Print Servers Aren’t Worth It: Why Cloud-Based Printing Saves Time, Money, and Waste

Print servers tend to fail at the worst possible moment. They slow down users, overwhelm IT teams with helpdesk tickets, and waste paper, time, and money.

Switching to a cloud-based print solution like PrinterLogic helps eliminate these inefficiencies. By removing the need for traditional print servers, your organization can reduce costs, increase operational efficiency, and support sustainability initiatives.

Let’s break down why print servers are outdated—and how going serverless with PrinterLogic can benefit your organization.

Enterprise print servers are expensive. The initial procurement of a print server is around £1,900. You’ll likely spend an additional £1,500 per year in maintenance costs per server.

Other Direct Costs to Consider:

• Licensing and subscription fees

• Technical support contracts

• Ongoing maintenance and repairs

• On-premise infrastructure (e.g., rack space, UPS systems)

• IT configuration and patching

Indirect Costs Add Up:

Beyond direct costs, the impact of indirect costs associated with print servers going down is bigger than you think, including: 

• Delayed workflows and missed deadlines

• Decreased employee productivity and morale

• Revenue loss from operational disruption

• Compliance and security risks from potential data exposure

With PrinterLogic, you eliminate the need for print servers altogether—removing both the direct and indirect costs tied to outdated infrastructure.

Print servers are often the root cause of frustrating, time-consuming issues that disrupt business operations.

Levels of Printing Disruption

Mild (Annoying)

• Paper jams

• Low toner

• Basic user errors

• Typical resolution: Under 30 minutes

Moderate (Inconvenient)

• Driver updates

• Connectivity issues

• Printer configuration problems

• Typical resolution: 1+ hour

Severe (Disruptive)

• Spooler crashes

• Network printer deployment failures

• Hardware faults

• Typical resolution: Up to 1 full workday

PrinterLogic eliminates these severe print issues and disruption by removing the need for print servers and keeping business print operations moving

Driver updates and print deployment are automated, significantly reducing problematic issues. With fewer helpdesk tickets, time and resources can be reallocated to strategic projects, improving infrastructure, and driving innovation.

Kingston Healthcare is a prime example of how eliminating print servers and moving to the cloud can benefit an organization in multiple ways. Kingston operates 14 independent and assisted living, skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and memory care facilities throughout the United States. Healthcare requires a lot of printing, and Kingston is no exception, printing around 300,000 pages per month.

For a while, Kingston used print servers at each of its locations. But in 2021, the PrintNightmare critical vulnerability made print servers a glaring security risk. The organization ended up switching to PrinterLogic, saving Kingston’s IT team 500+ hours each month, and eliminating 15 print servers across the organization, adding up to $70,000 (roughly £55,000) in cost savings per year in hosting, support, and licensing costs.

The Switch to PrinterLogic

• 15 print servers eliminated

• 500+ IT hours saved per month

• £55,000 ($70,000) annual savings in hosting, support, and licensing

The move to cloud-based printing drastically reduced overhead while strengthening security and improving service delivery.

Broader Industry Impact

• 77% of customers reduced print-related helpdesk tickets by 30% or more

• 40%+ saw a 70%+ reduction in tickets

• 15% eliminated 90%+ of print-related tickets

• 70% reported they cut in half the time spent managing print

Did you know that each printed page emits approximately 6g of CO₂?

Traditional print setups are inefficient, not only in cost and time but also in sustainability. Here’s how outdated print environments contribute to waste:

• Duplicate or incorrect prints

• Unclaimed sensitive documents left at printers

• Limited visibility into print activity

• No integration with digital workflows

• No self-service options, leading to excess paper use

Energy Waste from Print Servers

Each print server consumes ~103 kWh/year and produces ~73 kg of CO₂ emissions. Multiply that across multiple servers and the environmental cost adds up fast.

PrinterLogic Helps You Go Green

• Identify and decommission underused devices

• Enable pull printing and rule-based routing to reduce waste

• Gain analytics to track and control print behavior

Eliminate the carbon footprint of legacy print servers

Choosing serverless printing is more than just a tech upgrade—it’s a strategic business decision that will save you time and money by creating efficiencies and reducing environmental waste. 

Financial Impact

• Save up to £12,500 per server over 5 years

• Eliminate recurring licensing, maintenance, and infrastructure costs

IT Efficiency

• Reduce print-related helpdesk tickets by up to 90%

• Reclaim 13.5% of your helpdesk team's total workload

Sustainability Wins

• Cut carbon emissions by removing unnecessary hardware

• Reduce paper usage and electricity consumption

With PrinterLogic, you can eliminate outdated print servers, reclaim IT time, and hit sustainability targets—while reducing costs and complexity.

Discover how serverless printing can transform your operations.

Request a Demo Today