Patent ID: 8341423

Claim:
A machine management method, comprising: installing software in a machine; storing machine identification information of the machine in association with software identification information of the software installed in the machine in a management apparatus; comparing the software identification information of the software installed in the machine with the software identification information stored in the management apparatus; and determining whether unauthorized modification has been performed on the software based on results of the comparing, wherein the comparing step includes the machine transmitting a request for searching for the machine identification information to the management apparatus; the management apparatus searching for the machine identification information stored in the management apparatus in response to the received request; the management apparatus transmitting a reply indicating results of the search for the machine identification information to the machine; the machine transmitting the software identification information of the software installed in the machine to the management apparatus when the reply received by the machine indicates that the machine identification information is found in the management apparatus; and the management apparatus comparing the software identification information transmitted from the machine with the software identification information stored in the management apparatus.