What is cloud print?

Cloud printing services fall under two separate functionalities. Software that provides print enablement over the cloud. And software that provides print management in the cloud.

Cloud print vs cloud print management

Cloud print/cloud printing and cloud print management sound similar. But they mean two distinct forms of cloud print solutions.

Cloud print or cloud printing refers to remote print enablement over the internet via the cloud.

Cloud print management refers to the tracking, monitoring, and administration of print environments in the cloud, instead of using on-premise infrastructure i.e. a print server.

6 benefits of cloud print solutions

In regards to solutions for cloud print enablement, there are 6 primary benefits businesses are looking for in a cloud print app or software:

No print server – You don’t need to purchase a print server. Nor do you need to invest in regular maintenance and updating of a print server. That’s all included in the cloud service model.
BYOD enablement – Enables local and offsite printing for iPads, iPhones, Android, Windows, Chromebook, macOS, and Linux. No matter the device, a strong cloud print solution does away with compatibility concerns or having to install and deploy drivers.
Cuts costs – No print server or ongoing maintenance reduces IT spend on associated expenses for hardware and software.
Free IT time – Less infrastructure means you don’t just save money, but you save time for your sysadmins and IT managers. By cutting out print server maintenance, their daily duties get freed up and they can invest their working hours into long-term projects.
Continuous delivery – The beauty of the cloud is it removes the need for manual software updates and patches. Continuous delivery of fixes and features means your cloud print solution is always running at maximum capacity.
Ease-of-use – Cloud print makes printing easy no matter what mobile device or platform you’re using. Print from a smartphone, tablet, or laptop to any MFD/printer/copier.

How does cloud print work?

Cloud print solutions enable printing remotely and outside your local network by securely and speedily sending print jobs over the internet.

The cloud print software sits locally on your network and publishes printers to your end users’ clients. This takes care of printer discovery and print job delivery. The solution lets your end-users find their printers and send their print jobs from the client to their chosen printer.

A popular cloud print solution for printing over the internet was Google Cloud Print. Sadly, that was deprecated in 2021 and is no longer supported by Google. However,PaperCut Mobility Print is a free Google Cloud Print alternative for BYOD print enablement and cloud printing.