Patent ID: 8224779

Claim:
A data management apparatus that performs processing to backup image data files in an external storage device that is external to the data management apparatus, the data management apparatus comprising: a memory that stores image data files, said memory including a general user box, a secure box and a backup box, wherein the general user box, the secure box, and the backup box are distinct portions of the memory; a receiving device that receives from an external device image data files, each of the image data files contains a backup target flag indicating designation by a user for storage of the image data file in one of the general user box, the secure box, or the backup box, and indicating designation by the user as permitting or prohibiting backup of the image data file; wherein the memory stores each of the image data files received by the receiving device in one of the general user box, the secure box or the backup box based on the backup target flag contained in the image data file; an output device that outputs images based on the image data files; and a controller that backs up in the external storage device a portion of the image data files stored in the general user box that is permitted for backup by the user and prohibits backup of those image data files among the image data files stored in the general user box that are designated by the user as prohibited from backup thereby preventing leakage of those image data files designated as prohibited from backup via the external storage device, wherein each image data file stored in the secure box is prohibited from backup, and each image data file stored in the backup box is automatically backed up.