If a change is made in configuration information, an image forming apparatus transmits a configuration data generation request, including the configuration information which has been changed, to a setting value management service. If the image forming apparatus receives an error notification indicating the failure of the configuration data generation request from the setting value management service, the image forming apparatus multicasts a search packet on a network and searches an image forming apparatus storing address information of the setting value management service. Based on a response from the searched image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus transmits a configuration data generation request to the setting value management service that manages the image forming apparatus.