Abstract: When a printer (30) prints a printing job of confidential printing which is a kind of printing of secret documents, even if the printer (30) itself is set to hold printing job data after printing, the printing job data are deleted without being held in a hard disk (32) after printing. Consequently, secrecy on the occasion of printing with some secret such as confidential printing can be heightened.

Abstract: The technique of the present invention enables quick completion of printing operations even when a large number of print jobs are concentrated on one printer. A print load distribution apparatus 80 monitors the job status in a buffer 55 and the error status of a printing mechanism 51 in a range of preset three computers 50, 60, and 70 among a plurality of computers connected to a computer network. When a number of print jobs are concentrated on one printer (for example, the printer 50) or when one printer (50) is in the error status, the print load distribution apparatus 80 takes in at least one print job stored in the spooling buffer 55 of the corresponding printer (50) and transfers the at least one print job to another printer (60 or 70) in the range of preset three computers 50, 60, and 70.

Abstract: When a printer (30) prints a printing job of confidential printing which is a kind of printing of secret documents, even if the printer (30) itself is set to hold printing job data after printing, the printing job data are deleted without being held in a hard disk (32) after printing. Consequently, secrecy on the occasion of printing with some secret such as confidential printing can be heightened.