A gateway which is communicably connected to a respective controller (P1, P2, Pn) included in each of one or more pieces of equipment (M1, M2, Mn) in a production facility and is communicably connected without being intermediated by the respective controller included in the each of the one or more pieces of equipment, to an externally attached sensor (C1, C2, C3, Cm) accompanying the each of the one or more pieces of equipment, the gateway being further communicably connected to a server , the gateway carrying out the processes of: - receiving, from the server , collection setting data including information indicative of what kind of information is to be collected and when the information is to be collected; - in accordance with the collection setting data, transmitting, at timing indicated by the collection setting data, to each respective controller (P1, P2, Pn) information specifying a device in which information obtained by the each respective controller (P1, P2, Pn) and indicative of an internal state of the piece of equipment (M1, M2, Mn) that includes the each respective controller (P1, P2, Pn) is stored; - receiving, from the each respective controller (P1, P2, Pn) the information indicative of the internal state of the piece of equipment (M1, M2, Mn) that includes the each respective controller (P1, P2, Pn); - in accordance with the collection setting data, requesting, at timing indicated by the collection setting data, from a sensor base unit, information indicative of an external state of the each of the one or more pieces of equipment (M1, M2, Mn), wherein the sensor base unit collects information indicative of the external state of the each of the one or more pieces of equipment (M1, M2, Mn) from the externally attached sensor accompanying the each of the one or more pieces of equipment (M1, M2, Mn); - receiving, from the sensor base unit, the information indicative of the external state of the each of the one or more pieces of equipment, - transmitting, to the server , the information indicative of the internal state of the each of the one or more pieces of equipment (M1, M2, Mn) and the information indicative of the external state of the each of the one or more pieces of equipment (M1, M2, Mn). - receiving, from the server , collection setting data including information indicative of what kind of information is to be collected and when the information is to be collected; - in accordance with the collection setting data, transmitting, at timing indicated by the collection setting data, to each respective controller (P1, P2, Pn) information specifying a device in which information obtained by the each respective controller (P1, P2, Pn) and indicative of an internal state of the piece of equipment (M1, M2, Mn) that includes the each respective controller (P1, P2, Pn) is stored; - receiving, from the each respective controller (P1, P2, Pn) the information indicative of the internal state of the piece of equipment (M1, M2, Mn) that includes the each respective controller (P1, P2, Pn); - in accordance with the collection setting data, requesting, at timing indicated by the collection setting data, from a sensor base unit, information indicative of an external state of the each of the one or more pieces of equipment (M1, M2, Mn), wherein the sensor base unit collects information indicative of the external state of the each of the one or more pieces of equipment (M1, M2, Mn) from the externally attached sensor accompanying the each of the one or more pieces of equipment (M1, M2, Mn); - receiving, from the sensor base unit, the information indicative of the external state of the each of the one or more pieces of equipment, - transmitting, to the server , the information indicative of the internal state of the each of the one or more pieces of equipment (M1, M2, Mn) and the information indicative of the external state of the each of the one or more pieces of equipment (M1, M2, Mn). <EOS>