Time to ditch the print server
Hybrid working has become the biggest accelerator of change in businesses across the globe, forcing firms to fast-track digital transformation and leverage the cloud to keep business moving.
Managing print via an on-premise server-based infrastructure has long been a drain on IT leads’ time and the bottom line. Fixing print-related issues whether it’s juggling high availability or load balancing to lessen the burden of heavy print data traffic on the network; finding a workaround when offline printing isn’t possible due to network failures; or handling a constant stream of security updates to fix vulnerabilities – this aged approach can be inefficient and complex to manage. Plus, there’s a significant cost impact too – Gartner estimates the cost of a Windows print server costs an average of $5,000 per year in licensing, storage and maintenance.
But there is a better way – one which is quick to deploy, automates time-intensive tasks, enables the entire print infrastructure to be centrally managed, provides the ability to scale improves your security posture, and saves money at the same time.
Here’s four reasons why now might be the time to ditch your print server and take print to the cloud.
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Zero upfront investment
The directprint.io platform is consumed as-a-service, our cost-effective subscription model is flexible and allows you to scale up or down in line with your business needs. Plus, our solution includes an array of paper and toner reduction features designed to save you money along the way.
We’re clear and transparent about our pricing too, so why not use our online calculator to get an exact quote in seconds?
A sustainable alternative
Whatever way you spin it, printing has an environmental impact. To put it into context, according to a Cepi report on the EU pulp and paper industry, a staggering 154 million cubic meters of wood go towards creating paper to meet demand each year in Europe alone.
directprint.io includes a suite of features that encourage eco-friendly printing. Our reprint detection feature notices when a document has already been printed or identifies that only one page has been changed since the last version, so it only prints the amended page (and not the entire document) to save paper. Similarly, our smart draft mode enables you to save on toner by limiting the printing allowance of specific teams or users. This can be maximized with mono-only printing features and color reduction modes that save on toner and reduce the number of empty plastic cartridges you accumulate each month.
Explore our full solutions offering to see how you can further sustainably save money for your business.
Sophisticated security
Millions of companies were exposed to a major security risk when the Windows Print Nightmare vulnerability raised its head. The bug meant that a single compromised device on a user network could allow a bad actor to access domain privileges and cause further havoc from there.
directprint.io ensures security and compliance by keeping all your print jobs securely on your local network. Features like Secure Print allow you to apply print policies to groups, individuals, and specific devices for added security in the workplace and even identify unusual printer behavior. This function supports two options: On-printer secure print release, which utilizes your printer’s internal secure print capability and Terminal-based print release, which is enabled for most printer models by placing a print release terminal next to your printer. From here, you can protect sensitive documents by requiring a unique PIN to be entered to retrieve the print job.
Together these features offer greater control, compliance, traceability, and transparency, enabling smart and secure serverless printing for your business.
Find out more about our security capabilities and discover other key benefits here.
Hassle-free IT
According to a recent IT skills report by Skillsoft, the ever-present skills gap has gotten far worse throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as the number of IT teams facing a talent shortage has grown to 76% (up 145% since 2016). It’s no wonder that IT teams are doing all they can to maximize their limited resources and opt for headache-free solutions that won’t add to their already heavy workload.
Managing printers, servers and users while dealing with bandwidth and latency issues is one such headache that can be forgotten about with serverless printing. With directprint.io, organizations can also mix Edge Print and Local Network Printing to find a balance that works for them. Suddenly overworked IT teams can streamline printer management, reduce the time spent troubleshooting printer issues, and refocus their attention elsewhere.
Whether your organization uses Chromebooks, macOS, or Windows, or an amalgamation of the three, our cloud-based print management platform can support even the most complex deployments. If you’re thinking of switching from your Windows print system, you can even run it in parallel with directprint.io to minimize disruption until you’re ready to make the switch.
For organizations looking to reduce the cost and environmental impact of print, remove reliance on on-premise hardware and increase security, it makes sense to head to the cloud. If you’re still on the fence, explore everything directprint.io has to offer and make the most of our free 30-day trial today.