Here’s one of our print engineers explaining in their own words, Papercut Hive and Cloud print solutions:
Datasharp has been a PaperCut MF reseller and support partner for many years now. Our customers run MF in the standard way with on-premises servers running the client app on all PC’s/laptops. This is great for businesses with the required server and network infrastructure but more and more of our customers are moving away from this kind of setup and are looking for “Cloud” solutions.
Hive came along nearly two years ago and supplied a one-stop cloud-based print management solution with follow-me printing. With Papercut Hive, there’s no need to purchase expensive servers or network infrastructure, all you needed was an internet connection and a few devices to create “PaperCut Local Edge Mesh” which makes it all work.
Implementation is as simple as it gets, all you have to do is create a Hive admin account in the web portal and invite your users via email. This can be automated using an Azure AD import add on. An email with setup links for the client and mobile device app would be sent to the new user who then would then set themselves up.
Once it’s set up, a user’s PC or laptop becomes a Standard Node in the local edge mesh. Nodes work together to keep print jobs secure and safe. Up to 5 nodes are used to securely hold encrypted print jobs ready for release at any printer. All nodes monitor the status of printers published on the network through Hive. This includes toner levels, maintenance requests and faults. A node will also support mobile printing from either an iOS, or Android device.
A Super Node is optional but recommended for networks with more than 3+ printers. They help improve the reliability of the local edge mesh and will take most of the printing traffic and tasks from the Standard Nodes. Super Nodes are usually an always-on device. If there is however a problem with a Super Node, other Super Nodes (if installed) or Standard Nodes are ready to automatically step in to repair the Edge Mesh.
A Super Node can also do a lot to enable advanced printing features. Give it a static IP address and iOS printing will work better, and some MFDs running PaperCut Hive software will require this for a secure connection to the cloud. The Cloud Node can be enabled once a Super Node is created on the network. A Cloud Node allows users to print from anywhere even if they are not connected to the local network.
Users can print from one office and release at another (cross-office printing). Print to your office printers when on the road or at home and pick it up when back on site. It’s safe, secure, and easy to use (even when using a café’s free Wi-Fi).
Printer setup is painless. Hive sniffs the network and will automatically find all printers connected. Using the Hive Web Portal your admin user can then “publish” any newly discovered printers to the Hive system. A single default universal print queue is then created for all published printers. This queue is Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, ChromeOS compliant and ensures no matter what within a few clicks, users can print from any device and securely release their print jobs from any printer.
Hive has an array of built-in security features to keep users’ documents safe and secure throughout the printing process. Hive access control helps you choose when and where users can print, copy and scan with authentication provided at the printer. Depending on the printer, you can securely release print jobs using a smartphone, ID card or touchscreen.
Hive comes with an array of eco-friendly policies and cost-saving functions, ideal for businesses who are looking for more sustainable printing solutions whilst driving down expensive costs. To help lower your environmental footprint, touchscreen prompts will remind you to print 2-sided or black & white. In addition to this, the Secure Print Release feature gives you greater visibility of your user’s printing habits, enabling you to identify opportunities to reduce waste.
With the recent addition of “Reports and Insights” to Hive, standard reporting for all print data gathered over time is available. All manner of reports can be created with a few clicks to aid in monitoring and overseeing of your business printing. This creates visibility across all users and departments highlighting over usage and expenditure which can then action greater cost-reductions.
Conclusion
Whether you’re a business looking for advanced print security, simple print job tracking and monitoring or easy BYOD printing, PaperCut Hive will meet your requirements. This multi-purpose solution consolidates all the important aspects of printer management into one seamless, easy-to-use application. Any business can utilise Hive to optimise how they print whether it be reducing costs, improving security, or lowering their carbon footprint.
It’s quite simply the best print management solution on the market and with continuous development it can only get better.
