JP2002268966A - Network management system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a network management system to enable log collection with high reliability on the premise of a PULL type in the case of collecting the log. SOLUTION: In the network management system formed by connecting a printer 1 having a function to store the log with a client PC 2 having management software to perform remote control of the printer via a network by the network, it is provided with a function to request log collection to the printer 1 by the management software, a function to transmit all the stored logs to the management software at a requesting origin by the printer 1, a function to set read flags of all the transmitted logs on to an applicable discrimination ID by the printer 1, a function to investigate whether all the read flags of the log specified by the printer 1 are on or not, a function to delete a specified log from a storage medium 5 for storage of the logs by the printer 1 and a function to investigate whether or not the next log exists by the printer 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a network management system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the rapid spread of the Internet, printers that can be connected to a network are now commonplace.
Along with this, a lot of software for managing various things via a network has come out. One of them is to collect so-called logs such as print job history information and error history information of a printer. The method of collecting logs can be roughly classified into a method in which the management software pulls from the printer and a method in which the printer pushes the management software. In the latter case, resident software that collects PUSHed logs is required on the management software side.
It tends to be used for server systems, and the size of the system is large, and the threshold for using the system is high. On the other hand, the former method is a system in which management software does not require resident software and can be handled relatively easily.

[0003]

A problem with the PULL type is the timing at which the log is deleted. Logs increase with time, so they need to be deleted sometime. Although One solution to this problem there is a way to handle a ring buffer, when there is no enough memory area for storing the log that it this is overwritten before collecting the log, ie put away disappearance log Things happen often. Therefore, as a next solution, a method of deleting logs collected once is performed at that timing.
In this case, if logs are periodically collected at appropriate time intervals according to the size of the storage area for accumulating logs and the frequency of occurrence of logs, log loss can be considerably prevented. However, this solution creates problems when multiple administrators want to collect logs. In other words, when an administrator collects logs,
Since the log on the printer side is deleted at that timing, the log is lost for the other administrator.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a network management system capable of collecting logs with high reliability, based on the premise that the log collection is of the PULL type.

[0005]

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer having a function of storing logs and a client PC having management software for remotely controlling the printer via a network. In a network management system connected via a network, a function of the management software requesting the printer to collect logs, a function of transmitting all logs stored in the printer to the requesting management software, and an identification ID corresponding to the printer Against
A function to turn on the read flag of all sent logs,
The printer has a function of checking whether all the read flags of the specified log are on, a function of deleting the specified log from the storage medium for storing the log, and a function of checking whether the printer has the next log. A network management system characterized by the above.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in a network management system in which a printer having a function of accumulating logs and a client PC having management software for remotely controlling the printer via a network are connected via a network, the management software is A function of requesting the printer to collect logs, a function of checking whether the ID of the management software of the requester already exists in the ID management table, and a function of identifying the requester in the ID management table. I
D, a function to newly register the printer, a function to transmit all the logs stored in the printer to the management software of the requester, and a read flag of all the logs transmitted by the printer to the corresponding identification ID. Function, the printer checks whether all the recording flags of the specified log are turned on, the function that the printer deletes the specified log from the storage medium for log storage, and the function that the printer checks whether the next log exists. And a network management system comprising:

According to a third aspect of the present invention, when collecting logs from the management software, a function of not transmitting a log whose read flag is on is provided. Related to a network management system.

The log is a so-called event log such as a log of a job such as printing, facsimile transmission and scanning, a log of an error, and a log of a change in system settings. Printers also include multifunction peripherals, scanners, and fax machines.
The identification ID is an address, a host name, a license ID.
This is an ID that can uniquely identify the management software.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a network management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this network management system, a printer 1 and a plurality of client PCs 2 are connected to each other via a network, and both have log collection units 3 and 4, respectively, and a storage medium 5 for storing logs is connected to the printer 1. Have been.
The client PC 2 has management software for remotely controlling the printer 1 via a network.

Here, the log collection processing unit 3 of the printer 1
This part controls a log PULL request from the client PC 2. It is a part for managing the identification ID of the management software. The data part of the ID is called an ID management table. The log collection processing unit 4 of the client PC 2 is a part that performs processing for pulling logs from the printer 1.

In the present invention, first, the identification ID of the management software is registered in the printer 1 (registered in the identification ID management table). The means for registration may include an operation unit of the printer 1 or remote setting via a network. ID
May be anything that can uniquely identify each management software. For example, the IP address of the client PC on which the management software runs, the host name of the client PC on which the management software runs, the license ID of the management software, and the like.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a first control example. A function of the management software requesting the printer 1 to collect logs (S1); a function of transmitting all logs stored in the printer 1 to the management software of the request source (S2); In response to this, the function of turning on the read flag of all the transmitted logs (S3), the function of checking whether all the read flags of the specified log are on (S4), and the function of The printer 1 has a function (S5) of deleting a log from the log storage medium 5 and a function (S6) of checking whether the next log exists in the printer 1. Finally, the process ends (S7).

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a second control example. A function of the management software requesting the printer 1 to collect logs (S1), a function of the printer 1 checking whether the ID of the requesting management software already exists in the ID management table (S2), The function of the printer 1 newly registering the ID of the request source in the ID management table (S
3), a function of transmitting all the logs stored in the printer 1 to the management software of the request source (S4), and turning on the read flag of all the logs transmitted by the printer 1 for the corresponding ID. Function (S5), and a function that the printer 1 checks whether all the recording flags of the designated log are on (S6).
And the printer 1 stores the specified log in a storage medium 5 for log storage.
(S7), and a function (S8) of checking whether the printer 1 has the next log. Then, the process ends (S9).

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a third control example. In the third control example, the one whose read flag is on is not transmitted to the management software of the request source. First, the management software requests the printer 1 to collect logs (S1).
Next, the printer 1 transmits all of the stored logs whose read flag of the corresponding ID is OFF to the management software of the request source (S2). The following processing is the first and second
According to the control example.

FIG. 5A is a diagram showing an identification ID management table, and FIG. 5B is a diagram showing a list of read flags of logs. FIG. 5 shows the identification ID management table and the read flag list of the log.
In such a case, 1) identification ID of management software = client PC (1) There is no log transmitted from the printer 1. 2) Identification ID of management software = Client PC (2) Logs transmitted from printer 1 are log 2 and log 3.

[0016]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the log remains in the printer until all the read flags are turned on in the identification ID of the management software registered in the printer in advance. If you want to collect logs with management software, you can prevent the loss of logs and it is safe.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since it is not necessary to register the management software identification ID in the printer in advance, the work of initial setting by the user can be reduced, and a mistake at the time of registration can be prevented. Is possible.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, once the management software collects the logs, the log data is not transferred to the management software the next time the logs are collected, so that the network traffic can be reduced and the efficiency is very high. Becomes Further, since the management software does not collect the same log redundantly, the processing unit of the management software can be made simple (the merge processing when the same log is duplicated is unnecessary).

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a network management system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a first control example.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a second control example.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a third control example.

FIG. 5A is a diagram showing an identification ID management table;
(B) is a diagram showing a list of read flags of logs.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer 2 Client PC 3, 4 Log collection processing part 5 Storage medium

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A printer having a function of accumulating logs,
In a network management system in which a client PC having management software for remotely controlling the printer via a network is connected to the network, the function of the management software requesting the printer to collect logs, and the function of requesting all logs stored in the printer from the source. To the management software, the function to turn on the read flag of all the transmitted logs for the corresponding ID by the printer, and the printer to check whether all the read flags of the designated log are on. Features and
A network management system having a function of a printer deleting a designated log from a storage medium for storing logs, and a function of checking whether a next log exists in the printer. 2. A printer having a function of accumulating logs,
In a network management system in which client PCs having management software for remotely controlling the same via a network are connected via a network, the function of the management software requesting the printer to collect logs and the printer
A function for checking whether the ID of the management software of the request source already exists in the management table, a function for the printer to newly register the ID of the request source in the ID management table,
A function of transmitting all the logs stored in the printer to the management software of the request source, a function of turning on the read flag of all logs transmitted by the printer for the corresponding identification ID, and a function of A network having a function of checking whether all recording flags are on, a function of deleting a designated log from a storage medium for storing logs, and a function of checking whether a next log exists in the printer. Management system. 3. The network management system according to claim 1, further comprising a function of not transmitting a log whose read flag is on when collecting logs from the management software.