Monitoring apparatus, management method and program therefor, and management apparatus and management method and program therefor

Abstract

There is provided a monitoring apparatus that can reduce the processing load when a plurality of such monitoring apparatuses are centrally managed. The monitoring apparatus is capable of communicating with a management apparatus that centrally manages a plurality of monitoring apparatuses. The monitoring apparatus manages maintenance information relating to a plurality of peripheral apparatuses, including at least operation information. The maintenance information relating to the peripheral apparatuses is managed. Confirmation information including identification information identifying the monitoring apparatus, and the managed maintenance information is periodically transmitted. The management apparatus generates monitoring object management information based on a history of transmissions of the transmitted confirmation information.

1. A monitoring apparatus capable of communicating with a management apparatus that centrally manages a plurality of monitoring apparatuses, the monitoring apparatus managing maintenance information relating to a plurality of peripheral apparatuses, including at least operation information , comprising:
 a management device that manages the  maintenance information relating to the  a plurality of peripheral apparatuses including at least operation information; and  
 a communication control device that periodically transmits, to the management apparatus, confirmation information including identification information identifying the monitoring apparatus, and the maintenance informationmanaged by the management apparatus; , 
 wherein the management apparatus generates monitoring object management information based on a history of transmissions of the confirmation information carried out by said communication control device.  
 
     
     
       2. A monitoring apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising
 a generation device that generates the confirmation information such that an identifier capable of identifying the confirmation information is contained in the confirmation information, and  
 wherein said communication control device periodically transmits the confirmation information with the identifier contained therein to the management apparatus.  
 
     
     
       3. A monitoring apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said generation device generates an e-mail that contains the identification information identifying the monitoring apparatus therein and the identifier in a subject thereof. 
     
     
       4. A management apparatus capable of communicating with a plurality of monitoring apparatuses that manage maintenance information relating to a plurality of peripheral apparatuses, including at least operation information, for centrally managing the plurality of monitoring apparatuses, comprising:
 a generation device that generates monitoring object management information based on a history of transmissions of confirmation information including identification information identifying each of the monitoring apparatuses, and the maintenance information managed thereby, the transmissions being periodically carried out by each of the monitoring apparatuses from the monitoring apparatus to the management apparatus.  
 
     
     
       5. A management apparatus as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the monitoring object management information comprises information indicative of a list capable of identifying at least one monitoring apparatus for which the history of transmissions meets predetermined conditions. 
     
     
       6. A management apparatus as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising
 a determination device that determines whether information capable of identifying at least one monitoring apparatus is to be included in the monitoring object management information, and  
 wherein said generation device adds the information capable of identifying the at least one monitoring apparatus to the information indicative of the list when said determination device determines that the information capable of identifying the at least one monitoring apparatus is to be included in the monitoring object management information.  
 
     
     
       7. A management apparatus as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising a communication control device that transmits the monitoring object management information to the plurality of monitoring apparatuses. 
     
     
       8. A management apparatus as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising
 a recording device that records a time of next transmission of the confirmation informationthat is periodically transmitted by each of the plurality of monitoring apparatuses, ; and  
 an abnormality determination device that, if the confirmation information has not arrived at the time of next transmission from any of the plurality of monitoring apparatuses, determines that an abnormality exists in the monitoring apparatus.  
 
     
     
       9. A management apparatus as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising
 a registration device that registers the identification information identifying each of the monitoring apparatuses, and  
 wherein said registration device registers identification information included in the confirmation information transmitted from any of the monitoring apparatuses, if the registration information has not yet been registered.  
 
     
     
       10. A management apparatus as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising
 a registration device that registers the identification information identifying each of the monitoring apparatuses, and  
 wherein said registration device deletes from the registered identification information identification information identifying any of the monitoring apparatuses for which the history of transmissions meets predetermined conditions.  
 
     
     
       11. A management  monitoring method executed by a monitoring apparatus capable of communicating with a management apparatus that centrally manages a plurality of monitoring apparatuses, the monitoring apparatus managing maintenance information relating to a plurality of peripheral apparatuses, including at least operation information , comprising:
 a management step of managing the  maintenance information relating to the  a plurality of peripheral apparatuses including at least operation information; and  
 a communication control step of periodically transmitting, to the management apparatus, confirmation information including identification information identifying the monitoring apparatus, and the maintenance informationmanaged by the management apparatus; ,  
 wherein the management apparatus generates monitoring object management information based on a history of transmissions of the confirmation information carried out in said communication control step.  
 
     
     
       12. A management  monitoring method as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising
 a generation step of creating the confirmation information such that an identifier capable of identifying the confirmation information is contained in the confirmation information, and  
 wherein said communication control step comprises periodically transmitting the confirmation information with the identifier contained therein to the management apparatus.  
 
     
     
       13. A management  monitoring method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said generation step comprises creating an e-mail that contains the identification information identifying the monitoring apparatus therein and the identifier in a subject thereof. 
     
     
       14. A management method executed by a management apparatus capable of communicating with a plurality of monitoring apparatuses that manage maintenance information relating to a plurality of peripheral apparatuses, including at least operation information, for centrally managing the plurality of monitoring apparatuses, comprising:
 a generation step of creating monitoring object management information based on a history of transmissions of confirmation information including identification information identifying each of the monitoring apparatuses, and the maintenance information managed thereby, the transmissions being periodically carried out by each of the monitoring apparatuses from the monitoring apparatus to the management apparatus.  
 
     
     
       15. A management method as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the monitoring object management information comprises information indicative of a list capable of identifying at least one monitoring apparatus for which the history of transmissions meets predetermined conditions. 
     
     
       16. A management method as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising
 a determination step of determining whether information capable of identifying at least one monitoring apparatus is to be included in the monitoring object management information, and  
 wherein said generation step comprises adding the information capable of identifying the at least one monitoring apparatus to the information indicative of the list when it is determined in said determination step that the information capable of identifying the at least one monitoring apparatus is to be included in the monitoring object management information.  
 
     
     
       17. A management method as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising a communication control step of transmitting the monitoring object management information to the plurality of monitoring apparatuses. 
     
     
       18. A management method as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising
 a recording step of recording a time of next transmission of the confirmation informationthat is periodically transmitted by each of the plurality of monitoring apparatuses, ; and  
 an abnormality determination step of determining, if the confirmation information has not arrived at the time of next transmission from any of the plurality of monitoring apparatuses, that an abnormality exists in the monitoring apparatus.  
 
     
     
       19. A management method as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising
 a registration step of registering the identification information identifying each of the monitoring apparatuses, and  
 wherein said registration step comprises registering identification information included in the confirmation information transmitted from any of the monitoring apparatuses, if it has not yet been registered.  
 
     
     
       20. A management method as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising
 a registration step of registering the identification information identifying each of the monitoring apparatuses, and  
 wherein said registration step comprises deleting from the registered identification information identification information identifying any of the monitoring apparatuses for which the history of transmissions meets predetermined conditions.  
 
     
     
       21. A non- transitory computer - readable storage medium storing a  computer-executable management program implementing a method for a monitoring apparatus capable of communicating with a management apparatus that centrally manages a plurality of monitoring apparatuses, the monitoring apparatus managing maintenance information relating to a plurality of peripheral apparatuses, including at least operation information , the method comprising:
 a management module for  step of managing the maintenance information relating to the  a plurality of peripheral apparatuses including at least operation information; and  
 a communication control module for  step of periodically transmitting, to the management apparatus, confirmation information including identification information identifying the monitoring apparatus, and the maintenance informationmanaged by the management apparatus; ,  
 wherein the management apparatus generates monitoring object management information based on a history of transmissions of the confirmation information carried out by  in said communication control module  step.  
 
     
     
       22. A non- transitory computer - readable storage medium storing a  computer-executable management program implementing a method for a management apparatus capable of communicating with a plurality of monitoring apparatuses that manage maintenance information relating to a plurality of peripheral apparatuses, including at least operation information, for centrally managing the plurality of monitoring apparatuses, the method comprising:
 a generation module for  step of creating monitoring object management information based on a history of transmissions of confirmation information including identification information identifying each of the monitoring apparatuses, and the maintenance information managed thereby, the transmissions being periodically carried out by each of the monitoring apparatuses from the monitoring apparatus to the management apparatus.  
 
     
     
       23. A monitoring apparatus having a communication unit that communicates with a management apparatus that centrally manages a plurality of monitoring apparatuses, comprising:
   a management device that acquires and manages maintenance information relating to a plurality of peripheral apparatuses including at least operation information, from the peripheral apparatuses; and        a communication control device that causes the communication unit to periodically transmit confirmation information including identification information identifying the monitoring apparatus, to the management apparatus,        wherein said communication control device further transmits the maintenance information to the management apparatus, and the management apparatus generates management information based on a history of notifications of the confirmation information carried out by said communication control device.     
     
     
       24. A monitoring apparatus as claimed in  claim 23 , further comprising
   a generation device that generates the confirmation information such that an identifier capable of identifying the confirmation information is contained in the confirmation information, and        wherein said generation device generates an e - mail that contains the identification information identifying the monitoring apparatus therein and the identifier in a subject thereof.     
     
     
       25. A monitoring apparatus as claimed in  claim 23 , further comprising a setting changing device that changes timing of notifications carried out by said communication control device based on a predetermined condition. 
     
     
       26. A monitoring method executed by a monitoring apparatus having a communication unit that communicates with a management apparatus that centrally manages a plurality of monitoring apparatuses, comprising:
   a management step of acquiring and managing the maintenance information relating to a plurality of peripheral apparatuses including at least operation information, from the peripheral apparatuses;        a first communication control step of causing the communication unit to transmit the maintenance information to the management apparatus; and        a second communication control step of causing the communication unit to periodically transmit confirmation information including identification information identifying the monitoring apparatus to the management apparatus,        wherein the management apparatus generates management information based on a history of notifications of the confirmation information.     
     
     
       27. A monitoring method as claimed in  claim 26 , further comprising
   a generation step of generating the confirmation information such that an identifier capable of identifying the confirmation information is contained in the confirmation information,        wherein said generation step comprises generating an e - mail that contains the identification information identifying the monitoring apparatus therein and the identifier in a subject thereof.     
     
     
       28. A monitoring method as claimed in  claim 26 , further comprising a setting changing step of changing timing of notifications carried out in said second communication control step based on a predetermined condition. 
     
     
       29. A non- transitory computer - readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to implement a monitoring method executed by a monitoring apparatus having a communication unit that communicates with a management apparatus that centrally manages a plurality of monitoring apparatuses, the method comprising:      a management step of acquiring and managing maintenance information relating to a plurality of peripheral apparatuses including at least operation information, from the peripheral apparatuses;        a first communication control step of causing the communication unit to transmit the maintenance information to the management apparatus; and        a second communication control step of causing the communication unit to periodically transmit confirmation information including identification information identifying the monitoring apparatus to the management apparatus,        wherein the management apparatus generates management information based on a history of notifications of the confirmation information.     
     
     
       30. A non- transitory computer - readable storage medium as claimed in    claim 29   , the method further comprising      a generation step of generating the confirmation information such that an identifier capable of identifying the confirmation information is contained in the confirmation information,        wherein said generation step includes generating an e - mail that contains the identification information identifying the monitoring apparatus therein and the identifier in a subject thereof.     
     
     
       31. A non- transitory computer - readable storage medium as claimed in    claim 29   , the method further comprising a setting changing step of changing timing of notifications carried out in said second communication control step based on a predetermined condition.