What is remote printing?

We need to draw a line here between remote printing (which is basically any tech that allows users to print without cables) and remote printer management (which is the software that helps sysadmins keep track of your print environment).

Remote print management is the process of monitoring, configuring and maintaining printers from one central location, regardless of where your MFDs happen to be. It means sysadmins can work from home or anywhere, and still have granular control over stuff like supplies, maintenance, troubleshooting, driver deployment and user access. Very handy for hybrid workforces.

Let’s be real: remote work isn’t going anywhere. Which means remote printing isn’t going anywhere. The old days of Kevin from accounting having his own printer, tethered to his desktop via a dusty cable, are long gone. These days it’s all about collaboration, scalability, efficiency and shared resources. Four things that remote printing does really well.

Managing a remote print environment definitely comes with its own challenges – coordination and user control being the obvious two – but with the right strategies (and the right software in place) sysadmins can build a safer, faster and more user-friendly system. for everyone

Like any system, remote printing comes with a few challenges. Some of these are small; others, others are…not so small. And how you tackle them kind of depends on your industry. Are you a university? A small business? A law firm? A government department? Over the years, we’ve worked with organizations of all shapes, sizes and sectors, and one thing we’ve learned is that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Especially when it comes to print setups.

So, what are some of the common challenges with remote print?

Security risks: This is usually a result of bad configs, but remote printing can be vulnerable to data breaches during print job transmission. You can also run into compliance issues, when it comes to data protection legislation.

Complex configurations: If you’re running a multi-brand printer fleet across numerous locations, mapping printers and keeping all your drivers up-to-date can get kind of messy. This is where good print management software really shines.

Troubleshooting: Troubleshooting printer issues remotely can be time-consuming, and not every ticket comes with an easy off-site solution. This means, in some cases, users may face delays in resolving hardware-related problems. Look for vendors who offer proactive monitoring, tools or partnerships to mitigate hardware-related downtime.

Network and bandwidth: Large print jobs, or hundreds of people printing simultaneously across the network, can chew up significant server resources. This isn’t a dealbreaker, since cloud servers scale pretty easily. Just something to be aware of.

Compatibility issues: Making sure all devices, including BYOD setups, work seamlessly with all printers can be challenging. And that’s not even throwing operating systems, software compatibility, or legacy printer fleets into the mix.

 

It’s important to realise there are nuances when it comes to cloud and remote printing. Not every industry is built the same. Some come with complex regulatory hurdles. Others have privacy and confidentiality concerns. Some have huge, dispersed workforces. Others have small teams that share a stapler. Let’s dive into some of the more relevant sectors.

It’s important to realise there are nuances when it comes to cloud and remote printing. Not every industry is built the same. Some come with complex regulatory hurdles. Others have privacy and confidentiality concerns. Some have huge, dispersed workforces. Others have small teams that share a stapler. Let’s dive into some of the more relevant sectors

Remote printing really shines in k-12 environments, giving students, teachers and adminthe ability to print across the school, and from home. With intelligent job routing, you can also make the most of your MFDs, ensuring a streamlined print environment. Lastly, with its print control features, cloud printing can really cut down on waste and printing costs. Always a good thing.

Remote printing transforms university campuses, enabling students, faculty, and staff to print from anywhere. Through intelligent job routing, institutions can optimize their fleet of MFDs across multiple buildings and departments for maximum efficiency. Cloud printing’s eco-conscious policies help universities reduce their environmental footprint while managing high-volume printing demands across academic departments, research facilities, and administrative offices.

Legal businesses still tend to favour physical documents, which means they chew through a lot of printing.

Remote print setups mean lawyers and staff can print contracts, briefs and case files from anywhere. Cloud printing can also integrate seamlessly with existing document management systems, so the rollover isn’t so painful

Small businesses need cost-effective, simple and efficient solutions. That’s three things remote printing does really well. Cloud and remote printing environments reduce the need for expensive print servers, they scale easily as the business grows, and they allow employees to print from home or the office. When you’re small, it’s all about maximizing the resources you’ve got.

Efficient print management is a must-have for medium businesses looking to keep costs in check, boost productivity, and protect their data. Sure, we’re living in a cloud-first world where printing might seem a bit old-school, but inefficient printing can lead to significant waste – both in time and money.

Ultimately, every industry is going to benefit from remote printing in different ways. And they’re going to run into different challenges, too. Our best advice is to shop around, compare vendors and features, and go with the supplier who will have your back. Customer service is an extremely underrated part of remote print management.

Print analytics play a crucial role in enabling and optimizing your remote print setup. Without analytics, you’re basically printing blind. But with a good dashboard configured, your IT department will be able to provide insights into your usage, identify any inefficiencies, and improve security. All at the same time.

Monitoring print usage and costs

Print analytics let you track every print job sent from remote locations, capturing details like document type, user, department, the printer used, and the number of pages printed. And that gives you an insight into two things: how much you’re spending, and how much you should be spending. In other words, analytics can help your print more efficiently.

Improve security and compliance

Your analytics tools should integrate with your release mechanisms, ensuring that sensitive documents are never printed until an authorized user authenticates at the printer. This is especially important in sectors like finance, healthcare and the law. Analytics also provide audit trails, so you can track the lifecycle of every printed document.

Optimize printer resources

Track your toner, track your ink, track your paper usage, track printer performance. With analytics, you get a zoomed-in view of your entire print ecosystem. This allows IT teams to remotely manage printer maintenance and troubleshooting, too, quickly spotting paper jams and managing maintenance cycles across the fleet. All of which means less downtime.

 

Remote work has been great for flexibility, but kind of terrible for security. During COVID-19, 47% of individuals fell for phishing scams while working from home. The average cost of a data breach caused by remote work has also climbed to an eye-watering $137,000 . We’ve covered all things security over here, but there are several steps everyone should take to cyberproof their remote workforce.

 

It doesn’t matter how good your security setup is – user error will always be your downfall. This is why training and communication are crucial parts of cyber strategy. User error still accounts for roughly 68% of all data breaches , so drilling cyber best practice into your remote workforce is arguably the best thing you can do to protect your print environment.

• Devices: Go for company-issued laptops and tablets, if possible. They’re easier to patch, maintain, update and control, which simplifies your BYOD strategy.
• Remote control: In the event of a device being lost or stolen, sysadmins should be able to remotely lock or disable network access.
• Public networks: If users must access the network from a public place, like a café, advise them to use a VPN or firewall. Change passwords regularly.
• Updates and patches: Keep employees on top of any relevant software, anti-virus or firewall updates. Especially if they’re using their own devices.
• WIFI Routers: Remote workers using WIFI should have strong passwords, WPA3 encryption, and a dedicated network for printing (if possible).
• Default configurations: It’s always better to configure security settings yourself, rather than relying on out-of-the-box settings. That goes for networks, MFDs and devices.
• Data retention: Implement strict data retention and disposal policies. Make sure staff know how to safely destroy/shred sensitive documents.
• Cyber training: Educate remote workers about cyber best practice. Set up regular workshops, training seminars and phishing ** ** tests (to put theory into practice).
• Multi-factor: Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all BYOD devices. A one-time login PIN sent to the user’s phone is a good place to start.

In an ideal world, security and convenience would go hand-in-hand, but in real life it’s usually a trade-off. The more secure, the less convenient. And vice versa. The trick is finding the right balance, and encouraging users to put up with a few small hoops in exchange for a secure, virus-free system.

For every organization, this balance is going to be slightly different. If you’re running a small business, and you’re not handling sensitive or confidential information, you might be willing to streamline the user experience and sacrifice a few security steps. A hospital, on the other hand, or a financial services company, is legally obligated to follow certain data privacy rules. Ultimately you want to find that sweet spot, where the system is as secure as possible, without affecting the user experience to the point of non-engagement. If people stop using a system, it doesn’t matter how safe it is. It’s not serving its purpose.