Patent ID: 8316304

Claim:
A network-management device comprising: an acquiring unit that acquires device information on a plurality of network devices operating on a network; a first storing unit that stores therein the device information; a designating unit that designates a layout position on a map where device information on each of the network devices is to be laid out; a selecting unit that selects a display image for each of the network devices based on type of the network device; a creating unit that creates the map by laying out on the map the device information on each of the network devices with the display image based on the layout position, and manages a creation state of the map that indicates whether a creation of the map is in process or whether the creation of the map is completed; a display unit that selectively displays the map and displays creation state information that indicates, by a display of text, whether a creation of the map is in process or whether the creation of the map is completed; a determining unit that determines the creation state based on whether creation of the map is in process; a second storing unit that stores, in association with the map, a creation state determined by the determining unit and indicating that creation of the map is in process, wherein after a request to the creating unit to create an updated map and while the creation state determined by the determining unit indicates that the updated map is created, the display unit displays the map and the creation state that indicates, by a display of text, that the creation of the map is in process and prevents display of the updated map, and when the creation state indicates that creation of the map is complete, information on the plurality of network devices is received and updated; and a checking unit that checks, when the creation state indicates that the creation of the map is completed, whether the device information on the plurality of network devices is laid out on the map, wherein the second storing unit stores therein the specified creation state only when the checking unit determines that the device information on the plurality of network devices is laid out on the map.