Patent attributes
An image forming apparatus communicably connected to another image forming apparatus through a network includes a printer unit, a communication unit enabling a connection with another image forming apparatus, and a control unit that executes a first operating system (OS) operating on the first image forming apparatus and a control program operating on the first OS and performing a process relating to image formation, and enables a second OS performing other processes in parallel with the operation of the first OS to be operable. The control unit selects and determines another image forming apparatus in which the second OS is operable based on a process state relating to the image formation of the image forming apparatus operating the second OS, transmits an operating state of the second OS at that time point to the other image forming apparatus, and executes the second OS on the other apparatus.
