Monitoring apparatus for image forming apparatus, control method executed by the monitoring apparatus, program for implementing the control method, and management apparatus, control method executed by the management apparatus, and program for implementing the control method

A management apparatus capable of managing a plurality of monitoring apparatuses that acquire information by communication from a plurality of image forming apparatuses to be monitored, comprising:

• an instructing device that collectively instructs the plurality of monitoring apparatuses to update first modules, on which the plurality of monitoring apparatuses operate, to second modules by e-mail;
• an acquisition requesting device that collectively gives a request for acquisition of version information on the first modules to the plurality of monitoring apparatuses by e-mail;
• and
• an acquisition device that acquires the version information from the plurality of monitoring apparatuses as replies to e-mails for requesting acquisition of the version information sent by said acquisition requesting device.

A control method executed by a monitoring apparatus capable of acquiring information by communication from at least one image forming apparatus to be monitored, and communicating with a management apparatus, comprising;

• a communication step of carrying out communication with the management apparatus by e-mail;
• a processing step of automatically updating first modules in operation, on which the monitoring apparatus operates, to second modules for updating the first modules when the second modules is received from the management apparatus by e-mail in said communication step;
• an information collecting step of collecting version information on the first modules when a version information acquisition request is received from the management apparatus by e-mail in said communication step;
• and
• a returning step of sending the version information collected in said information collecting step to the management apparatus by return mail.

A control method executed by a management apparatus capable of managing a plurality of monitoring apparatuses that acquire information by communication from a plurality of image forming apparatuses to be monitored, comprising:

• an instructing step of collectively instructing the plurality of monitoring apparatuses to update first modules, on which the plurality of monitoring apparatuses operate, to second modules by e-mail;
• an acquisition requesting step of collectively giving a request for acquisition of version information on the first modules to the plurality of monitoring apparatuses by e-mail;
• and
• an acquisition step of acquiring the version information from the plurality of monitoring apparatuses as replies to e-mails for requesting acquisition of the version information sent in said acquisition requesting step.

A program for causing a computer to execute a control method implemented by a monitoring apparatus capable of acquiring information by communication from at least one image forming apparatus to be monitored, and communicating with a management apparatus, the method comprising;

• a communication step of carrying out communication with the management apparatus by e-mail;
• a processing step of automatically updating first modules in operation, on which the monitoring apparatus operates, to second modules for updating the first modules when the second modules for updating the modules is received from the management apparatus by e-mail in said communication step;
• an information collecting step of collecting version information on the first modules when a version information acquisition request is received from the management apparatus by e-mail in said communication step;
• and
• a returning step of sending the version information collected in said information collecting step to the management apparatus by return mail.

A program for causing a computer to execute a control method implemented by a management apparatus capable of managing a plurality of monitoring apparatuses that acquire information by communication from a plurality of image forming apparatuses to be monitored, the method comprising:

• an instructing step of collectively instructing the plurality of monitoring apparatuses to update first modules, on which the plurality of monitoring apparatuses operate, to second modules by e-mail;
• an acquisition requesting step of collectively giving a request for acquisition of version information on the first modules to the plurality of monitoring apparatuses;
• and
• an acquisition step of acquiring the version information from the plurality of monitoring apparatuses as replies to e-mails for requesting acquisition of the version information sent in said acquisition requesting step.