Abstract: A job execution system comprises a job execution apparatus, a mode storage portion which stores mode control information that indicates the relationship between a user and a job execution mode of a group to which the user belongs, and a mode identification portion which identifies the job execution mode of the group to which the user belongs in accordance with the user information entered by the user and the mode control information. Furthermore, the job execution apparatus is equipped with a job execution portion which executes the job and a controller which allows the job execution portion to execute the job directed by the user for execution in a job execution mode identified by the mode identification portion.

Abstract: A device usage information writing apparatus comprises a memory having a usage information storage area wherein the usage information of a job execution device of a user is stored with reference to the user; a determination part of an existence of area wherein the existence of the usage information storage area regarding the user is determined concerning the existence at the memory when the user who has succeeded an authentication at an authentication part uses the device; an area generation part wherein the usage information storage area is generated with reference to the user when the determination part of the existence of area determines that the usage information storage area does not exist after the determination process at the determination part of the existence of the area; and a writing part in which the device usage information of the user is written in the usage information storage area generated by the area generation part or in an already-existing usage information storage area.

Abstract: In order to prevent leakage of prescribed information (such as highly confidential information, for example) stored in a data management apparatus via a storage device external to such data management apparatus, when the data management apparatus carries out processing to back up the data stored therein to the external storage device, the data management apparatus prohibits backup of prescribed designated information.

Abstract: A data management system includes an authentication server and a data management apparatus (or an MFP). The authentication server includes a storage part for storing affiliation information specifying at least one group that each user belongs to, an authentication part for transferring and receiving data to and from the data management apparatus to perform user authentication, and a group identification part for identifying one or more groups that an authenticated user belongs to based on the affiliation information to send information about the one or more groups to the data management apparatus. An access permission part of the data management apparatus permits an authenticated user belonging to a plurality of groups to access a data file to which any of the plurality of groups has been granted access.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus (for example, MFP (Multi Function Peripheral)) comprises an authentication part which performs user authentication by communicating with an authentication server, a storing part which stores “use-permission-information” for setting permission and/or prohibition of use of the apparatus for each user, and a determining part which determines permission and/or prohibition of the use of the apparatus by a user authorized by the authentication part on the basis of the use-permission-information.