Patent Publication Number: US-2010125587-A1

Title: Electronic file management system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-293011, filed on Nov. 17, 2008, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD 
     The embodiments discussed herein are related to a technique for managing electronic files including personal information or confidential information, for example, in a company or the like. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In recent years, there have been many cases in which personal information or confidential information is handled in the form of electronic data. The electronic data, regardless of whether or not it includes personal information or confidential information, is often stored in personal computers (hereinafter also referred to as “PCs”) managed by users such as employees in a company or the like. Despite that information leakage from personal computers causes serious social problems, how to store the data is left up to individual users and the electronic data stored in the personal computers is at risk of information leakage. 
     When a user receives an electronic mail (e-mail) or an electronic file including confidential information, the user may perform, currently, the following procedures, for example, to store the e-mail or the electronic file. The user refers to contents of the e-mail or the electronic file, and may manually make a special folder in mail environment to store the e-mail or the electronic file in the special folder when the e-mail or the electronic file includes confidential information. Alternatively, the user may manually transfer the e-mail or the electronic file including confidential information to another server or the like, and then manually deletes the e-mail or the electronic file from the mail environment in the user&#39;s personal computer. Examples are discussed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2004-179866 and Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2006-227898. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, provided is an electronic file management system. The electronic file management system includes a terminal device and a management server. 
     The terminal device includes a terminal storage, a data transmitter, and a first data delete unit. The terminal storage stores an electronic file. The data transmitter transmits the electronic file stored in the terminal storage. The first data delete unit deletes the electronic file stored in the terminal storage. 
     The management server is communicably connected to the terminal device. The management server includes a data receiver and a data storage. The data receiver receives the electronic file from the terminal device. The data storage stores the electronic file received from the terminal device. 
     The first data delete unit deletes the electronic file stored in the terminal storage after the data transmitter has transmitted the electronic file stored in the terminal storage to the management server. 
     The object and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration of an electronic file management system according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a management server according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation flow of an electronic file management system according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating a first example of an operation flow of a data sorter of a management server according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating a second example of an operation flow of a data sorter of a management server according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram illustrating an example of a data storing method in a management server according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram illustrating an example of the data storing method in an electronic file management system according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 9  is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration of an electronic file management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     An operation related to storing and managing electronic data such as an electronic file including personal information or confidential information is performed by a manual operation of the user. When storing and managing the electronic data by such a manual operation, the user has to perform a plurality of steps of manual operation. Therefore, there is a high possibility that an operational human error occurs depending on a user&#39;s level and user&#39;s attention. The operational human errors include, for example, that the user forgets to store the electronic file which needs to be stored, that the user stores the electronic file to an incorrect storage, and that the user multiply stores the electronic file by forgetting to delete the electronic file. When such an operational human error occurs, a possibility of leaking personal information or confidential information included in the electronic file increases, and there is a risk that information security may not be maintained. 
     According to the embodiments, a user of a terminal device may only perform an operation for transmitting an electronic file to a management apparatus (also referred to as a management server), so that the electronic file is stored and managed in the management apparatus, and at the same time the electronic file may be automatically deleted from the terminal device without explicitly instructing to delete the electronic file. In this way, it may be possible to enable centralized management of electronic files while suppressing occurrence of operational human errors when storing an electronic file to maintain information security. Therefore secure management of electronic files including personal information or confidential information may be realized. 
     Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be discussed with reference to the drawings. 
     (1) Configuration of the Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration of an electronic file management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The electronic file management system  1  illustrated in  FIG. 1  is, for example, constructed as an in-house system of a company or the like, and includes a plurality of terminal devices  10  and a management server  20  communicably connected to each other via an intranet  30 . Each terminal device  10  and the management server  20  may access the Internet  50  via a firewall  40 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the terminal device  10  includes a mail function  10   a , a data transmission function  10   b , and a mail/data deletion function  10   c.    
     The mail function  10   a  is a function for transmitting/receiving an e-mail, and the data transmission function  10   b  is a function for attaching an electronic file to an e-mail to transmit the electronic file as data. These functions are realized by a transmitter/receiver  12 , an instructor  13 , and the like as discussed later with reference to  FIG. 2 . The mail/data deletion function  10   c  is a function for deleting data such as a mail and an electronic file in the terminal device  10 , and is realized by a data delete unit  15  and the like as discussed later with reference to  FIG. 2 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the management server  20  includes a mail server function  20   a , a data server function  20   b , a backup function  20   c , and a sort function  20   d.    
     The mail server function  20   a  causes the management server  20  to function as a dedicated mail server in the in-house system, and also provides a function as a transmitter/receiver  21  or the like as discussed later with reference to  FIG. 3 . 
     The data server function  20   b  is a function for managing data such as electronic files stored in the management server  20 , and causes the management server  20  to function as a data server in the in-house system. The data server function  20   b  provides functions as an authenticator  24 , a permitter/denier  25 , and a log storage  26  as discussed later with reference to  FIG. 3 . 
     The backup function  20   c  is a function for backing up data such as the electronic files and the like stored in the management server  20 , and is realized by using a mirror storage  23   a  or the like as discussed later with reference to  FIGS. 3 and 7 . 
     The sort function  20   d  is a function for sorting and storing e-mails received by the mail server function  20   a  of the management server  20  in pertinent folders, and the sort function  20   d  performs a function as a data sorter  22  as discussed later with reference to  FIGS. 3 ,  5 , and  6 . 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Each terminal device  10  illustrated in  FIG. 2  may be, for example, a PC used by users such as employees in an in-house system of a company or the like, which has a functional configuration of a general PC and includes a terminal storage  11 , a transmitter/receiver  12 , an instructor  13 , a determiner  14 , and a data delete unit  15 . 
     The terminal storage  11  includes a random access memory (RAM), a hard disk, and the like, and stores various data. In particular, the terminal storage  11  of the embodiment stores electronic files created by users and electronic files received as attached files of e-mails. 
     The transmitter/receiver  12  is included in a general PC, and performs the mail function  10   a  for transmitting/receiving e-mails, which is realized by a processor such as a central processing unit (CPU) or the like included in the terminal device  10  by executing mail software. In particular, the transmitter/receiver  12  of the embodiment functions as a transmitter for attaching an electronic file stored in the terminal storage  11  to an e-mail having a mail address specified by the instructor  13  discussed later as a destination address, and transmitting the e-mail to the management server  20 , in accordance with an instruction from the instructor  13 . The electronic file to be attached to the e-mail is also specified by the instructor  13 . 
     The instructor  13  includes input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse operated by a user, and an input interface function realized by the processor of the terminal device  10  by executing a predefined program for handling an instruction signal received from the input devices to input the instruction signal into the terminal device  10 . In particular, the instructor  13  of the embodiment performs a function for selecting, from the terminal storage  11 , an electronic file to be attached to an e-mail transmitted by the transmitter/receiver  12  and specifying the selected electronic file to the transmitter/receiver  12 . The instructor  13  of the embodiment also performs a function for specifying a destination of the e-mail, that is, the destination of the attached electronic file, to the transmitter/receiver  12 . 
     At this time, when the user desires to bring a specific electronic file under centralized management of the management server  20 , the user may specify the specific file via the instructor  13 , which instructs the transmitter/receiver  12  to attach the specific file to an e-mail and transmit the e-mail. The user also specifies an mail address (for example, del@aaaa.com) under the control of the mail server function  20   a  of the management server  20  as a destination address of the e-mail, that is, the destination of the electronic file, to the transmitter/receiver  12  via the instructor  13 . 
     As discussed later with reference to  FIG. 4 , when the determiner  14  receives from the management server  20  a reception completion notification indicating that the e-mail with the attached electronic file has been received, the determiner  14  determines whether the destination of the received electronic file is the management server  20 . In particular, the determiner  14  of the embodiment determines whether the destination of the electronic file is the management server  20  in accordance with the mail address specified by the instructor  13 . The determiner  14  determines that the destination of the electronic file is the management server  20  when the destination address of the e-mail is a mail address under the control of the mail server function  20   a  of the management server  20 . The function as the determiner  14  is realized by the processor of the terminal device  10  by executing a predefined program. 
     When the determiner  14  determines that the destination of the electronic file is the management server  20 , in other words, determines that the electronic file is placed under the management of the management server  20 , the data delete unit  15  deletes and clears the electronic file from the terminal storage  11 , in other words, from the terminal device  10 . In addition to clearing the electronic file, the data delete unit  15  of the embodiment is configured to be able to delete and clear the e-mail main body to which the electronic file is attached, as discussed later with reference to  FIG. 4 . The function as the data delete unit  15  is also realized by the processor of the terminal device  10  by executing a predefined program. 
     Whether the data delete unit  15  is to delete the e-mail main body or not may, for example, be specified in the data delete unit  15  in advance by the user or an administrator. However, it is preferable to specify that the e-mail main body is always deleted because text (main body) of the e-mail may include personal information or confidential information when the attached electronic file includes personal information or confidential information. 
       FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a management server according to an embodiment of the present invention. The management server  20  illustrated in  FIG. 3  may be, for example, an information processing apparatus such as a PC having a functional configuration of a general PC, and includes a transmitter/receiver  21 , a data sorter  22 , a data storage  23 , a mirror storage  23   a , an authenticator  24 , a permitter/denier  25 , and a log storage  26 . 
     The transmitter/receiver  21  is provided by the mail server function  20   a  discussed above, and in the embodiment, functions as a receiver for receiving an e-mail transmitted from the terminal device  10  and an electronic file attached to the e-mail. The function as the transmitter/receiver  21  and the mail server function  20   a  are realized by a processor including CPU or the like of the management server  20  by executing predefined programs. 
     The data sorter  22  sorts the electronic file attached to the e-mail, and stores the electronic file in one of a plurality of folders provided in the data storage  23 . As discussed later with reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the data sorter  22  sorts the electronic file in accordance with, for example, at least one of a file name of the electronic file, a subject of the e-mail to which the electronic file is attached, and a destination address of the e-mail. 
     Whether the data sorter performs sorting may be determined by the administrator or the like of the electronic file management system  1  in advance and specified in the management server  20 , or may be specified for each electronic file by the user who transmits the electronic file. The plurality of folders are provided in the data storage  23  by the administrator or the like of the electronic file management system  1  in advance. The function as the data sorter  22  is realized by the processor of the management server  20  by executing a predefined program. 
     The data storage  23  includes a RAM, a hard disk, and the like. The data storage  23  has the plurality of folders discussed above and a base folder used when a setting that the data sorter  22  dose not perform sorting is specified. The electronic file received by the transmitter/receiver  21  as an attached file of an e-mail is stored in one of these folders. 
     The mirror storage  23   a  backs up electronic files stored in the data storage  23 .  FIG. 7  is a diagram illustrating an example of a data storing method in a management server according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the management server  20 , electronic files received by the transmitter/receiver  21  are, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , stored in the data storage  23 , and mirrored and backed up in the mirror storage  23   a  by the backup function  20   c . The backup operation of the mirror storage  23   a  may be performed every time a new electronic file is stored in the data storage  23  or an electronic file is updated, or may be performed every predefined period. 
     The authenticator  24  authenticates, in accordance with authentication information inputted by a user such as an employee or the like, that the user is a valid user registered in advance. As the authentication information, for example, an identification number (ID), and a password or biological information such as a fingerprint, a palm print, iris data, a vein image, or the like are inputted. The authentication information is inputted via the intranet  30  from the terminal device  10  by the user such as an employee when the user logs in the management server  20  in order to access an electronic file stored in the data storage  23 , or the authentication information is directly inputted into the management server  20 . 
     In the management server  20 , a registered password or registered biological information of the valid user corresponding to the identification number is stored in the storage or the like in advance as registered information in association with the identification number. 
     When the authentication information is inputted by the user, the authenticator  24  reads the registered information associated with the identification number of the inputted authentication information, and compares the read registered information with the password or biological information of the inputted authentication information. As a result of the comparison, when the inputted information matches the registered information, the authenticator  24  authenticates that the user is a valid user registered in advance. On the other hand, when the inputted information does not match the registered information as the result of the comparison, the authenticator  24  does not authenticate that the user is a valid user registered in advance. 
     When the user is authenticated as a valid user by the authenticator  24 , the permitter/denier  25  permits the user to log in the management server  20 , specifically, to access the electronic file in the data storage  23 . On the other hand, when the user is not authenticated as a valid user by the authenticator  24 , the permitter/denier  25  denies the user to log in the management server  20 , specifically, to access the electronic file in the data storage  23 . 
     The functions as the authenticator  24  and the permitter/denier  25  are realized by the processor of the management server  20  by executing predefined programs. 
     The log storage  26  records and stores the authentication result of the authenticator  24  and the contents of the access permitted by the permitter/denier  25  as an access log. The function as the log storage  26  is also realized by the processor of the management server  20  by executing a predefined program. 
     (2) Operations in the Embodiment 
     Operations of the electronic file management system  1  configured as discussed above, specifically, operations of the terminal device  10  and the management server  20  will be discussed with reference to  FIGS. 4 to 7 . 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation flow of an electronic file management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Operations of the electronic file management system  1  illustrated in  FIG. 1  will be discussed in accordance with a flowchart illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
     In operation S 11 , when a user recognizes that an electronic file including personal information or confidential information is stored in the terminal device  10  used by the user, and tries to place the electronic file under the centralized management of the management server  20 , the user operates the input devices serving as the instructor  13  to instruct the transmitter/receiver  12  as follows. The user specifies the electronic file and a predefined mail address (for example, del@aaaa.com) via the instructor  13  of the terminal device  10 , and instructs the transmitter/receiver  12  to attach the electronic file to an e-mail and transmit the e-mail to the management server  20 . The transmitter/receiver  12  which has received such an instruction performs, in accordance with the instruction, a transmission process in which the specified electronic file is attached to an e-mail and the e-mail is transmitted in accordance with the predefined mail address del@aaaa.com to the management server  20 . 
     In operation S 21 , upon completing reception of the e-mail with the attached electronic file, the management server  20  as the destination of the e-mail transmits a reception completion notification to the terminal device  10  as the source of the e-mail. 
     In operation S 12 , when the terminal device  10  has received the reception completion notification from the management server  20 , the determiner  14  determines whether the destination of the electronic file which has been transmitted and received is the management server  20 . Specifically, the determiner  14  determines that the destination of the electronic file is the management server  20  when a destination address of the e-mail is the mail address del@aaaa.com under the control of the mail server function  20   a  of the management server  20 . 
     When the determiner  14  determines that the destination address of the e-mail is not “del@aaaa.com” and the destination of the electronic file is not the management server  20  (“No” in operation S 12 ), the terminal device  10  terminates the process. 
     In operation S 13 , when the determiner  14  determines that the destination address of the e-mail is “del@aaaa.com” and the destination of the electronic file is the management server  20  (“Yes” in operation S 12 ), the data delete unit  15  determines whether a deletion setting of the e-mail main body is specified. When the deletion setting of the e-mail main body is not specified (“No” in operation S 13 ), the terminal device  10  advances the process to operation S 15 . 
     In operation S 14 , when the deletion setting of the e-mail main body is specified (“Yes” in operation S 13 ), the data delete unit  15  deletes, from the terminal storage  11 , the main body of the e-mail transmitted to the management server  20  in operation S 11  to clear the e-mail main body from the terminal device  10 . 
     In operation S 15 , the data delete unit  15  deletes and clears the electronic file attached to the e-mail deleted in operation S 14  from the terminal storage  11 , in other words, from the terminal device  10 . In this way, the electronic file is placed under the management of the management server  20 . 
     If the reception completion notification is not transmitted from the management server  20  when a predefined time has passed after the transmission process in operation S 11 , the user is informed accordingly at the terminal device  10 , and the terminal device  10  terminates the process. 
     When the data delete unit  15  performs the deletion, the e-mail main body and the electronic file may be temporarily moved to a delete folder, and after a series of operations S 11  to S 15  are completed, in other words, after a predefined program has been executed, data in the delete folder may be deleted. 
     In operation S 22 , in the management server  20  which has received the electronic file from the terminal device  10  in operation S 21 , an automatic sorting process of electronic files and a backup process are performed as optional processes), which are discussed below with reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 . 
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating a first example of an operation flow of a data sorter of a management server according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     In a first example illustrated in  FIG. 5 , folders corresponding to various keywords are provided in the data storage  23  in advance. On the assumption that the user writes a keyword in the subject of the e-mail or the file name of the electronic file to perform the file transmission, the management server  20  performs the following process. 
     In operation S 221 , upon receiving an e-mail with an attached electronic file, the management server  20  determines whether a setting for performing sorting is specified. When the setting for performing sorting is not specified (“No” in operation S 221 ), the management server  20  advances the process to operation S 225 . 
     In operation S 222 , when the setting for performing sorting is specified (“Yes” in operation S 221 ), the data sorter  22  checks whether a keyword is written in the subject of the e-mail or the file name of the electronic file. 
     In operation S 223 , the data sorter  22  determines whether the keyword corresponds to a folder. 
     In operation S 224 , when a keyword corresponding to a folder is written in the subject or the file name (“Yes” in operation S 223 ), the data sorter  22  stores the electronic file in the folder corresponding to the keyword. Then, the management server  20  advances the process to operation S 226 . 
     In operation S 225 , when a keyword is not written in the subject or the file name (“No” in operation S 223 ), or the setting for performing sorting is not specified (“No” in operation S 221 ), the management server  20  stores the attached file in the base folder of the data storage  23 . 
     In operation S 226 , the management server  20  stores and backs up the stored electronic file in the mirror storage  23   a  (refer to  FIG. 7 ). 
       FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating a second example of an operation flow of a data sorter of a management server according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     In a second example illustrated in  FIG. 6 , a plurality of mail addresses to the management server  20  are defined for sorting, and folders corresponding to each mail address are provided in the data storage  23 . On the assumption that the user selects, to specify the destination, a mail address corresponding to a folder in which the user desires to store the electronic file, the management server  20  performs the following process. 
     In operation S 221 , upon receiving an e-mail with an attached electronic file, the management server  20  determines whether a setting for performing sorting is specified. 
     In operation S 222   a , when the setting for performing sorting is specified (“Yes” in operation S 221 ), the data sorter  22  checks whether a destination address of the e-mail is for sorting. 
     In operation S 223   a , the data sorter  22  determines whether the destination address corresponds to a folder for sorting. 
     In operation S 224   a , when the destination address corresponds to a folder for sorting (“Yes” in operation S 223   a ), the data sorter  22  stores the electronic file in the folder corresponding to the destination address. Then, the management server  20  advances the process to operation S 226 . 
     In operation S 225 , when the destination address of the e-mail does not correspond to a folder for sorting (“No” in operation S 223   a ), or the setting for performing sorting is not specified (“No” in operation S 221 ), the management server  20  stores the attached file in the base folder of the data storage  23 . 
     In operation S 226 , the management server  20  stores and backs up the stored electronic file in the mirror storage  23   a  (refer to  FIG. 7 ). 
     As discussed above, the management server  20 , which functions as a dedicated mail server, also functions as a storage system for electronic files in the embodiment. The electronic file specified by the user and transmitted to the management server  20  is stored and centrally managed in the management server  20 . 
     The electronic files stored in the management server  20  are shared by users such as, for example, employees in a company, under security management as follows: 
     When a user accesses an electronic file stored in the management server  20 , the user logs in the management server  20  from the user&#39;s terminal device  10  via the intranet  30 . When logging in, the user inputs an identification number and a password as authentication information. Instead of a password, biological information of the user may be used. 
     When the identification number and the password are inputted, in the management server  20 , the authenticator  24  reads a registered password corresponding to the inputted identification number and compares the inputted password with the read registered password. 
     As a result of the comparison, when the inputted password matches the registered password, the authenticator  24  authenticates that the user is a valid user registered in advance, and the permitter/denier  25  permits the user to access the electronic file stored in the data storage  23 . On the other hand, when the inputted password does not match the registered password, the authenticator  24  does not authenticate that the user is a valid user registered in advance, and the permitter/denier  25  denies the user to access the electronic file stored in the data storage  23 . 
     In this way, the management server  20  is used as a shared file server having a security function including access control. Specifically, the electronic files stored in the data storage  23  are centrally managed by the management server  20 , and shared by valid users such as employees in a company while maintaining security on the management server  20 . 
     At this time, the authentication result of the authenticator  24  and the contents of the access permitted by the permitter/denier  25  are recorded and stored as an access log in the log storage  26 . 
     (3) Advantages of the Embodiment 
     As discussed above, according to the embodiment, the user of the terminal device  10  only has to perform an operation for transmitting an electronic file to the management server  20 , so that the electronic file is sorted and stored in the management server  20 , and at the same time the electronic file is automatically deleted and cleared from the user&#39;s terminal device  10  without explicitly instructing deletion of the electronic file. In this way, it is possible to suppress occurrence of operational human error in a storing operation of the electronic file, and realize centralized management of electronic files while maintaining information security. Therefore secure management of electronic files including personal information or confidential information is realized. 
     As discussed above, when storing the electronic file in the management server  20 , the electronic file may be stored and managed in a desired folder in accordance with a keyword written in the subject of the e-mail or the file name of the electronic file, or a mail address for sorting specified as a destination address of the e-mail. Therefore, when logging in the management server  20  and using the electronic file after storing the electronic file in the management server  20 , it is easy to identify the stored location of the electronic file, so that the user&#39;s usability may be improved. 
     Furthermore, since the authentication result of the authenticator  24  and the contents of the access permitted by the permitter/denier  25  are recorded and stored as an access log in the log storage  26 , it is possible to construct a security system having higher security. In the event that any illegal access to the electronic file stored in the management server  20  occurs, it is possible to analyze and clarify the illegal access in accordance with the recorded contents in the log storage  26 . 
     (4) Modified Example 
     In the embodiment discussed above with reference to the  FIGS. 1 to 7 , an example in which the management server  20  functioning as a dedicated mail server also functions as a storage system of electronic files is discussed. However, the embodiment may be configured to store electronic files as illustrated in  FIG. 8 .  FIG. 8  is a diagram illustrating an example of the data storing method in an electronic file management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     The example illustrated in  FIG. 8  includes a dedicated data storage device  60  for storing electronic files in addition to the management server  20 . The management server  20  is communicably connected to the dedicated data storage device  60  directly or via the intranet  30 . The management server  20  further includes a data transferrer  27  and a data delete unit  28 . 
     Here, the data transferrer  27  transfers an electronic file stored in the data storage  23  to the dedicated data storage device  60 . The data delete unit  28  deletes and clears the electronic file from the data storage  23  when the data transferrer  27  completes the transfer of the electronic file to the dedicated data storage device  60 . In this case, the mirror storage  23   a  illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 7  in the management server  20  is omitted. The function as the data transferrer  27  is included in the backup function  20   c.    
     The dedicated data storage device  60  includes a data storage  61  and a mirror storage  61   a . These data storage  61  and the mirror storage  61   a  are similar to the data storage  23  and the mirror storage  23   a  discussed above, respectively. 
     The data storage  61  includes a hard disk or the like, and stores electronic files transferred from the data transferrer  27 . A plurality of folders for sorting and a base folder as discussed above may also be provided in the data storage  61  in advance as necessary. 
     The mirror storage  61   a  backs up electronic files stored in the data storage  61 . In the dedicated data storage device  60 , as illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the electronic files transferred from the data transferrer  27  are stored in the data storage  61 , and mirrored and backed up in the mirror storage  61   a.    
     Every time the management server  20  receives an electronic file from the terminal device  10 , the data transferrer  27  may transfer the electronic file to the dedicated data storage device  60 . In this case, the data storage  23  in the management server  20  may also be omitted. The data transferrer  27  may transfer a set of electronic files to the dedicated data storage device  60  every predefined period. 
     As discussed above, in the modified example illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the electronic file transferred to the dedicated data storage device  60  from the data transferrer  27  is cleared from the management server  20  by the data delete unit  28 . Therefore, since the e-mail transmitted from the terminal device  10  to the management server  20  is stored only in the dedicated data storage device  60  in the electronic file management system  1  and managed centrally, the same operational advantages as those of the embodiment discussed above may be obtained. 
     When a user uses an electronic file stored in the dedicated data storage device  60 , in the same way as discussed above, the user inputs authentication information into the management server  20  and logs in the management server  20 , and thereafter reads and uses the electronic file from the dedicated data storage device  60  via the management server  20 . 
       FIG. 9  is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration of an electronic file management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     In a modified example illustrated in  FIG. 9 , between the terminal device  10  and the management server  20 , there is a relay server  70  for temporarily storing the electronic file transmitted from the terminal device  10  to the management server  20  in order to relay the electronic file. 
     The relay server  70  includes at least a relay storage  71 , a relay  72 , and a data delete unit  73 . 
     The relay storage  71  temporarily stores the electronic file to be relayed from the terminal device  10  to the management server  20 . 
     In the example illustrated in  FIG. 9 , it is assumed that the function of the relay  72  includes a mail server function  70   a . In this case, the instructor  13  of the terminal device  10  specifies, as the destination of the electronic file, a mail address of the management server  20 , which is under the control of the mail server function  70   a  of the relay  72 . The transmitter/receiver  12  of the terminal device  10  attaches the electronic file to an e-mail having the mail address specified by the instructor  13  as the destination address and transmits the e-mail to the management server  20  via the relay server  70 . 
     The data delete unit  73  deletes and clears the electronic file from the relay storage  71 , in other words, from the relay server  70  when the transmission of the electronic file to the management server  20  is completed. 
     In the modified example illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the electronic file which is transmitted from the terminal device  10 , relayed by the relay server  70 , and transmitted to the management server  20  is deleted from the relay server  70  by the data delete unit  73 . Therefore, since the e-mail transmitted from the terminal device  10  to the management server  20  is stored only in the management server  20  in the electronic file management system  1  and managed centrally, the same operational advantages as those of the embodiment discussed above may be obtained. 
     (5) Others 
     The present invention is not limited to the embodiment discussed above, and various modifications may be implemented without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     All or a part of the functions of the transmitter/receiver  12 , the instructor  13 , the determiner  14 , the data delete unit  15 , the transmitter/receiver  21 , the data sorter  22 , the storages  23  and  23   a , the authenticator  24 , the permitter/denier  25 , the log storage  26 , and the data transferrer  27  discussed above may be realized by a computer which includes a CPU, an information processing apparatus, and various terminals, by executing a predefined application program. 
     The program is provided in a form in which the program is recorded in a computer-readable recording medium such as, for example, a flexible disk, a compact disc (CD) including CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, and the like, and a digital versatile disc (DVD) including DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, Blu-ray Disc, and the like. In this case, the computer reads the program from the recording medium, and transmits and stores the program in an internal storage device or an external storage device to use the program. Also, the program may be recorded in a storage device (recording medium) such as, for example, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magnet-optical disk, and the like, so that the program is provided from the storage device to the computer via a communication line. 
     Here, the computer is a concept including hardware and an operating system (OS), and means the hardware working under the control of the OS. When the OS is not required, and the application program independently operates the hardware, the hardware itself is equivalent to the computer. The hardware includes at least a microprocessor such as a CPU and means for reading a computer program recorded in a recording medium. The program includes program codes for causing a computer as discussed above to realize functions of the transmitter/receiver  12 , the instructor  13 , the determiner  14 , the data delete unit  15 , the transmitter/receiver  21 , the data sorter  22 , the storages  23  and  23   a , the authenticator  24 , the permitter/denier  25 , the log storage  26 , and the data transferrer  27 . A part of the functions may be realized by the OS other than the application program. 
     All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions, nor does the organization of such examples in the specification relate to a illustrating of the superiority and inferiority of the invention. Although the embodiment(s) of the present invention has (have) been described in detail, it should be understood that the various changes, substitutions, and alterations could be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.