Patent ID: 8121958

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for determining an alternative printing device arrangement, the computer-implemented method comprising: retrieving first printing device cost data for an existing printing device arrangement that indicates at least costs of printing on one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement using one or more options supported by the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement; retrieving printing device usage data that indicates usage of the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement during a first specified time and the one or more options for the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement used during the first specified time; determining, based upon the printing device usage data and the first printing device cost data for the existing printing device arrangement, actual costs for operating the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement during the first specified time; retrieving second printing device attribute data that indicates at least one or more options supported by one or more replacement printing devices that are not included in the existing printing arrangement; retrieving second printing device cost data that indicates at least costs of printing on the one or more replacement printing devices using the one or more options supported by the one or more replacement printing devices; a computer system determining an alternative printing device arrangement that has a lower estimated cost of operation during the first specified time than the actual cost of operating the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement during the first specified time, wherein the estimated cost for operating the alternative printing device arrangement during the first specified time is determined based at least upon the one or more options for the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement that were used during the first specified time as indicated by the usage data, the second printing device attribute data and the second printing device cost data, wherein the alternative printing device arrangement does not include at least one of the one or more printing devices in the existing printing device arrangement and includes one or more of the one or more replacement printing devices that are not included in the existing printing arrangement, and the computer system storing in a memory data that represents the alternative printing device arrangement.