Network System

Abstract

A network system including a management device with both a status managing unit for collecting status information on a terminal status and a terminal instructing unit for transmitting a shift start message to the terminal to make transfer data to the server on the basis of the status information collected by the status managing unit. The terminal includes a determining unit for determining data transfer in response to the shift start message, a data transferring unit for transferring the data to the server when the determining unit determines the data transfer, a storage device control unit for erasing the data from a storage device after completion of data transfer, and a thin client shifting unit for causing the terminal to function as a thin client after erasure of data.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying a computer program thereon for shifting a designated terminal, from a non-thin client state to a thin client state, within a network system including a management device, a sever and a plurality of terminals including the designated terminal, the computer program effecting operations comprising:
 judging, at the designated terminal, in response to receiving of a shift start message, whether or not data having been stored in the designated terminal can be transferred to the server,   transferring, by a data transferring unit having been provided within the designated terminal, the data stored in the designated terminal toward the server in response to the judging determining that the data can be transferred,   erasing the data stored in the storage device of the designated terminal after completion of transferring of the data, and   causing the designated terminal to function as a thin client by indicating on a screen that the data are transferred.   
     
     
         3 . The medium according to  claim 2 , wherein the designated terminal is further arranged to send to the management device, information on status of the designated terminal, and the information on status is used for consideration in the judging operation. 
     
     
         4 . The medium according to  claim 2 , wherein the designated terminal is further arranged to send to the management device, one of: a message indicative of calculation of transfer time if a transfer time is being calculated; a message indicative of being transferred after the calculation; or a message of stopped if no data is to be transferred. 
     
     
         5 . The medium according to  claim 2 , wherein a quality of network between the designated terminal and the server is measured for a consideration in the judging, and wherein the judging is made in accordance with a time required for data transfer based on the quality. 
     
     
         6 . The medium according to  claim 5 , wherein the judging is made in accordance with both a time required for data transfer and a predetermined time. 
     
     
         7 . The medium according to  claim 2 , wherein the management device is further arranged to send a revert message for causing the designated terminal once shifted to a thin client state to shift a non-thin client state, to stop a data transferring operation in response to the message if the data transferring operation has not been completed, and not to cause the designated terminal to function as a thin client with indicating on a screen that the data are transferred if the data transfer has been completed and a predetermined time has elapsed. 
     
     
         8 . A terminal-state shifting device for shifting a designated terminal, from a non-thin client state to a thin client state, within a network system including a management device, a sever and a plurality of terminals including the designated terminal, the terminal-state shifting device effecting operations comprising:
 judging, at the designated terminal, in response to receiving of a shift start message, whether or not data having been stored in the designated terminal can be transferred to the server,   transferring, by a data transferring unit having been provided within the designated terminal, the data stored in the designated terminal toward the server in response to the judging determining that the data can be transferred,   erasing the data stored in the storage device of the designated terminal after completion of transferring of the data, and   causing the designated terminal to function as a thin client by indicating on a screen that the data are transferred.   
     
     
         9 . The terminal-state shifting device according to  claim 8 , wherein the designated terminal is arranged to send to the management device, information on status of the designated terminal, and the information on status is used for consideration in the judging operation. 
     
     
         10 . The terminal-state shifting device according to  claim 8 , wherein the designated terminal is arranged to send to the management device, one of: a message indicative of calculation of transfer time if a transfer time is being calculated; a message indicative of being transferred after the calculation; or a message of stopped if no data is to be transferred. 
     
     
         11 . The terminal-state shifting device according to  claim 8 , wherein a quality of network between the designated terminal and the server is measured for a consideration in the judging, and wherein the judging is made in accordance with a time required for data transfer based on the quality. 
     
     
         12 . The terminal-state shifting device according to  claim 11 , wherein the judging is made in accordance with both a time required for data transfer and a predetermined time. 
     
     
         13 . The terminal-state shifting device according to  claim 8 , wherein the management device is further arranged to send a revert message for causing the designated terminal once shifted to a thin client state to shift a non-thin client state, to stop a data transferring operation in response to the message if the data transferring operation has not been completed, and not to cause the designated terminal to function as a thin client with indicating on a screen that the data are transferred if the data transfer has been completed and a predetermined time has elapsed. 
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying a computer program thereon for a management device adapted to be provided in a system having a server and a plurality of terminals including a designated terminal to be shifted from a non-thin client state to a thin client state, the computer program effecting operations comprising:
 collecting, at the management device, information on a status of each of the plurality of terminals,   designating, at the management device upon referring to the information collected, a designated terminal which is to be made operable as a thin client terminal, and   transmitting, at a terminal instructing unit having been provided within the management device, a shift start message toward the designated terminal for demanding an execution start to cause the designated terminal to shift from a non-thin client state to a thin client state.   
     
     
         15 . The medium according to  claim 14 , wherein the management device is further arranged to receive a response with information on the status from the designated terminal to which the shift start message has been transmitted, and to manage the status of the plurality of terminals in accordance with the response. 
     
     
         16 . The medium according to  claim 14 , wherein the management device is further arranged to monitor an amount of terminals connected to the server, and not to send the shift start message if an amount of terminals actually connected to the server exceeds a predetermined amount. 
     
     
         17 . The medium according to  claim 14 , wherein the management device is further arranged to send a shift-back message for causing the designated terminal once shifted to a thin client state to a non-thin client state in response to an instruction of an operator, and the designated terminal returns a message indicative of before shifted to the management device if data transferring operation has not been completed. 
     
     
         18 . The medium according to  claim 15 , wherein the status for each of the plurality of terminals is arranged to be managed in a table manner, in which an identifier and the status of each terminal are associated with each other. 
     
     
         19 . The medium according to  claim 18 , wherein the management device is further arranged to have a display screen for indicating the status in a table manner. 
     
     
         20 . A management device adapted to be provided in a system having a server and a plurality of terminals including a designated terminal to be shifted from a non-thin client state to a thin client state, the computer program effecting operations comprising:
 collecting, at the management device, information on a status of each of the plurality of terminals,   designating, at the management device upon referring to the information collected, a designated terminal which is to be made operable as a thin client terminal, and   transmitting, at a terminal instructing unit having been provided within the management device, a shift start message toward the designated terminal for demanding an execution start to cause the designated terminal to shift from a non-thin client state to a thin client state.   
     
     
         21 . The management device according to  claim 20 , wherein the management device is further arranged to receive a response with information on the status from the designated terminal to which the shift start message has been transmitted, and to manage the status of the plurality of terminals in accordance with the response. 
     
     
         22 . The management device according to  claim 20 , wherein the management device is further arranged to monitor an amount of terminals connected to the server, and not to send the shift start message if an amount of terminals actually connected to the server exceeds a predetermined amount. 
     
     
         23 . The management device according to  claim 20 , wherein the management device is further arranged to send a shift-back message for causing the designated terminal once shifted to a thin client state to a non-thin client state in response to an instruction of an operator, and the designated terminal returns a message indicative of before shifted to the management device if data transferring operation has not been completed. 
     
     
         24 . The management device according to  claim 21 , wherein the status for each of the plurality of terminals is arranged to be managed in a table manner, in which an identifier and the status of each terminal are associated with each other. 
     
     
         25 . The management device according to  claim 24 , wherein the management device is further arranged to have a display screen for indicating the status in a table manner.