Printing system for grouping printing apparatuses

A printing apparatus connected via a network to a plurality of printing apparatuses and to at least one information processing apparatus, the printing apparatus comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive device information of at least one of the plurality of printing apparatuses via the network;
• an image forming device configured to form an image based on print job data received by the receiver from the at least one information processing apparatus;
• a transmitter configured to transmit device information of the printing apparatus itself via the network;
• and
• wherein the printing apparatus is configured to automatically specify at least one of the plurality of printing apparatuses other than itself as at least one constituent of a group into which that printing apparatus itself belongs, based on the device information received by the receiver from the plurality of printing apparatuses and device information of that printing apparatus itself.

A method for controlling a printing apparatus connected via a network to a plurality of networked printing apparatuses and at least one networked information processing apparatus, for forming an image based on a print job, the method comprising:

• transmitting device information descriptive of the printing apparatus itself;
• receiving device information via the network from at least one of the networked printing apparatuses;
• and
• wherein the printing apparatus automatically specifies at least one of the plurality of printing apparatuses other than itself as at least one constituent of a group into which that printing apparatus itself belongs, based on the device information received by the receiver from the plurality of printing apparatuses and device information of that printing apparatus itself.