Remote management server to generate policy for managing image forming apparatuses and control of configuration data of image forming apparatuses

A method of managing a configuration of an image forming device, the method comprising:

• generating, by a remote management server, a policy comprising configuration data for image forming devices and a list of a plurality of image forming devices for which the configuration data is to be applied;
• configuring, by the remote management server, the plurality of image forming devices with the configuration data according to the policy;
• receiving, by the remote management server from a service provider device that manages the plurality of image forming devices, a request for a change in configuration data for an image forming device;
• and
• if the image forming device is comprised in the list, processing the request according to a preset rule by the remote management server, wherein the preset rule comprises at least one of a rule for rejecting the requested change or a rule for accepting the requested change.

A service provider device, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory to store instructions that, based on being executed, cause the processor to:
• transmit, to a remote management server, a request for generation of a policy comprising configuration data for image forming devices and a list of a plurality of image forming devices for which the configuration data is to be applied;
• present a user interface through which a rule for processing a request for a change in the configuration data for the plurality of image forming devices is received;
• transmit, based on the received rule, to the remote management server, a request for generation of a preset rule for processing the request for the change;
• and
• receive a request for a change in the configuration data for one of the plurality of image forming devices, wherein the user interface comprises an interface through which at least one of a rule for rejecting the requested change or a rule for accepting the requested change is selectable.