Legacy Output Management vs Cloud Output Automation
Vasion Team
November 25, 2025
4 mins
Legacy output management systems are starting to show their age. They are like outdated operating systems that have been patched too many times. Each update adds another layer of complexity without addressing the core problem. Over the years, IT teams have bolted on new servers, custom integrations, and temporary fixes to keep things running. At some point, you cannot rely on patches anymore. The foundation itself needs an upgrade.
For years, print servers and traditional output management tools held things together. But now, they’re struggling to keep up with the pace of digital transformation. Server outages, scaling challenges, and endless troubleshooting are making IT teams feel more like emergency responders than innovators. And every new “quick fix” just adds more complexity to an already tangled infrastructure. In fact, 88% of organizations around the globe are held back by their legacy systems.
Modernizing your print environment isn’t just a shiny new flash-in-the-pan; it is about long-term viability. The modern enterprise needs agility, resilience, and scalability that legacy systems simply cannot deliver. That is where cloud output automation systems come in. Instead of endlessly patching old systems, they provide a clean, future-ready foundation that is smarter, faster, and built to evolve with your business.
Modernizing your print environment isn’t just a shiny new flash-in-the-pan; it is about long-term viability. The modern enterprise needs agility, resilience, and scalability that legacy systems simply cannot deliver. That is where cloud output automation systems come in. Instead of endlessly patching old systems, they provide a clean, future-ready foundation that is smarter, faster, and built to evolve with your business.What Is Output Automation?
Vasion Output modernizes your document infrastructure. It’s a cloud-native solution that intelligently routes, converts, and delivers documents, all without the manual intervention or fragile server setups that defined legacy print management.
Think of it as an always-on automation engine. Vasion Output combined with Vasion Print unifies end-user and back-end system printing into one centralized, intelligent platform that supports the entire organization. Instead of IT manually routing print jobs or managing server queues, Output applies business rules to handle everything automatically, from file conversion to delivery to real-time verification.
By eliminating traditional manual steps, you reduce the risk of human error and increase process speed. Even better, Output includes intelligent document routing for better project management and data security.
The result? Documents go where they need to go, when they need to get there, without any human error.
Why Legacy Systems Are Struggling To Keep Up
Legacy output management systems had a good run. But in a cloud-first, automation-driven world, they’re showing their limitations. They’re clunky, static, and allergic to change. They keep having issues like:
- Scalability challenges. As your organization grows, you need to purchase additional hardware and reconfigure your setup. Scaling should be effortless—not an IT weekend project.
- Disconnected systems. Multiple vendors, point solutions, and outdated integrations lead to silos and inefficiencies.
- Lack of automation. Manual processes dominate, keeping IT teams stuck in repetitive tasks instead of strategic work.
- Infrastructure burden. On-prem servers mean single points of failure, downtime risk, and costly maintenance.
In addition to slowing down business processes, these outdated systems are also a security threat. According to Quocirca, print-related data breaches cost an average of £630,000 (about USD $1.05 million) for businesses with standardized print fleets.
So, legacy systems aren’t just inefficient. They're standing between your business and the security and flexibility the cloud promises.Why the Cloud Is the Perfect Home for Output Management
Legacy print systems are like keeping your record collection in the attic. They technically work, but they are dusty, fragile, and hard for others to access. The cloud, by comparison, is the streaming service of IT infrastructure. It is accessible anywhere, always up to date, and built to scale effortlessly.
The cloud makes sense for output management because it removes the pain of servers, downtime, and manual patching. It transforms all those maintenance headaches into a simple, reliable service. Here is what that looks like in practice.
- Always on, always available. Cloud platforms come with built-in redundancy, failover, and high availability.
- Instant scalability. When you need to add users, locations, or workloads, the cloud adapts automatically. You do not need new hardware purchases, late-night installs, or complex budget approvals.
- Lower costs, less clutter. By eliminating the need for on-premises servers, which take up space and IT time, costs decrease while efficiency increases. You pay only for what you use rather than for what you maintain.
- Built-in innovation. Cloud providers continuously deliver performance, security, and feature updates behind the scenes. Your system improves over time without requiring manual effort.
- Stronger security posture. The cloud is often more secure than traditional infrastructure. Enterprise-grade encryption, Zero Trust access controls, and compliance with frameworks such as ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type 2 keep your documents protected from creation to delivery.
Moving output management to the cloud is not only a technical upgrade but also a business advantage. It prepares your operations for the future, removes unnecessary complexity, and gives IT teams the freedom to focus on initiatives that move the business forward instead of maintaining an aging infrastructure.
What Makes Output Automation So Different
Traditional output management feels a bit like playing Whack-a-Mole. One print server goes down, another job gets stuck in the queue, and suddenly, IT is juggling problems across multiple systems and vendors. Output Automation changes that by putting everything under one intelligent, cloud-based roof.
Instead of relying on fragile, on-premise infrastructure, Vasion Output runs in the cloud, which means the entire print and document ecosystem lives in a single, secure, always-available environment. The platform handles everything automatically, from routing and conversion to delivery and verification, with no manual oversight or server babysitting required.
But the real difference comes down to five key advantages:
1. Intelligent Automation Built In
Instead of relying on manual routing or human intervention, Output orchestrates every step of the process automatically. It applies business rules to route documents intelligently, converts files to the right formats, and verifies successful delivery. This reduces errors, saves IT time, and keeps information flowing without the need for constant monitoring.
2. Security You Can Trust
With Output, documents are encrypted in transit and at rest. Access controls follow Zero Trust principles, and compliance with standards such as ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type 2 means every action is tracked and auditable. By eliminating local servers and distributed queues, organizations reduce risk and strengthen their overall security posture.
3. Increased Scalability and Uptime With the Cloud
Running output management in the cloud creates resilience that on-prem systems simply cannot match. Built-in redundancy and load balancing prevent downtime, while automatic updates ensure the latest features and security patches are always active. The cloud also enables elasticity. If your organization suddenly doubles in size or adds new locations, capacity expands automatically without hardware upgrades or IT disruption. Built-in redundancy and intelligent failover in the cloud keep operations humming, even when a single point of failure occurs. This increases scalability, energy efficiency, and uptime so you can run your business more effectively.
4. Centralized Visibility and Control
When printing and output workflows are unified on one platform, IT gains complete oversight across every site and device. From a single console, teams can monitor activity, apply policies, and troubleshoot issues in real time. This central print environment not only improves efficiency but also ensures consistency in security, compliance, and document handling across the entire organization.
5. Reduced Infrastructure Costs
Say goodbye to physical print servers, costly maintenance contracts, and constant IT babysitting. Cloud automation slashes overhead while freeing up valuable team time. Not only will you save money on paper and ink through smart printing practices, you’ll also save time on IT tickets and printers.
The Differences Between Manual Routing and Vasion Output
In many organizations, manual routing still drives print and output management. IT staff or end users must select printers, confirm device availability, and troubleshoot failed jobs one step at a time. Each of these actions introduces delays, errors, and extra labor. If a printer goes offline or a label fails to generate, production halts until someone notices and manually intervenes. This reactive process might work for small environments, but it becomes unsustainable as operations scale.
Vasion completely redefines how output is handled. Instead of relying on people to make every routing decision, the system uses built-in intelligence to evaluate business rules and choose the best path for each print job. It checks the real-time status of every device, applies routing logic to determine the fastest or most efficient printer, and converts file formats when necessary. The process operates continuously, automatically rerouting jobs if a device is unavailable or overloaded.
This transition from manual control to automated orchestration gives organizations a level of reliability and efficiency that human workflows cannot match. IT teams recover valuable time, users experience consistent output delivery, and downtime is minimized. The result is a smooth, intelligent system that keeps every document moving to the right destination with minimal effort and maximum accuracy.
The difference with Vasion Output is clear. No manual routing, no physical servers, no downtime panic. Just seamless orchestration that works every time. Output replaces the scattered complexity of legacy systems with a single, intelligent platform that is secure, scalable, and self-sustaining. It is not just a new way to print; it is a new way to manage information, strengthen security, and keep business moving smoothly.
From Legacy Systems To Leading Automation
The next era of output management is not about fixing what is broken but building what is better. Vasion Output replaces the manual work and maintenance of legacy systems with intelligence, speed, and scalability. The organizations that embrace this shift will not just modernize their operations; they will future-proof them.
Schedule a personalized demo with the Vasion team to see how Output can transform your printing and document workflows. Book your demo here.