{"id":495,"date":"2021-03-31T12:49:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-31T16:49:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ecoprintq.com\/blog\/?p=495"},"modified":"2023-03-13T12:46:06","modified_gmt":"2023-03-13T16:46:06","slug":"why-move-print-management-into-the-cloud","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ecoprintq.com\/blog\/why-move-print-management-into-the-cloud\/","title":{"rendered":"Why move print management into the cloud?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Cloud services are so pervasive in 2020 that we use them without noticing. Streaming music, movies, or TV? You\u2019re in the cloud. Backing up your photos on your phone? The cloud. Using online spreadsheets or word processing software? Cloud. Streaming video games? And so on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cloud is everywhere. It\u2019s replaced so much infrastructure, not just in households but in office spaces. Shifting to cloud services is almost automatic. In fact, many small to medium businesses start off in the cloud to begin with: desks, chairs, laptops, printers, the occasional whiteboard \u2013 that\u2019s their infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like entertainment streaming and countless other software, platform, and infrastructure services, print management is another area of technology being enhanced by cloud computing. It\u2019s an obvious enough desire: eliminate onsite print servers and leverage the cloud for your print environment<\/a>. But there\u2019s a bit more to it than that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s start with a simple question:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is print management moving into the cloud?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The answer isn\u2019t so simple. Using cloud services is one thing, but if you\u2019re about to start positioning cloud, you need a deep understanding of all its elements. So for anybody yelling at clouds, we want to define cloud terms and concepts in the world of print management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Print management in the cloud has its benefits, but it also has its drawbacks. Considering the shift to cloud print management, therefore, needs to be navigated with a \u201ctwo steps forward, one step back\u201d approach. The operative words here are forward and back. It would be wrong to talk about cloud as a \u201cperfect answer\u201d. The magic is being able to talk about the trade-offs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Three benefits\/trade-offs when moving your print management into the cloud<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

1) Simplicity vs control<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cloud computing allows us to simplify how we use technology. If it suits your print environment, you don\u2019t need to bother with the behind the scenes maintenance of print servers. Someone else can handle it. Many individuals and businesses are used to this with cloud services like Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The realities of managing on-premise infrastructure doesn\u2019t suit all individuals and businesses. In 2020 and beyond customers and end-users of print management need alternatives to the traditional print ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fewer moving parts is simpler. The trade-off is you may have less control. For some people not seeing under the hood of their car is their preference. They don\u2019t need to see the pistons firing and gears grinding. For others, seeing under the hood is a crucial functionality. Can your print environment benefit from simplicity, or do you need to pop the hood?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2) Cost flexibility and elasticity vs predictability<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Not only does cloud-based printing reduce your infrastructure but it offers maintenance advantages. We all know this one. We already use various subscription-based cloud services like Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, AWS, and so on. The hardware maintenance is handled for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s no doubt that self-hosting is generally cheaper when you have the expertise on-site. But what if there\u2019s a cost to acquire that expertise? Different businesses with different levels of expertise will benefit from different approaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cloud-based print management is also rapidly deployed so it lessens the burden of implementation and administration. It also has a benefit of auto-scaling, depending on your requirements or usage. In a self-hosted world, you often need to commit to a server that speaks to your requirements. If you grow you need to buy a new one. In the cloud it auto-scales, so it\u2019s a flexible system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So the two steps forward here is all that flexibility and elasticity. The step back? In your on-prem\/self-hosted world, you\u2019re buying the server, there\u2019s no bandwidth or ongoing costs, it\u2019s very predictable. So the trade-off here is it\u2019s out of your control. That can be a benefit, or a drawback, depending on your print environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3) Security & compliance vs simplicity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With on-prem or self-hosted print management, the data and infrastructure is managed by you. You\u2019re in control. You know where the data is and have complete access. Your hands are on the wheel. This is one area where the cloud is net neutral or a loss in security and compliance. You\u2019re trading off for some of the above benefits in simplicity and flexibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The benefit of self-hosted print management is you\u2019re in the driver\u2019s seat the entire time. The benefits of cloud-based print management are that third parties handle it, so you don\u2019t need to be as careful, and constantly patching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Security and compliance is managed by the provider rather than yourself. For some businesses where security and compliance are king, this is a major consideration before shifting to print management in the cloud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why are businesses moving their print management into the cloud?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

With the emergence of cloud services as a cost-effective alternative to on-prem hardware in the print management space, more and more businesses are transitioning to cloud-based print management solutions. Through this transition, we need to be making business decisions with full knowledge of the trade-offs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Quocirca Global Print 2025 Report<\/a>, 73% of organizations expect to transition to cloud print management in the next five years. Cloud services can potentially enhance security, scalability, and mobility. Print management is undoubtedly a slice of that pie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cloud opens the door for a flexible, resilient, and reliable alternative to traditional data center services:<\/p>\n\n\n\n