An approach is provided for managing 3D printing processes using a 3D printing management service in a cloud-based environment. Configuration data is received corresponding to one or more available 3D printing devices which may be used to complete a 3D printing job. Build data is received corresponding to one or more 3D printing jobs requested for the one or more available 3D printing devices. The 3D printing management service utilizes the configuration data and the build data to select at least a particular 3D printing device to perform at least a particular 3D printing job based on a resourced load balancing determination. The build data is transformed to a format communicable to the particular selected 3D printer to allow it to perform the particular 3D printing job.

An image processing apparatus includes: a determiner configured to, upon determining that information processing is not to be performed by the image forming apparatus based on a load status of the image forming apparatus, determine whether or not other image forming apparatuses on a network include an alternative image forming apparatus capable of performing the information processing based on load statuses of the other image forming apparatuses acquired from a server apparatus via the network; and a requester configured to, when the other image forming apparatuses include the alternative image forming apparatus capable of performing the information processing, request the alternative image forming apparatus to perform the information processing, but when the other image forming apparatuses do not include the alternative image forming apparatus capable of performing the information processing, request the server apparatus to perform the information processing.

A press load balancer automatically balances the printing load over a number of presses by taking into account the load on each press and the substrates (i.e., paper types) and inks installed on the presses to improve throughput while minimizing load on the press operators.

An approach is provided for managing 3D printing processes using a 3D printing management service in a cloud-based environment. Configuration data is received corresponding to one or more available 3D printing devices which may be used to complete a 3D printing job. Build data is received corresponding to one or more 3D printing jobs requested for the one or more available 3D printing devices. The 3D printing management service utilizes the configuration data and the build data to select at least a particular 3D printing device to perform at least a particular 3D printing job based on a resourced load balancing determination. The build data is transformed to a format communicable to the particular selected 3D printer to allow it to perform the particular 3D printing job.

A method, computer program product, and computing system for compartmentalizing a plurality of RAID extents, within a RAID system, into a plurality of rotation subgroups. A write load imbalance condition is sensed in a first rotation subgroup, chosen from the plurality of rotation subgroups, that is associated with a plurality of logical data portions. At least one of the plurality of logical data portions is moved from the first rotation subgroup to a second rotation subgroup, chosen from the plurality of rotation subgroups.

An operation terminal is caused to perform: acquiring cumulative operation amounts of a plurality of items of each of a plurality of printing apparatuses, the cumulative operation amounts being transmitted from the plurality of printing apparatuses which are within a communication range of the communication unit; receiving, via an operation unit, a designation of at least one item of the plurality of items; determining a use frequency ranking of the plurality of printing apparatuses in accordance with the received designation; and performing, based on a result of the determined use frequency ranking, one of connection processing of connecting to a printing apparatus by the wireless communication and preparation processing of preparing for connection to a printing apparatus by the wireless communication, in a manner that a printing apparatus having a low use frequency ranking is prioritized over a printing apparatus having a high use frequency ranking.

An operation terminal is caused to perform: acquiring cumulative operation amounts of a plurality of items of each of a plurality of printing apparatuses, the cumulative operation amounts being transmitted from the plurality of printing apparatuses which are within a communication range of the communication unit; receiving, via an operation unit, a designation of at least one item of the plurality of items; determining a use frequency ranking of the plurality of printing apparatuses in accordance with the received designation; and performing, based on a result of the determined use frequency ranking, one of connection processing of connecting to a printing apparatus by the wireless communication and preparation processing of preparing for connection to a printing apparatus by the wireless communication, in a manner that a printing apparatus having a low use frequency ranking is prioritized over a printing apparatus having a high use frequency ranking.

According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a communication unit and a control unit. The communication unit performs communication with a plurality of user terminals connected to a communication network. The control unit detects the user terminal in operation based on the communication, analyzes an operating status of the user terminal based on a result of detection, and outputs a notification about availability of an own apparatus based on the analyzed operation status.

The present invention relates to a system for operating textile printing machines, with a first textile printing machine and at least one second textile printing machine, which machines are provided in a first entity or a second entity, which are independent of each other, wherein each textile printing machine is provided with a data-processing module, which detects data about the state, set-up and/or utilization of the textile printing machine, wherein the textile printing machine transmits the detected data to a data center, independent from entities and/or location, and wherein the data center is configured to accept print jobs from third parties and, based on the transmitted data, to transmit at least one print job fitting the data to one of the at least two textile printing machines. Moreover, the invention relates to a module for the system according to the invention.

Provided is an information processing apparatus that efficiently executes a series of tasks related to reading a document. An information processing system includes an upstream server, image forming apparatuses and a regional server. An apparatus-information-acquiring unit of the upstream server acquires apparatus information from plural image forming apparatuses. A task-sharing unit shares the respective tasks of a series of tasks for document data that is read by a specified image forming apparatus, based on a storage unit that is an apparatus-information-storage unit that stores an ID, position information that indicates a position in a network, and performance information for that image forming apparatuses that is included in the apparatus information. The task-sharing unit, in accordance with the ID and performance information of plural image forming apparatuses, determines and shares tasks so as to be executed by image forming apparatuses that are at nearby positions in the network.