Patent ID: 7984133

Claim:
A user management method for at least one computer coupled to a first managed apparatus, comprising: storing an integrated management program; storing an apparatus management program for the first managed apparatus; storing user management information; and receiving user authentication information of a first user, and a management request for the first managed apparatus for at least the apparatus management program; wherein the user management information indicates a first authority and a second authority for the first user, the first authority is an authority that the first user manages the first managed apparatus by using the apparatus management program without the integrated management program, the second authority is an authority that the first user manages the first managed apparatus by using the apparatus management program through the integrated management program; wherein if the user authentication information and the management request are for the apparatus management program: the apparatus management program decides whether the first user has an authority to execute the management request based on the first authority of the user management information and the user authentication information, and the apparatus management program sends the management request to the first managed apparatus if the first authority includes permission to execute the management request; wherein if the user authentication information and the management request are for the integrated management program: the integrated management program decides whether the first user has an authority to execute the management request based on the user authentication information and based on the user management information or another user management information for the integrated management program, the integrated management program internally or externally sends a management request to the apparatus managed program with the user authentication information if the first user is permitted to execute the management request for the integrated management program, the apparatus management program decides whether the first user has an authority to execute the management request based on the second authority of the user management information and the user authentication information, and the apparatus management program sends the management request to the first managed apparatus if the second authority includes permission to execute the management request; and wherein the first authority and the second authority are different.