plurality of device groups.

24. The network device management method according to claim 14, wherein the type of network device specifies a device on the network.

25. The network device management method according to claim 14, wherein the network device includes a printer.

26. The network device management method according to claim 14, wherein the network device includes a copy machine.

27. A computer-readable storage medium storing a network device management program for monitoring or controlling a network device connected through a network, the management program comprising:

code for an acquisition step of acquiring data related to a network device;

code for a specification step of specifying a type of network device, based on the data acquired in the acquisition step; and

code for a group specification step of specifying at least one of a plurality of device groups to which the network device belongs, in a case where the type of network device is not specified in the specification step.

28. The storage medium according to claim 27, wherein the management program further comprises code for a display control step of displaying the data related to the network device on a display unit.

29. The storage medium according to claim 28, wherein, in the display control step, the data related to the network device is displayed in a format for each type of the network device, or in a format for each of the plurality of device groups.

30. The storage medium according to claim 28, wherein in the display control step, a display impossibility is notified, in a case where a device group cannot be specified.

31. The storage medium according to claim 28, wherein the management program further comprises:

code for a first designation step of designating a network device to be monitored; and

code for a second designation step of designating a data item related to the network device designated in the first designation step,

wherein data for the designated data item related to the designated network device is displayed in the display control step.

32. The storage medium according to claim 31, wherein, in the second designating step, at least one of a state sheet for displaying data related to a state of a network device, a job sheet for displaying information related to a printer queue, a management sheet for displaying manager information, and a network sheet for displaying information related to a network protocol is designated.

33. The storage medium according to claim 27, wherein the management program further comprises code for an identification data acquisition step of acquiring identification data that specifies a type of network device, wherein a type of network device is specified in the specification step based on the identification data.

34. The storage medium according to claim 33, wherein a device group to which the network device belongs is specified in the group specification step based on the identification data.

35. The storage medium according to claim 33, wherein the identification data is MIB (Management Information Base) data.

36. The storage medium according to claim 27, wherein the network device, which satisfies previously defined conditions, is a member of each of the plurality of device groups.

37. The storage medium according to claim 27, wherein the type of network device specifies a device on the network.

38. The storage medium according to claim 27, wherein the network device includes a printer.

39. The storage medium according to claim 27, wherein the network device includes a copy machine.