In a system comprising at least one scanner in communication with a computer said computer having plurality of process instantiable therein, said processes including a plurality scanning processes, a communications layer, and monitoring software, said instantiable processes being in communication with one another when instantiated, and said communication layer being in communication with said at least one scanner when instantiated, a method of operating an image processing system, comprising: instantiating the monitoring software, receiving a device scan request at said communication layer from at least one said scanner; associating at said communication layer a unique identifier to said device scan request identifying said at least one scanner from which the device scan request was received; transmitting said device scan request and said corresponding unique identifier to said monitoring software; and instantiating one said scanning process dependent upon said device scan request and said corresponding unique identifier.