Print servers have long plagued business print environments, and the increase in remote work has further compounded the problem. During this time of increased risk, it is imperative that businesses have a printing infrastructure that accounts for the added security vulnerabilities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Remote work environments have also exposed employees to a greater amount of distractions. Remote employees are being tasked with keeping up productivity while the number of security threats and potential remote access complications are growing. According to a University of California, Irvine study, once an interruption distracts an employee from their current task, it takes an average of 25 minutes to get back on track.
So how do you prevent a printer problem while maintaining productivity? A Serverless Printing infrastructure is your solution.
A serverless printing solution, or cloud-based managed print service, eliminates the need for print servers entirely. A simplified print environment without servers results in fewer help-desk calls to solve printing issues so an organization can spend more time and money on high-priority business areas.
In addition to removing the roadblocks to productivity, serverless printing offers a scalable print management solution that streamlines business print management through an easy to use centralized direct-IP printing approach. Here is a breakdown of the advantages of transitioning to a serverless print infrastructure.
Serverless printing is the next evolution in network printing due to its capability to simplify organizations’ print environments into one that is easy to use, manage, and secure for IT managers and employees alike.
By eliminating print servers, an organization can implement a cohesive print environment that can be overseen and administered from a centralized location. Central management provides an easy-to-use admin control panel where changes made by any administrator are automatically updated on all end-user printers to ensure consistency. Serverless printing solutions also include a self-service printer installation portal to simplify the installation process further for end-users. Employees - remote or in-office - have the ability to self-install printers with a single click, which can significantly increase productivity.
Another factor that contributes to the usability of serverless printing is the ability to be supported and integrated into varying operating systems like Windows, MAC and ChromeOS.
Print driver deployment configuration is simplified using methods such as:
A managed print service, such as SafetyNet SimplePrint, should be able to seamlessly integrate with other operating systems, virtual solutions, and printing solutions such as Citrix and PaperCut.
A serverless managed print service offers a variety of powerful technology to managers and end-users to help streamline and secure their print environment. Here are a few added-value technologies.
Another advantage of serverless printing is that it provides a quick and easy-to-implement print solution that scales as businesses grow. Small business owners and managers can use a serverless printing infrastructure to easily deploy printers to end-users through IP ranges, or Active Directory users, groups, or computers.
Serverless printing can also simplify remote sessions and virtual desktop interface printing environments by auto-deploying printers in session bases on the IP address of endpoint devices. By automating printer deployment, businesses can efficiently and effectively add printers to scale print environments.
A serverless print infrastructure provides businesses superior security in contrast to print servers. Businesses that transition to a serverless print environment eliminate the single points of failure that can impact print productivity such as server crashes, spooler hangs, and other downtime vulnerabilities that impact print availability.
Serverless printing solutions provide businesses the capability to manage printer configurations centrally, which increases security and compliance of print workflows. In addition, the secure pull printing functionality of advanced serverless printing offers businesses a solution that securely retrieves printed documents from any printer regardless of location by holding print jobs and only releasing when an end-user swipes an employee badge or enters credentials. Secure pull printing reduces print-attack vulnerability, reduces risk from abandoned print jobs, and boosts security for sensitive information through multi-factor authentication.
Serverless printing has proven to be a superior alternative to traditional print management solutions because it avoids the fundamental security weaknesses that print servers introduce like a single point of failure. By utilizing a serverless printing infrastructure using a centrally managed Direct IP printing platform, businesses can empower end-users with advanced features and added benefits.
Businesses should partner with a managed print service provider to implement a managed print service, such as SafetyNet SimplePrint, to assist in transitioning to a serverless print infrastructure. Organizations that proactively transition away from traditional print servers eliminate unnecessary print server infrastructure, reduce costs of server hardware and print-related support calls, and streamline the entire print driver management process.