Patent ID: 8130399

Claim:
A print management apparatus comprising: a communication section which is connected to a plurality of image forming apparatuses via a network for transmitting a print job to certain one of the plurality of image forming apparatuses, and receiving from each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses management information of each image forming apparatus including information about a print function of the image forming apparatus and an alternate printing instruction of allowing an other image forming apparatus to perform an alternate printing; a management section for creating and storing management data indicating respective states of the plurality of image forming apparatuses based on the management information received by the communication section; and a designating section for designating a first one of the plurality of image forming apparatuses and allowing the communication section to transmit a print job to the designated first image forming apparatus, and designating a second image forming apparatus operable to perform an alternate printing with reference to the management data of the management section, and allowing the communication section to transmit the print job to the designated second image forming apparatus if an alternate printing instruction is received from the designated first image forming apparatus.