Take Steps in 2012 to Keep Your Printing Environment Secure

Take Steps in 2012 to Keep Your Printing Environment Secure
by Andy Jones, director and general manager, Global Document Outsourcing, Xerox Europe

All of us know that information is a key corporate asset that should be protected, yet no one these days seems too surprised when high-profile data breaches via lost laptops or USB sticks make the news. These stories have drawn attention to flimsy security policies as well as the unreliability of human behaviour. While many organisations have taken steps to limit data loss from devices such as laptops and smart-phones, a more hidden security risk still prevails: the printing environment.
The risks involved with printing documents do not always make headlines, but the fact that a printer offers a connection to an organisation’s entire network should give any business pause for thought.

Understanding the Print Security Gap

Employees use printers to print, fax, copy, scan and send valuable company information across the enterprise network every day - often without a second thought. Today’s multifunction printers (MFPs) offer more data-handling features than ever, including hard drives for storing documents and scan-to-e-mail services, making them as sophisticated as desktop PCs. Enterprises routinely attach MFPs to networks, giving them all the flexibility, and security vulnerability, of any computer on a network. Ultimately today’s MFPs pose the same risk as any unprotected device.

At Xerox, we work with companies to protect their ideas and reduce the chance of theft through a document breach. One manufacturer contacted us after discovering that highly confidential research and development documents were stolen. The company told us that an investigation suggested that the leak occurred in the printing environment. While unfortunate, we helped the company take the necessary steps to secure its environment, and prevent this type of incident from happening again.
By working with many clients to successfully mitigate these types of risks, we have developed a system to help our clients quickly identify specific needs. Using a layered model, we walk clients through a series of questions to determine how best to secure their particular environment. The model’s first layer addresses the security aspects of the IT environment. For example, we carefully review what steps need to be taken to secure the IT environment in order to protect networks and devices from unauthorised network access. As mentioned above, MFPs should be treated like any other device with storage capability.

Remember, today’s MFPs can store print image data which presents a security risk if they’re not wiped before disposal.

The model’s second layer tackles the security of the physical workspace. Conventional wisdom suggests that the best security is to educate users. However most users don’t pay much attention to security, especially when they find it a hindrance to doing their job. Therefore it’s important to put in place a transparent and easy-to-use security solution, which includes measures such as secure print. With secure print, a job is only printed when the user physically types in their unique PIN number and releases the job.

In more extremes ecurity environments there may be a need to physically isolate devices and use operators to handle highly sensitive or secure output. To increase security even further, print governance tools, which add banners and watermarks to printed pages, may also be used. For some of our clients, we have been able to control some of our printing devices to mark pages in a way which can include unique codes. This enables operators to individually identify pages and also prevents copying.

As these examples demonstrate, there is a wide array of security measures available to meet a company’s needs. Whilst requirements vary dramatically across industries (an investment bank’s needs are different from a healthcare provider or manufacturer) we’ve seen an increase in the number of companies that are aware of the risk, and have begun taking some level of action to make their print environment and company secure.

Securing the Print Environment with Managed Print Services
As we entered the millennium, businesses realised that the internet age brought with it more end-user printing. Due to increasingly large volumes, many global businesses looked for ways to radically reduce printing costs. For some, this meant handing over all or part of the print management challenge to a third party. In addition to reducing printing costs, boosting productivity and supporting environmental targets, these companies discovered that managed print services can play an important role in securing confidential and sensitive information.

Here’s why:
When they outsource their printing, businesses engage a partner to assume the potential risk involved with printing. To do so, the print partner must maintain a trustworthy and secure print environment – after all security is one of the things the print vendor is selling to its customers.

Xerox has facilitated this type of secure outsourced printing environment with many organisations, including a major U.S. government customer. In this particular project, the client worked on 17 campus locations across the United States from Florida to California. The customer was required to maintain a high-security deployment environment with several unique constraints including:
• the campuses were co-located on military bases
• the environment faced ongoing attempts at infiltration by agents of foreign governments to obtain technology secrets
• the environment required restricted facility access to U.S. citizens
• the customer faced continuous auditing for compliance with security.

We offered a multi-pronged approach to security, incorporating people, which included a dedicated security analyst, as well as standards and technology. To date all security audits have passed; 95 percent of devices are in secure state; there have been no violations of customer facility policies; and, most impressively, there have been no security incidents resulting in the loss or compromise of data.
These days all organisations, whether in the public or private sector, need to make sure they have processes to support security protocols. They need secure print practices across the board and should certify that every printing device is at the correct, custom level of security for their organisation.
Xerox can help deliver this through our managed print services. We’ve watched our customers gain visibility, control their spending, and enhance document security. This helps them free up budget for innovative projects that can improve efficiency and drive competitive advantage.

Quocirca analyst Louella Fernandes has written a very comprehensive report on closing the print security gap, and it’s definitely worth a read if you’re interested in learning more about this topic.

5 Essential Cloud Based Tools for Better Document Management

The days of shuffling paper in office environments is coming to a close. Many companies are opting for a more efficient, all digital document management system. There are numerous reasons why a computerized document management process is highly preferred for many office environments. Some companies are looking to reduce the amount of paper utilized while others seek a consistent, effective way to manage various documents beyond the traditional use of filing folders. While there are a number of factors that companies must consider when purchasing document management software, there are some essential tools that are mandatory for a fully functional and effective document management system. The following are some valuable tools that are essential for a company that is interested in utilizing a document management system for organizing and managing documents.

1. Dropbox-This is a heavily utilized file management system that allows individuals and companies to have access to commonly used files between multiple locations. Likewise, it is also used as a backup system for storing files via the Internet. This particular tool is very easy to use as it only requires a simple download in order to facilitate operation. With this tool, is possible to share files between multiple computers, and with Dropbox apps for mobile phones it is also possible to share files between mobile devices as well.
2. Google Apps-From e-mail to documents, Google Apps provides a comprehensive set of data management tools that are essential for anyone that is interested in managing an office environment in an efficient manner. Google Apps includes web-based programs such as Google mail, chat, documents and an integrated calendar. Because everything is web-based, there is never any concern about locating files. Likewise, the web-based foundation of Google Apps allows users to assess files from any location from computers and mobile devices.
3. Evernote-Managing little, yellow memo notes is a thing of the past because of this unique document management cloud-based tool. Evernote allows individuals to manage an assortment of items such as notes and images from a computer or phone. This application shares notes between various electronic devices and makes it very simple to take notes on the go without having to worry about misplacing valuable information.
4. Office365-Now it is possible to utilize the familiar Microsoft office platform as part of a document management productivity suite. Office 365 is specifically designed for a cloud-based environment. Those that prefer to use the popular Microsoft office software can do so more efficiently with this product.
5. Paper Tiger-Goodbye to the antiquated paper filing systems and hello to Paper Tiger. Paper Tiger allows individuals to manage both paper and digital files. This is an essential product for those that are interested in a paperless office environment. Paper documents are converted into PDF files and stored on a computer or via the Internet. Also, it can help offices manage their existing paper filing systems via an organized labeling system.

In all, there are a host of cloud-based tools readily available to assist individuals and companies in managing their documents in an efficient manner.

About the Author: This guest post is written by Rifat R

Top 10 Tips for Implementing Managed Print Services

By Craig Le Clair
1. Know That Implementing Managed Print Services (MPS) Is a Work in Progress: Managed print services are not something you buy and install, but rather a life cycle that you engage in to gradually optimize a diverse and fragmented environment.
2. Assemble the Right Team: Focus on change management and governance by engaging IT, facilities and line-of-business owners early.
3. Balance RFP Criteria Among Device, Process and Management Criteria: Vendor selection should highlight key business drivers beyond cost and standard service-level agreement (SLA) goals.
4. Emphasize Print Policy Software: While policies for color printing get all the attention, the most dramatic savings can occur with global settings for duplex printing.
5. Avoid Billing Surprises: It's bad enough getting the bill, but it's even worse if you can't understand it. Firms should question providers about how billing works â€" particularly for global initiatives.
6. Don't Fall for Fluffy Treatment of Environmental Requirements: Make suppliers provide specific data on their environmental approach and focus on reducing pages printed, as this has by far the highest environmental impact.
7. Carefully Weigh Your Pricing Options: While all managed print services have some price per image (PPI) component, there's no "one size fits all."
8. Beware of Color: Users can get hooked on color printing, which will have higher PPI rates and can erode projected savings.
9. Resist the Tendency to Rush the Assessment Phase: Assessment sets critical goals such as realistic user-to-device ratios, as well as key metrics to monitor and improve service.
10. Get Ahead of Compliance and Security: It's only a matter of time before auditors focus on security and compliance holes in the office environment.

Global Imaging Systems Acquires Wisconsin-based MBM, an Office Products Distributor / Xerox Newsroom

Global Imaging Systems Acquires Wisconsin-based MBM, an Office Products Distributor / Xerox Newsroom

Printer Reliability and Satisfaction: Brother, Canon, and Epson Lead the Field

No one printer maker stood out in our survey of readers about their experiences with printer reliability and their satisfaction with features.

By Mark Sullivan, PCWorld Dec 5, 2011 9:00 pm

Our survey results show up-and-down results for many printer makers. Samsung received high marks for its printers’ reliability and copy speed, but poor ones for photo and graphics printing quality. Participating readers esteemed Xerox for its machines’ printing speed and network connectivity, but bashed it for their poor reliability. Only Canon, Brother, and Epson had especially strong showings in both reliability and feature satisfaction; and of those three, only Canon also graded high in service and support.
Highlighted in the three charts below are our survey participants' ratings of desktop PC manufacturers in three general areas: reliability, features, and service/support. These results are drawn from our 2011 Reliability and Service survey of some 63,000 PCWorld readers. The other product categories covered in this survey were desktop PCs, laptop PCs, tablets, digital cameras, HDTVs, and smartphones. For a closer look at the methodology we used in our survey to gauge manufacturer reliability and customer satisfaction, see "Reliability and Satisfaction: What the Measures Mean."

Notes and Quotes

The printers section of our Reliability and Service survey prompted some vivid comments from participants, and we spotted a couple of significant details in the data, too:
• In the category as a whole, 14.2 percent of printer owner said that they had run into a significant problem with their machine in the past year. That percentage jumped to 27.6 percent when we counted only Lexmark printer owners.
• Overall, 6.3 percent of printer owners said that that their printer had developed a problem in the past year that was serious enough top prevent it from working.
• "I've used Brother printers for over 15 years at my office. They are workhorses and last a long time. I very rarely have any problems with them." --Brother printer owner
• "Reduce the noise. When it prints, it sounds like a dinosaur eating a helicopter in my room." --HP printer owner

The independent managed print services approach

By: Louella Fernandes, Principal Analyst, Quocirca
Published: 25th November 2011
Copyright Quocirca © 2011
Nearly every enterprise – including commercial businesses, educational institutions and government organisations – relies on printing to support essential business processes, whether it is back-office operations such as accounting or payroll or front-office activities such as sales and marketing.

Regardless of how dependent an organisation is on printing, IT departments struggle with similar management challenges: providing reliable print services that meet organisational expectations while containing operational costs.

Too often, organisations own a broad range of print, copier, scanner and fax equipment, often from different vendors, requiring different software, consumables and supplies. Devices may often be outdated and inefficient, and few organisations know how many assets they have, how they are being used, and how much it costs to own, maintain and operate them.

This makes it increasingly difficult to optimise efficiency and control costs, and creates a huge IT and administration headache. Organisations facing staff shortages or lacking the correct technology expertise do not have the resources and skills to keep on top of print management issues, leaving them exposed to spiralling print costs, reduced productivity and increased risk due to unprotected devices.
This has prompted many businesses to move to a managed print service (MPS) to ensure more efficient and effective print infrastructure operation and management, from the office to the print room.

A managed print environment can deliver strategic business advantage, supporting cost reduction imperatives and environmental demands along with improved compliance and reduced risk. Today, the strongest uptake of MPS has been among large enterprises (1000+ employees). Our recent research suggests that half of European large enterprises have implemented or are piloting MPS.
The emergence of independent MPS providers that offer vendor-agnostic, best-of-breed technology, software and services is promising to expand the penetration of MPS beyond the exclusive domain of large enterprises.

This channel provides an important role in delivering impartial assessment services and unbiased MPS recommendations. Services such as multivendor break-fix, support and supplies replenishment enable organisations to protect existing hardware investments rather than moving immediately to a standardised print environment.

By retaining the flexibility to add devices from multiple vendors, independent MPS providers can innovate with the latest technology and introduce new capabilities independently of any single incumbent printer or copier supplier.

While hardware vendors will have a vested interest in moving the customer to a standardised environment, most of the major MPS vendors are able to support and manage a multivendor environment at the initial stages of an MPS engagement, sweating the assets as needed.
Not many organisations operate a standardised fleet at the outset. It is therefore vital to select an MPS provider that can provide an impartial assessment of the print environment.

However, if an organisation is planning to move to a standardised environment, a hardware-centric MPS may be the best approach. This can be supplied by a hardware vendor, SI or independent MPS provider. Many hardware vendors will use channel partners to deliver MPS midmarket.
Vendor-neutral providers can often negotiate the best prices on equipment and supplies, delivering quality at lower cost.

It is in the interest of an independent MPS provider to offer the right device for the purpose, regardless of brand. While a single-vendor strategy forces an enterprise to settle for a single vendor's offer for each area of the enterprise, a multivendor strategy enables a true best-of-breed approach across the organisation.

Pricing for traditional MPS contracts is often based on minimum volumes. We have found that is the top inhibitor of MPS adoption. Independent MPS providers often use different pricing models such as pay-per-print, so customers do not pay for pages they have not printed.

Although hardware vendors have been the predominant MPS suppliers for decades, the market is at a tipping point, evolving to encompass a wider range of providers. Independent firms should take advantage, particularly if they have the resources and infrastructure to design and deploy MPS.
This window of opportunity is limited, though: the technology that enables independent MPS providers to move up the MPS stack is also available to competitors such as SIs, managed services providers and hardware vendors, which are using the same or similar technology to move down the stack.

As MPS providers look to gain further mid-market traction, we expect further consolidation in the market. Specifically, we expect hardware vendors to acquire more independent providers to strengthen their multivendor MPS delivery and service capabilities. A report is here.

Highest Share of Managed Print Services Providers Report Using Print Audit Facilities Manager in CompTIA Study

With an expanding Managed Print Services industry, more dealers and VARs are using Print Audit’s Facilities Manager to implement their MPS strategies.

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Calgary, Alberta (PRWEB) November 05, 2011

CompTIA, the Computing Technology Industry Association, recently published a study surveying 400 Managed Print Services providers and IT personnel in end-user companies. The purpose of the report, entitled Examining the Print and Document Management Market, was to further the understanding of print and document trends from the end-user perspective, as well as to profile Managed Print Services provider firms. The study identified Print Audit’s remote device management service, Facilities Manager, as the leader in the North American market with a 40% share among Managed Print Services providers using a third-party (non OEM) solution.
As a multi-award winning product, Facilities Manager is used by dealers worldwide to remotely collect meter reads, automate supplies fulfillment and report service information for managing fleets of printers, copiers, fax machines and multi-function devices.
According to the study, the Managed Print Services industry will continue to grow because of its impact on reducing infrastructure costs associated with printing, improving productivity and environmental sustainability. The study also found that most companies expect their print volumes to increase or remain the same and of the companies not currently using Managed Print Services, 35% are expected to adopt a MPS strategy over the next year.
For more information on the CompTIA study, please visit http://www.CompTIA.org
About Print Audit®:
Established in 1999 and headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Print Audit is the fastest growing print management company in the world. By providing businesses with innovative and practical print management software solutions, the company has helped customers recapture over $200 million in printing and photocopying expenses while saving an estimated 190,000 trees a year. Print Audit has offices located in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, South Africa, Australia, Brazil, Canada and the United States.
For more information about Print Audit, please contact 1-877-412-8348