Enterprise Cloud Printing Solution

Cloud print management has transformed the way we handle corporate printing environments. Cloud print management is managing and controlling a corporate print environment from a cloud-based application, like Pharos Cloud.

Cloud printing enables your employees to print from (nearly) any connected device by sending print jobs to a network printer via the cloud.

It allows users to quickly discover printers and print from their own devices without the need to set up driver installations.

Cloud printing software solutions eliminate the need for printer drivers and allow the printer or multi-function device to receive print jobs through an internet connection.

Additionally, cloud print management typically offers more advanced features and capabilities than traditional printing, such as tracking and monitoring print jobs and controlling access to printers.

I remember the days when I had to install drivers on my computer just to get a printer to work, and those days are long gone, thanks to cloud printing software solutions. They’ve simplified how I manage printer drivers and made it possible for printers and multi-function devices to receive print jobs through an internet connection.

image of cloud, monitor screen and printing illustrating direct print process

How is this different from traditional printing?

In contrast, traditional printing typically involves setting up and configuring local printers that are directly connected to a computer or network. This can be complex and time-consuming, and it can limit the ability of users to print from different devices or locations.

Cloud print management truly lightens the load on your organization’s IT teams. They no longer have to worry about security, infrastructure, maintenance, and upgrades, as cloud services take care of those burdens.

Cloud-Hosted vs. True Cloud Printing Solutions

Cloud-hosted and true cloud print management are two different approaches to managing and controlling printing from cloud-based applications and services.

Cloud print management refers to a print environment in which the print management software is hosted on a remote server and accessed via the cloud. This can provide some of the benefits of cloud print management, such as the ability to access and print from anywhere and manage user access to printers. However, cloud-hosted print management may not offer all the features and capabilities of true cloud print management.

In contrast, true cloud print management refers to a system in which all aspects of the print management process, including the software, printers, and user access, are managed and controlled entirely via the cloud. This can provide a more comprehensive and seamless experience, with advanced features and capabilities, such as the ability to monitor and track print jobs, and control access to printers. True cloud print management can also offer greater flexibility and scalability than cloud-hosted print management, making it easier to adapt to changing business needs.

True cloud print management means your organization is leveraging cloud services to take on the security, infrastructure, maintenance, and upgrade burdens that your internal staff would otherwise need to manage.

When your printing operations are leveraging the benefits of the SaaS business model, your IT teams have a lot less to worry about.

How IT Teams Leverage Cloud Printing

With cloud print management, you can easily tackle a variety of initiatives, including:

  1. Set up and configure cloud-based printers: You can easily set up and configure network printers, without the need for complex setup or configuration.
  2. Manage user access to printers: You can use cloud print management to control which users have access to which printers, and to set permissions for different users and groups.
  3. Monitor and track print jobs: Print tracking software can provide detailed information about print jobs, including the date and time of the print, the user who initiated the print, and the status of the print job.
  4. Control access to printers: You can use cloud print management to set up authentication and authorization controls to ensure that only authorized users can access and print from network printers.
  5. Save on printing costs: You can reduce the costs associated with printing, such as the need to purchase and maintain expensive printer servers and related equipment. Additionally, cloud-based printing can help reduce paper waste and save on the costs of consumables, such as toner and ink.
  6. Improve productivity and collaboration: You can enable your employees to print from any device, anywhere, which can help improve their productivity and make it easier for teams to collaborate and work together, even when they are not in the same location.

Is an Enterprise Cloud Printing Solution Difficult to Implement?

The difficulty of implementing cloud-based print management can vary depending on a number of factors, such as the size and complexity of the organization, the number of users and printers, and the specific requirements and needs of the organization.

However, cloud-based print management can generally be relatively easy to implement, especially compared to traditional print management systems.

This is because cloud printing typically involves minimal setup and configuration, and can be accessed and managed from any device with an internet connection.

Additionally, cloud print management software support teams will offer support and assistance to help organizations with the implementation process. As a result, while there may be some challenges and complexities involved in implementing cloud-based print management, it is generally considered to be a relatively straightforward and easy-to-use solution.

What Are the Benefits of Cloud Printing for Enterprises?

Cloud print management software is used by various companies and organizations, large enterprises, educational institutions, and government agencies. Any company or organization that needs to manage and control its printing environment can benefit from using cloud print management software.

Some common use cases for cloud print management software include:

  • Companies with a distributed workforce that need to manage printers at multiple locations
  • Organizations with a high volume of print jobs that need to optimize their print infrastructure
  • Educational institutions that need to manage student printing
  • Government agencies that need to secure and control access to sensitive documents

Overall, print management software can be useful for any company or organization that wants to improve their printing environment’s efficiency, security, and scalability.

Improved efficiency

Cloud print management software allows users to access and manage their printers from anywhere, using any device with an internet connection. This can save time and improve productivity, as users don’t have to be physically present at the printer to initiate a print job or troubleshoot issues.

Centralized management: Cloud print management software provides a single, centralized platform for managing all of an organization’s printers. This can make it easier for IT staff to monitor and manage the print environment, as they don’t have to access multiple systems or devices to perform tasks.

Automatic updates and maintenance: With cloud print management software, the provider typically handles updates and maintenance automatically. This can save IT staff time and effort, as they don’t have to manually install updates or perform maintenance tasks on individual printers.

Improved troubleshooting: You can get real-time visibility into the status and performance of printers, making it easier for IT staff to identify and troubleshoot issues as they arise.

By providing centralized management, automatic updates and maintenance, improved troubleshooting, and enhanced security, cloud print management software can help to remove IT burden and improve efficiency for IT staff.

Enhanced security

Cloud print management software can help secure print environments by providing features like user authentication and access control. These can prevent unauthorized access to sensitive documents and protect against data breaches.

User authentication: Cloud print management software often includes user authentication features, like Secure Release printing, which require users to enter their credentials before they can access the system or initiate a print job. This can help to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive documents and protect against data breaches.

Access control: It can also provide access control features, allowing administrators to set permissions and control which users can access specific printers or print jobs. This can help to prevent unauthorized access and reduce the risk of data breaches.

Encryption: Many print management providers offer data encryption in transit and at rest, to protect sensitive information from being intercepted or accessed by unauthorized parties.

Activity logs: Cloud print management software often includes activity logs that record print jobs and user activity details. These logs can help administrators monitor for unusual activity and identify potential security threats.

Cloud print management software can improve cybersecurity and reduce network risks for large organizations by providing user authentication, access control, encryption, and activity logs.

Greater scalability

With cloud print management software, it is easy to add and remove printers as needed without purchasing additional hardware or software. This can save money and make it easier to scale print infrastructure as the organization’s needs change.

Flexible infrastructure: With cloud print management software, it is easy to add and remove printers as needed without purchasing additional hardware or software. This can save money and make it easier to scale the print infrastructure as the organization’s needs change.

Remote management: Cloud-based print management software allows administrators to manage printers remotely, using any device with an internet connection. This can make managing a distributed print environment easier, as administrators don’t have to be physically present at each location to perform tasks.

Automatic updates and maintenance: This software will typically handle updates and maintenance automatically, saving IT staff time and effort. This can be especially useful for enterprises with many printers, as manual updates and maintenance can be time-consuming.

Cloud print management software can help enterprises scale their print environments efficiently and cost-effectively by providing flexible infrastructure, remote management, and automatic updates and maintenance.

Why Cloud Print Management is Better for Large Organizations

Cloud print management is particularly well-suited for businesses with thousands of employees and distributed workforces because it can help improve efficiency and productivity, and enable the organization to grow and adapt to changing business needs. Some of the reasons why cloud print management is best for large businesses include:

  1. Increased flexibility and scalability: It offers a high degree of flexibility and scalability, which means that large businesses can easily add or remove printers and users as needed, without the need for complex setup or configuration. This makes it easy to adapt to changing business needs and grow the organization.
  2. Improved productivity: With cloud print management, large businesses can enable their employees to print from any device, anywhere, which can help improve their productivity and enable them to work more efficiently.
  3. Enhanced security: Cloud print management typically offers advanced security features, such as the ability to control access to printers and monitor print jobs. These features can help protect sensitive information and prevent unauthorized access to printers. This is particularly important for large businesses, which may have more sensitive information and a larger number of users and printers.
  4. Cost savings: In large organizations, printing costs can balloon out of control if left unmanaged. Cloud printing allows you to not only monitor and set policies for printing but also helps reduce costs by eliminating the need for print servers, reducing the IT burden, and helping you maximize the utilization of your print fleet.

Overall, cloud print management can provide a range of benefits for large businesses, making it an attractive option for organizations that need to manage and control printing from cloud-based applications and services.

Prepare Your Printing Operations for the Future

Just as we’ve seen with the proliferation of software applications over the past decade, cloud printing is likely to involve continued growth and development of cloud-based technologies and services.

As more and more businesses and organizations adopt cloud-based applications and services, the demand for cloud printing is likely to increase. This could lead to the development of new and more advanced cloud printing technologies, such as more secure and reliable cloud-based printers, and improved print management and control features.

Additionally, the increasing popularity of mobile devices and the proliferation of the Internet of Things (IoT) are likely to drive the adoption of cloud printing, as more and more users look for ways to print from various devices and locations.

Overall, the future of cloud printing will likely be characterized by continued innovation and growth, as businesses and organizations seek to improve their productivity and efficiency through cloud-based technologies.

Read more about planning to migrate your print infrastructure to the cloud.

Reducing your organization’s expenses and IT workload has always been an important reason to leverage the SaaS model for your printing operations. Today, the number one concern of the IT pros is the need to provide safe and flexible printing options for employees while also improving data security. They like the idea of eliminating print servers and partnering with a company that shares industry best practices for securing printers and multi-function devices. They also appreciate that our touchless printing options have been proven in the market for years.

It’s important to remember that the top cloud application platform providers are Amazon, Microsoft, IBM, Google, and Apple. These are the best and most reliable technology companies in the world, and they have the most stake in terms of security and service availability for their customers, such as Pharos.

We built the Pharos Cloud on Amazon Web Services (AWS), which gives our customers peace of mind. They know that one of the world’s strongest and most reliable platforms is helping protect their printing data and output services. It’s a new era for print management, and Pharos is proud to lead the way forward.

In conclusion, the future of cloud printing is bright and full of innovation. By migrating your print infrastructure to the cloud, you’ll be better prepared for the future and enjoy the numerous benefits of cloud print management. So, let’s embrace this new era of print management and start leveraging the power of the cloud.

Optimize Print with Pharos

Learn more about how to simplify print security, increase IT productivity, and cut waste with Pharos Cloud. Schedule a meeting with us today.

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