Information processing apparatus, method for controlling an information processing apparatus, and image forming system

A method for controlling an information processing apparatus that is connected to a first image forming apparatus and another information processing apparatus over a network, the method comprising:

• registering, to a storage unit, apparatus information related to the first image forming apparatus and a second image forming apparatus directly connected to the other information processing apparatus;
• transmitting, to the first image forming apparatus, a first request to form and output an image;
• transmitting, to the other information processing apparatus, a second request to cause the second image forming apparatus to form and output an image;
• and
• retrieving, when an image forming apparatus selected by a user among the first and second image forming apparatuses does not output the image, a substitute apparatus from the first and second image forming apparatuses for forming and outputting the image based on the apparatus information thus registered,
• wherein when the second image forming apparatus is selected as the substitute apparatus, in the transmitting the second request, the second request is transmitted to the other information processing apparatus,
• wherein the apparatus information includes information related to a type of a computer program that causes each of the first and second image forming apparatuses to operate, and
• the retrieving includes preferentially selecting the image forming apparatus having the same type of the computer program as that of the image forming apparatus that does not output the image, as the substitute apparatus.

An image forming system comprising:

• a first information processing apparatus, a second information processing apparatus, and a first image forming apparatus that are connected to each other over a network, and a second image forming apparatus connected to the second information processing apparatus, wherein,
• the first information processing apparatus includes,
• an apparatus information managing unit configured to register, to a storage unit, apparatus information related to the first and second image forming apparatuses;
• a first request transmitting unit that configured to transmit, to the first image forming apparatus, a first request to form and output an image;
• and
• a second request transmitting unit that configured to transmit, to the second information processing apparatus, a second request to cause the second image forming apparatus to transmit and output an image,
• the second information processing apparatus includes
• a third request transmitting unit that configured to transmit, to the second image forming apparatus, a third request to form and output the image in response to the second request, and
• a substitute apparatus retrieving unit configured to retrieve a substitute apparatus from the first and second image forming apparatuses for forming and outputting the image based on the apparatus information thus registered when an image forming apparatus selected by a user among the first and second image forming apparatuses does not output the image, and
• when the second image forming apparatus is selected as the substitute apparatus, the second request transmitting unit is configured to transmit the second request to the second information processing apparatus,
• wherein the apparatus information includes information related to a type of a computer program that causes each of the first and second image forming apparatuses to operate, and
• the substitute apparatus retrieving unit is configured to preferentially select the image forming apparatus having the same type of the computer program as that of the image forming apparatus that does not output the image, as the substitute apparatus.