JP2007213597A - Information processor and control method therefor, program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information processor capable of managing a state of use of mails, and a control method therefor and a program. <P>SOLUTION: A state of use of a mailer operating in the information processor is monitored. State of use of mail information showing the state of use of the mails, which is obtained by the monitored mailer is transmitted to a server. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus connected to a server for managing the use status of mails via a network, a control method therefor, and a program.

  E-mail has become popular and many people have used it. Under such circumstances, e-mail is indispensable even within a company. Its use is simple, and since it is electronic, it has come to see many uses other than business so that others can not know. By exchanging mail outside the business, the efficiency of the business is reduced and it becomes a disadvantage for the company.

  However, in order to grasp the use of mail outside the work, it is necessary for the administrator to browse a management server such as a mail server, but this work is very labor intensive. In addition, browsing of a management server such as a mail server is a browsing of mail itself, which is problematic from the viewpoint of protecting personal information.

  As described above, since there is no standard for allocating e-mails to work and non-work in a simple manner while protecting personal information, use outside the work cannot be restricted.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an information processing apparatus, a control method thereof, and a program capable of efficiently managing the use status of mail.

In order to achieve the above object, an information processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement. That is,
An information processing apparatus connected via a network to a server that manages the use status of mail,
Monitoring means for monitoring the usage status of the mailer operating in the information processing apparatus;
Sending means for sending mail usage status information indicating the usage status of the mail obtained from the mailer monitored by the monitoring means to the server.

In order to achieve the above object, a method for controlling an information processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement. That is,
A method of controlling an information processing apparatus connected via a network to a server that manages the use status of mail,
A monitoring process for monitoring the usage status of the mailer operating on the information processing apparatus;
A sending step of sending to the server mail use status information indicating the use status of the mail obtained from the mailer monitored in the monitoring step.

In order to achieve the above object, a program according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement. That is,
A program for causing a computer to function as a computer for controlling an information processing apparatus connected via a network to a server that manages the use status of mail,
A monitoring process for monitoring the usage status of the mailer operating on the information processing apparatus;
And causing the computer to function as a sending step of sending to the server mail use status information indicating the use status of the mail obtained from the mailer monitored in the monitoring step.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the information processing apparatus which can manage the utilization condition of an email efficiently, its control method, and a program can be provided.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

<Embodiment 1>
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an information management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  Reference numeral 11 denotes a client group (clients 1 to n), which is a computer connected to the log management server 13 via the network 12a and using functions and data provided by the log management server 13. In particular, the client 11 has a mail monitoring unit 11a that monitors the usage status of the mailer 11b installed in the client 11.

  In the client 11, the mail monitoring unit 11 a monitors the usage status (start / end etc.) of the mailer 11 b used in the client 11 and accumulates it as mail log data. Then, the mail log data is transmitted to the log management server 13. The mail log data is transmitted to the log management server 13 at a predetermined time unit (for example, every 2 hours: set by the log management server 13). In addition to this, various conditions can be set, for example, when a predetermined amount or more of log data is accumulated, when the client 11 is restarted, or when a request from the log management server 13 is received.

  The mail log data includes, for example, client information (client name, user name, machine name), mailer name, mail subject, transmission / reception destination name, transmission / reception date / time, attached file name, mail address, mailer start time / end time. This is the mail usage status information composed of, for example.

  A log management server 13 receives mail log data from each client 11 connected via the network 12a and registers it in the log management database 13a.

  A mail analysis server 15 has a mail server function, and is connected to the evaluation terminal 16 via the network 12b. The mail analysis server 15 is also connected to the log management server 13 via the network 14 and analyzes mail log data of each client 11 managed by the log management database 13a of the log management server 13.

  Specifically, the mail classification determination unit 15a determines the mail classification (business / non-business) to be processed. This determination is based on the mail distribution table 15b that manages the mail information (including the subject, mailer name, client information (client name, user name, machine name, mail address), etc.) on which the mailer operates and the classification. To do.

  However, when the mail to be determined is not registered in the mail distribution table 15b, the mail classification is determined by the mail classification determining unit 15c that manages the mail information. Then, the determined classification is associated with the mail information related to the mail and newly registered in the mail distribution table 15b.

  The determination of the mail classification realized by the mail classification determination unit 15c may be realized by an operator. In this case, the mail analysis server 15 provides the operator with an input screen for inputting information related to the mail classification.

  In addition, the mail distribution table 15b manages mails transmitted / received from the client 11 that may be used in a company or organization and their classification (business / non-business). This category is determined according to the importance and necessity of the company or organization. For this reason, email classifications do not always match depending on the type of business or job category.

  Here, an example of the mail distribution table 15b is as follows.

Example)
Category 1 (non-business)
Email subject (blank, mailing list, meaningless content, content contrary to public order and morals, etc.) and its email information Category 2 (for business use)
Subject other than the subject of the mail specified in Category 1 and its mail information Return to the explanation of FIG.

  Reference numeral 16 denotes an evaluation terminal group (evaluation terminals 1 to n), which is a computer that is connected to the mail analysis server 15 via the network 12b and supports analysis performed by the mail analysis server 15. This support includes, for example, substitution processing of the mail classification determination unit 15c, information collection for determining an unknown mail classification, and the like. The processing related to this support may be realized by dedicated software or may be realized by an operator.

  Note that the networks 12a and 12b are usually configured from a LAN, and the network 14 is generally configured from the Internet. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and these networks may be the Internet, LAN / WAN, telephone lines, dedicated digital lines, ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode), and frame relay lines.

  Moreover, although each said server is comprised separately, those one part / all may be comprised by one server.

  Further, various functions realized by the client 11, the log management server 13, the mail analysis server 15, and the evaluation terminal 16 are such that programs stored in ROMs and external storage devices in the respective terminals and servers are executed by the CPU. It may be realized by. Alternatively, it may be realized by dedicated hardware.

  Next, the hardware configuration of various clients and servers constituting the information management system of Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing hardware configurations of various terminals and servers that constitute the information management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 2, a CPU 21, a RAM 22, a ROM 23, a LAN adapter 24, a video adapter 25, an input unit (keyboard) 26, an input unit (mouse) 27, a hard disk 28, and a CD-ROM drive 29 are connected to each other via a system bus 20. Has been. The system bus 20 means, for example, a PCI bus, an AGP bus, a memory bus, and the like. In FIG. 2, a chip for connecting between buses, a keyboard interface, an input / output interface such as a so-called SCSI or ATAPI, and a power supply line are omitted.

  The CPU 21 performs various operations such as four arithmetic operations and comparison operations, and controls hardware and software. The RAM 22 stores an operation system program, an application program, and the like read from a storage medium such as a CD-ROM or CD-R mounted in the hard disk 28 or the CD-ROM drive 29. These are executed under the control of the CPU 21. The application program includes a program for executing a flowchart executed by each terminal and server described later.

  The ROM 23 stores a so-called BIOS that manages input / output to / from a hard disk in cooperation with the operation system. The LAN adapter 24 communicates with the outside via a network in cooperation with a communication program of the operation system controlled by the CPU 21. The video adapter 25 generates an image signal to be output to a display device (not shown), and the input unit (keyboard) 26 and the input unit (mouse) 27 are used to input instructions to the terminal.

  The hard disk 28 stores an operation system and the above-described application programs, and is loaded into the RAM 22 when the terminal is activated or as necessary.

  The CD-ROM drive 29 is used for installing a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, CD-R, or CD-R / W and installing an application program on the hard disk 28.

  Needless to say, a CD-R drive, CD-R / W drive, MO drive, DVD-RAM drive, or the like may be used instead of the CD-ROM drive 29.

  Next, processing executed by the log management server 13 and the mail analysis server 15 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing processing executed by the log management server and the mail analysis server according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  The flowchart shown in FIG. 3 will be described by taking as an example a case where the log management server 13 and the mail analysis server 15 are configured by the same server. Moreover, this process is performed regularly (for example, once a day), for example.

Step S201:
First, before this processing is executed, the log management server 13 (mail analysis server 15) receives mail log data from each connected client 11 and registers it in the log management database (DB) 13a. . Thereafter, the mail analysis server 15 reads one mail log data of each client 11 from the log management database (DB) 13a.

Step S202:
The mail classification included in the read mail log data is determined. This determination is performed by determining whether or not the subject of the determination target mail exists in the mail distribution table 15b.

  Here, when the subject of the mail log data to be determined exists, the mail is counted for each client (may be counted for each time) and added to the analysis result file 15d.

  That is, in this determination, if the subject of the mail to be determined exists in the mail distribution table 15b (YES in step S202), the subject of the mail has already been classified, and the processing is ended as it is. On the other hand, if the subject of the determination target mail does not exist in the mail distribution table 15b (NO in step S202), the mail is not yet classified. In that case, the mail classification is determined in the subsequent processing.

Step S203:
When the subject of the mail to be determined does not exist in the mail distribution table 15b, the mail classification determination unit 15a determines the mail classification by the mail classification determination unit 15c.

  In addition, when there are many mails that need to determine the mail classification, the mail information to be classified is distributed to a plurality of evaluation terminals 16, and the evaluation terminals 16 determine the classifications. Receive.

  As specific processing of the mail classification determination unit 15c, for example, a classification list in which mail information is associated with a classification determined based on the mail information is created in advance, and the classification list is referred to. Then, the category corresponding to the email to be determined is determined.

Step S204:
The mail classification determination unit 15a associates the determined classification with the mail information related to the mail, adds it to the mail distribution table 15b, and registers it.

  In this embodiment, the information additionally registered in the mail distribution table 15b is used from the next analysis, but is not limited to this. For example, in step S204, with respect to mail log data that has not yet been determined, it may be determined how many mails are sent and received for each client and added to the analysis result file 15d.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, the mail monitoring unit 11a is installed in each client 11, and the usage status of the mail of each client 11 is recorded as mail log data. Then, the log management server 13 collects the recorded mail log data, and with respect to the collected mail log data, the mail analysis server 15 determines which category the mail transmitted / received by each client 11 is. can do. Further, based on this classification, it is possible to grasp whether the user of each client 11 is using the client 11 privately.

  For example, it is possible to determine that a user of a client who transmits and receives a large number (outside a predetermined number) of emails whose business is not in business is highly likely to be privately used. In such a case, the mail analysis server 15 may be configured to transmit a message warning that there is a high possibility of private use.

  Further, even when the mail classification is out of business, if the transmission / reception time zone is other than break time or working time, the above message may not be transmitted.

<Embodiment 2>
In the first embodiment, the log management server 13 and the mail analysis server 15 are configured on the same server, but may be realized on different servers.

  In this case, the log management server 13 and the mail analysis server 15 are connected via the network 14, mail log data is transmitted from the log management server 13 to the mail analysis server 15, and the subsequent processing is the same as that of the first embodiment. The process described in 3 is executed.

  In addition, when the log management server 13 and the mail analysis server 15 are configured as separate servers, two management modes can be roughly divided. In other words, the log management server 13 and the mail analysis server 15 are managed in the same company, and the log management server 13 and the mail analysis server 15 are managed in different companies.

  In particular, when the log management server 13 and the mail analysis server 15 are managed in different companies, for example, the log management server 13 and the mail analysis server 15 may be connected via a public network such as the Internet. high. Therefore, in consideration of data safety and transfer efficiency, mail log data transferred between the log management server 13 and the mail analysis server 15 is preferably transferred after being encoded or compressed.

<Embodiment 3>
In Embodiments 1 and 2, the mail classification is determined based on the mail subject, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, as long as the classification of the mail can be determined from the information in the mail information, any may be adopted. As described above, the email information includes the subject of the email, the destination and destination name, the date and time of transmission and reception, the attached file name, the email address, and the like. It is also possible to determine the category. In this case, it goes without saying that the mail distribution table 15b is composed of information serving as a classification criterion.

  Hereinafter, as an example, a mail distribution table 15b including a mail subject and its transmission / reception destination is shown.

Example)
Category 1 (non-business)
The domain in the recipient's email address is other than the specified domain, and the subject of the email (contents of daily greetings and events at the time) and its email information Category 2 (for business)
The domain in the mail address of the transmission / reception destination is the designated domain, and the subject other than the subject of the category 1 mail and its mail information. A program corresponding to the flowchart shown) is directly or remotely supplied to the system or apparatus. In addition, this includes a case where the system or the computer of the apparatus is also achieved by reading and executing the supplied program code.

  Accordingly, since the functions of the present invention are implemented by computer, the program code installed in the computer also implements the present invention. In other words, the present invention includes a computer program itself for realizing the functional processing of the present invention.

  In that case, as long as it has the function of a program, it may be in the form of object code, a program executed by an interpreter, script data supplied to the OS, or the like.

  Examples of the recording medium for supplying the program include a floppy (registered trademark) disk, a hard disk, and an optical disk. Further, as a recording medium, magneto-optical disk, MO, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, DVD (DVD-ROM, DVD-R), etc. is there.

  As another program supply method, a browser on a client computer is used to connect to an Internet home page. Then, the computer program itself of the present invention or a compressed file including an automatic installation function can be downloaded from a homepage of the connection destination to a recording medium such as a hard disk. It can also be realized by dividing the program code constituting the program of the present invention into a plurality of files and downloading each file from a different homepage. That is, a WWW server that allows a plurality of users to download a program file for realizing the functional processing of the present invention on a computer is also included in the present invention.

  In addition, the program of the present invention is encrypted, stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, distributed to users, and key information for decryption is downloaded from a homepage via the Internet to users who have cleared predetermined conditions. Let It is also possible to execute the encrypted program by using the key information and install the program on a computer.

  Further, the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the computer executing the read program. Further, based on the instructions of the program, an OS or the like running on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments can be realized by the processing.

  Further, the program read from the recording medium is written in a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer. Thereafter, the CPU of the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instructions of the program, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the information management system of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the hardware constitutions of each client and server which comprise the information management system of Embodiment 1 of this invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing processing executed by the log management server and the mail analysis server according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Client 11a Mail monitoring part 11b Mailer 12a, 12b, 14 Network 13 Log management server 13a Log management database 15 Mail analysis server 15a Mail classification judgment part 15b Mail classification table 15d Mail classification determination part 15e Analysis result file 16 Evaluation terminal

Claims (3)

An information processing apparatus connected via a network to a server that manages the use status of mail,
Monitoring means for monitoring the usage status of the mailer operating in the information processing apparatus;
An information processing apparatus comprising: a transmission unit configured to transmit, to the server, mail usage status information indicating a usage status of a mail obtained from a mailer monitored by the monitoring unit. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus connected via a network to a server that manages the use status of mail,
A monitoring process for monitoring the usage status of the mailer operating on the information processing apparatus;
And a transmission step of transmitting, to the server, mail usage status information indicating the usage status of the mail obtained from the mailer monitored in the monitoring step. A program for causing a computer to function as a computer for controlling an information processing apparatus connected via a network to a server that manages the use status of mail,
A monitoring process for monitoring the usage status of the mailer operating on the information processing apparatus;
A program for causing a computer to function as a sending step of sending mail usage status information indicating a usage status of a mail obtained from a mailer monitored in the monitoring step to the server.

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