KNOWLEDGE BASE

Five ways cloud print management minimises IT burden

The benefits of moving print to the cloud are now clearer than ever in IT leaders’ minds. 93% of survey respondents to the Digital Workspace Ecosystem Alliance’s (DWEA) 2023 State of
the Digital Workspace 2023 study said that their cloud strategy involved cloud printing.

And that’s not surprising when you consider that cloud print management doesn’t just deliver scalability and flexibility. It also removes dependence on on-premise servers, enabling over- stretched IT teams to reduce the time spent maintaining physical infrastructure too.

Here’s five ways cloud print management minimises IT burden. 

1. Eliminates print servers

Managing print via an on-premise infrastructure can be expensive, time-consuming and complex. directprint.io’s SaaS solution does the heavy lifting – enabling IT teams to leverage a serverless infrastructure to centrally manage printing devices and printing.

Migrating print to the cloud means it’s always-on, always secure and easy to manage. So, rather than spend time patching, monitoring and maintaining print servers or troubleshooting printer issues, IT leads can refocus their efforts on strategic transformation.

2. Works within legacy systems

directprint.io is compatible across Google Workspace and Chromebook, Microsoft Azure and Windows environments.

Seamless integration with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace and Chrome OS, provides admins with frictionless deployment. And directory sync capabilities with Google Workspace
and Microsoft Azure AD ensures users are allocated printers based on their log in, so as soon as they turn their machine on, they automatically get the correct list of available printers.

3. Resolves printer deployment pain points

directprint.io is compatible with all leading printer makes and models and provides a consistent print experience across all devices and platforms. A full-stack universal print driver allows IT to automate time-intensive tasks and eliminates the need to manually deploy multiple printer drivers and manage numerous updates. It also includes configurable advanced finishing options across all printers.

Moreover, Device Radar turbo-charges the printing device on-boarding process by using multicast DNS (mDNS) and Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) protocols to
search for and identify all printers on a customer’s network. Network-connected devices are automatically onboarded to the directprint.io platform and the Device Radar tool leverages
artificial intelligence to set individual devices’ best-known configuration and enable advanced finishing features such as staple, fold etc., where available.

4. Reduces time spent on security issues

Printers present a viable attack vector for hackers looking to capitalize on vulnerable devices. Remember the Windows Print Nightmare vulnerability which exposed millions of companies to major security risk? Keeping on top of security issues is really important, but it does consume valuable IT time and resource.

With cloud print management, automated patching and monitoring means it’s always up to date and always secure. directprint.io is also packed full of features that offer greater control, compliance, traceability and transparency, enabling smart and secure serverless printing.

5. Makes print seamless for end-users

directprint.io provides end-users with access to fast and reliable printing from any device or location. Edge Print enables end-users to securely print when they are not on the same network as the printer. With Edge Print, they can print from their Windows PC, Chromebook, or Mac device – whether they’re at home, on a guest network, or even between different office locations.

Importantly, Edge Print gives IT admins fine-grained control over which printers are available for remote printing and provides full visibility of printers outside of the corporate network.

Still on the fence?

Our cost-effective subscription model is flexible and allows you to scale up or down in line with your business needs. Why not use our handy online calculator to get an exact quote in seconds or sign up for a free 30-day trial.