Patent ID: 7013334

Claim:
A network system for using a device management server to manage devices connected to a computer network, comprising: a plurality of general management consoles connected to the computer network; a supervisor management console accessible by the device management server; a database, connected to the device management server, that includes enterprise data associated with each of the general management consoles and device data associated with the enterprise data for each of the devices; a console manager for an intermediate transfer of data between at least one of the general management consoles and the supervisor management console and the database; and means for referring to the enterprise data and the device data to permit the general management consoles to offer a service for at least one of a device and an associated group of devices, wherein management data associated with each of the general management consoles is included in the database; and wherein there is further included means for, when the general management console logs in the device management server, examining an administrator using the enterprise data and the management data.