Processing system, control method, and storage medium therefor

A method to control a processing system including a server group connectable to an image forming apparatus, wherein the processing system includes a request processing unit configured to perform processing based on the processing request using a synchronous processing method, and a backend processing unit configured to perform processing based on the processing request using an asynchronous processing method, wherein the synchronous processing method takes less time to complete than the asynchronous processing method, the method comprising:

• receiving a processing request from the image forming apparatus and information relating to a document file corresponding to the processing request from the image forming apparatus;
• determining, based on the received information relating to the document file, whether to specify, as a processing method, one of the synchronous processing method and the asynchronous processing method,
• wherein, in response to determining to specify the synchronous processing method, the request processing unit processes the document file based on the processing request, and
• wherein, in response to determining to specify the asynchronous processing method, the request processing unit sends a notification to the image forming apparatus that the processing request is being processed and the request processing unit requests the backend processing unit to process the processing request, wherein the backend processing unit receives the processing request from the request processing unit and processes the document file based on the processing request;
• and
• sending, to the image forming apparatus and after one of the request processing unit and the backend processing unit has processed the document file according to the determined processing method, a notification that the document file has been processed.

A control method for controlling an image forming system that includes an image forming apparatus and a processing system having a server group, the control method comprising:

• providing, from the image forming apparatus, a session with the processing system in response to a request to process a document file designated from a user by sending the request to process the document file to the processing system;
• holding, in the processing system, the session by receiving the processing request sent by the image forming apparatus and performing processing based on the processing request, wherein the processing system includes a request processing unit configured to perform processing based on the processing request using a synchronous processing method, and a backend processing unit configured to perform processing based on the processing request using an asynchronous processing method, wherein the synchronous processing method takes less time to complete than the asynchronous processing method;
• determining, in the processing system, whether to specify, as a processing method, one of the synchronous processing method and the asynchronous processing method,
• wherein, in response to determining to specify the synchronous processing method, the request processing unit processes the document file based on the processing request and,
• wherein, in response to determining to specify the asynchronous processing method, the request processing unit sends a notification to the image forming apparatus that the processing request is being processed and the request processing unit requests the backend processing unit to process the processing request, wherein the backend processing unit receives the processing request from the request processing unit and processes the document file based on the processing request;
• and
• sending, from the processing system, a notification, wherein, in response to determining to specify the synchronous processing method, sending includes sending a notification to the image forming apparatus that the request processing unit has processed the document file via the held session and, wherein, in response to determining to specify the asynchronous processing method, sending includes sending a notification to the image forming apparatus that the document file has been processed via a session provided when a processing request sent again is made;
• and
• acquiring, in the image forming apparatus, the document file in response to the image forming apparatus receiving a notification that the document file has been processed.