Patent ID: 8156329

Claim:
A network device management apparatus comprising: a search unit configured to search for a network device supporting a first communication protocol; an authentication information input unit configured to input authentication information used in communication with the network device using the first communication protocol; an authentication executing unit configured to execute authentication of the network device by using the authentication information; a first checking unit configured to, when the authentication by the authentication executing unit is successful, check whether communication with the network device using a second communication protocol with a security level lower than the first communication protocol is possible as well as the communication with the network device using the first communication protocol; and a setting changing unit configured to change a setting of the second communication protocol by sending a disabling instruction for disabling the setting of the second communication protocol in order to make the communication using the second communication protocol impossible in a case where the communication with the network device using the second communication protocol with the security level lower than the first communication protocol is possible as a result of the checking performed by the first checking unit, wherein the setting changing unit sends an enabling instruction for enabling setting for a reading process using the second communication protocol, in a case where authentication by the authentication executing unit using an account being input in an initial setup operation by a service person is successful or where IPSec being capable of encryption for each packet is determined to be valid.