Looking to streamline your printing process? This ultimate guide to cloud printing will show you how!
Cloud printing is a consumer-based service that allows users to print their documents from any device available on a network. Users can also use different devices, such as smartphones, laptops, desktops, tablets, etc. to print their documents.
This is a secure and quick way of printing documents over the internet and allows users to print from anywhere. It is different from the traditional form of printing, in which the printer has to be connected to the device via a wired or Bluetooth-based medium.
Typically the process of cloud printing involves a few steps. First, when the end user uses a print command on a document, the system creates a print job. Next, this print job is sent over to the cloud-based printing service, which redirects the request to the selected printer over the network.
The printer then prints the document, which can be collected by the user. Just like with traditional printing, the user can see the status and content of the document while printing. They can also stop or cancel the print job if required.
Advantages of Using Cloud Printing for Your Business
Cloud printing is a seamless service that reduces the time and costs associated with traditional printing. This technique removes the need for printer drivers and specific connectors and allows printers to accept requests from different locations through third-party data centers. Let’s have a look at some other advantages of using cloud printing for your business.
- Saves Money
As discussed above, cloud printing allows companies to reduce the costs associated with traditional direct-to-printer printing. Businesses don’t have to pay installation and maintenance costs for maintaining multiple printers and their peripherals, such as cartridges, toners, paper, etc. Cloud printing also reduces operating costs, such as the cost of electricity and drivers. Furthermore, companies don’t have to hire specialized technicians to maintain printers.
Businesses can also save travel and transportation costs since they can directly print a document at the customer’s location.
- Carbon Footprint
Cloud printing is an amazing way to reduce your carbon emissions, as it reduces the waste generated by printers and allows users to manage their resources (cartridges and toners) efficiently. In addition, it also enables users to change document settings and fix them before printing.
- Printer Management
Cloud printing allows users to efficiently manage different devices in a centralized way. It simplifies printing and enables users to utilize printing services without setting up extensive infrastructure.
Cloud-printing setup is low-cost and easy to maintain. Through this, users can print their documents from anywhere. They can also set up custom document parameters and control project settings.
It also enables users to monitor printer metrics (i.e., the average number of users per day, the average length of documents, the number of documents in a typical queue). IT admins can also use cloud printing to create a printer pull release. This is a secure form of printing in which users can submit multiple printing jobs to the printer. However, the printer doesn’t initiate print until the user uses an authentication pin/password to authorize the operation.
- Security
Cloud printing is a highly secure process and lets businesses print documents securely. Cloud printing uses encryption for data transmission, which ensures sensitive data is protected from malicious hackers in transit.
It also uses authentication to ensure that only authorized users access the printer. This guarantees information security and streamlines the workflow.
Cloud printing also increases collaboration, as different people can work on a single document before printing. Furthermore, IT admins don’t have to manually update printer software and network settings for all devices on the network. Instead, all the printers on the cloud can be patched and updated at once.
This is very different from traditional printing, where individual printers have to be maintained separately and team members have to physically share a device and queue their documents to print them.
- Accessibility
Cloud printing allows users to print anything from anywhere, improving print accessibility and making it easy for remote and hybrid workers to print their documents. It also reduces business delays and decreases issues with device/printer downtime.
What Teams Can Benefit From a Cloud-printing Strategy?
Cloud printing is highly useful for teams that use different devices to connect to an organization’s network. Through cloud printing, users can use different devices, such as smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, etc., to print their documents. In addition, users don’t have to worry about installing platform or operating system-specific printer drivers to print documents.
Today many companies across the world are implementing a BYOD policy to increase employee flexibility. Cloud printing greatly aids this effort by allowing employees to use their own devices to print documents.
This also improves productivity, as employees don’t have to transfer files from personal computers to office computers for printing. This increases compatibility and reduces the manual effort required for document printing and distribution. Employees can print documents without worrying about data breaches and security issues.
Some organizations have also started integrating cloud printing with document management tools and storage services such as OneDrive, Google Drive, SharePoint, etc. Implementing this strategy streamlines the printing process and optimizes workflow management by using a centralized platform for managing and printing documents.
Even though the specifics depend on the device and printer model, most cloud-printing services are easy to set up. Generally, the users have to register their printers with the service and add the web/Android/iOS application to their device. Once done, the user can directly log in to the portal and print their document.
If required, SharePoint admins can also automate this process, which means that users connected with the SharePoint cloud just have to select a PC client to print their documents. In addition, such portals allow users to access printer features such as configurations, queues, scanner layouts, etc.
Are There Any Disadvantages to Implementing a Cloud-printing Strategy?
Even though cloud printing has many benefits, it has a few disadvantages too. Customers who use cloud printing need a stable internet connection to print documents. This means that not having a reliable connection can cause users to lose access to their documents stored over the cloud.
Even though cloud-printing vendors create SLAs for infrastructure support and maintenance, printing can be disrupted due to technical issues and vendor outages. This can significantly affect business operations and cause delays.
Moreover, since the customer doesn’t manage the cloud infrastructure, they have no control over the process. This means that they cannot fix issues and resume the printing process, even if they have the technical expertise.
Cloud printing can also sometimes limit the printing options for a client by not allowing them to use certain types of printers or paper sizes. Cloud-connected printers can sometimes have compatibility issues with newer device sizes and require additional hardware/software patches to fix the issue. Problems such as these can impact productivity and halt a printing operation.
Last, even though security is one of the major advantages of cloud printing, public clouds are not 100% secure. Malicious hackers can exploit system vulnerabilities and break their security measures, which will give them unchecked access to clients’ sensitive internal documents.
What Are the Best Practices for Cloud Printing?
There are many use cases of cloud printing for different industries and environments. However, there are a few best practices businesses can use.
- Device Management
The client should ensure that all their printers are cloud-ready. They can also register new printers on the cloud if required. This can be done via cloud-printing services such as AirPrint and PrinterOn. Clients should also perform hardware maintenance and change service parts if required.
Furthermore, clients should make sure that printing devices (smartphones, laptops, desktops, etc.) are properly configured for the cloud. This is important to ensure they are functional and ready to send print jobs to the printing service.
- Choosing a Cloud Vendor
Before implementing a cloud-printing strategy, it is important to choose a cloud vendor who knows how to set up a cloud-printing service and configure it for a client’s infrastructure. The selected vendor should customize the strategy based on organizational requirements and budget.
An optimized cloud-printing solution should also account for an offline printer scenario, in which job requests should be sent to a different printer in case the selected one is offline. Vendors should also be able to set up a company’s infrastructure in such a way that multiple team members can queue their print jobs onto a single device through group settings.
Last, businesses should make sure that a cloud service is fully operationalized. Potential cloud providers should provide a comprehensive list of services and features to their clients.
- Print Limit
Some organizations like to limit their printing for environmental and sustainability reasons.
Such organizations can talk with their cloud vendor about limiting the number of printing operations their devices do in a single day. This option should allow admins to vet printing jobs before printing and monitor printer usage.
Features like these will enable the organization to implement a company-wide print policy that focuses on reducing printing wastage. This will also help them track printer usage and manage printing costs. If required, clients can also set up daily or monthly printing quotes to discourage unnecessary printing.
- Security
Failing to secure a cloud-printing operation can cause security issues and make a business susceptible to security threats. To prevent this, customers must use certain security practices when working on the cloud.
Always use authentication methods such as 2FA, MFA, and biometrics to access the cloud. Clients can also set up role-based access control to restrict usage and enable only authorized profiles to access their network.
Information in transit should be protected using inbuilt encryption algorithms and auditing. This ensures information safety and maintains data integrity.
Businesses should also regularly update their networks and use comprehensive security measures such as firewalls, incident management and reporting software, and access management services to curb security flaws. Cloud-native security options such as failover and capacity management, backup, and response procedures should be added to a client’s infrastructure.
The Future of Cloud Printing
Although cloud printing is a fairly new technology (it was first introduced in 2010 with the launch of Google Cloud Print), it has a wide potential to reach millions of small- and medium-scale businesses worldwide. Cloud printing is an amazing way to increase device interoperability, allowing users to print from different devices worldwide without missing out due to software and hardware issues.
Cloud printing makes businesses more environmentally conscious by monitoring their printer usage and advising them on how to best manage and optimize their printing habits. It also enables organizations to use more eco-friendly products in their printing, such as eco-friendly cartridges, recycled papers, etc.
Some organizations are also implementing AI algorithms to optimize print operations based on their previous usage. This allows them to analyze jobs and make recommendations for size, paper alignment frame, etc. It also enables them to remove common printing errors and improve printers’ reliability.
AI can also make decisions regarding essential software upgrades and software patches to reduce system vulnerabilities. Furthermore, if a selected printer has a device breakdown, jobs can be automatically rerouted to other printers in the vicinity.
As discussed above, cloud printing is a growing market with its own advantages and disadvantages. It is a unique method for streamlining print management. This is a rapidly evolving field, and the future will have many use cases for it.
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