Originally published May 3, 2017
Enterprise cloud printing has become a popular choice for organizations that want to stay on the cutting edge. And not without good reason. Cloud printing, like cloud services in general, makes us more mobile and is more flexible for hybrid and remote workforces. In fact, it frees us from the traditional constraints of the fixed workspace. In many cases, it also means big savings on print infrastructure and an increase in basic print manageability and oversight.
So what exactly is cloud printing? And what does it mean to have the equivalent of a cloud-based print server?
Cloud printing solutions generally take the “brains” of the print infrastructure and move it outside the organization. For the most part, this lifts the responsibility of maintaining that physical infrastructure because on-premises print servers are no longer taking up space in a server room, and you now have a cloud-based print server hosted offsite.
Interoperability is a nice advantage, too, as you can sometimes get cloud print for Windows, Mac, and other operating systems through a single solution. Using this basic setup, off-network cloud print devices can then send jobs to a default local printer without constant reconfiguration. That’s a huge benefit to mobile employees.
But what does that mean for security and control?
The drawbacks of enterprise cloud printing are a little more subtle. And they can get lost in the excitement over all the imagined advantages of implementing cloud print.
Some of them include:
Vulnerability: Just like a regular print server and its single point of failure, a cloud-based print server is subject to service outages. When that happens, all of the cloud print devices that rely on cloud printing are unable to print.
Lock-in: Once you’ve selected an enterprise cloud printing solution, it’s usually very difficult to migrate to a new one. The day-to-day flexibility provided by cloud printing is then offset by limiting your future choices to the same solution. Furthermore, many cloud printing solutions require proprietary cloud print devices, which could mean replacing some or all of your printer fleet.
Reduced control: Cloud printing is still evolving and its feature set is not always as rich as longstanding print management solutions. Depending on the cloud provider, it might be necessary to come up with workarounds for deployment protocols and functionality that have long been a part of traditional print solutions.
Potential loss of services: Because you’re relying on another solution to manage your infrastructure, it can be difficult to pivot when things change. Many companies were left in the lurch, scrambling for a new solution when Google Cloud Print was phased out in 2020.
So what other options are there?
With Mobile Printing from PrinterLogic, your organization can have all the benefits of both enterprise cloud printing and familiar print management solutions with none of the drawbacks. Our next-generation print management solution seamlessly integrates with any existing environment, including Citrix and VMware. And it does so with the smallest possible footprint. You also get features like powerful centralized management, Self-Service Printer Installation, and automated printer deployment—all in a solution that keeps print jobs local and secure.
What does Mobile Printing do exactly?
Well first, it works with any device. Regardless of whether you’re using an iPhone, a Google Pixel, a Samsung, or a Chromebook, you can print to an authorized printer via PrinterLogic’s Mobile Printing. All devices with browsers are effectively cloud print devices.
It also works with any printer. Once again, you don’t need to spend extra money on proprietary functionality. Even legacy printers can become cloud print devices with Mobile Printing.
There’s no additional software to install. You don’t need to load special client-side apps to gain enterprise cloud printing functionality. Mobile Printing essentially turns a standard PrinterLogic implementation into a cloud-based print server. And you also don’t need to worry about sourcing cloud print for Windows or another OS because PrinterLogic’s Mobile Printing is platform agnostic.
Mobile Printing from PrinterLogic is the only enterprise cloud printing solution that gives you security, control, ease of use, flexibility, cost-effectiveness, reduced infrastructure, unprecedented uptime, and powerful printer and driver management in a single package.