No Result
View All Result
SUBSCRIBE | NO FEES, NO PAYWALLS
MANAGE MY SUBSCRIPTION
NEWSLETTER
Corporate Compliance Insights
  • Home
  • About
    • About CCI
    • CCI Magazine
    • Writing for CCI
    • Career Connection
    • NEW: CCI Press – Book Publishing
    • Advertise With Us
  • Explore Topics
    • See All Articles
    • Compliance
    • Ethics
    • Risk
    • FCPA
    • Governance
    • Fraud
    • Internal Audit
    • HR Compliance
    • Cybersecurity
    • Data Privacy
    • Financial Services
    • Well-Being at Work
    • Leadership and Career
    • Opinion
  • Vendor News
  • Library
    • Download Whitepapers & Reports
    • Download eBooks
    • New: Living Your Best Compliance Life by Mary Shirley
    • New: Ethics and Compliance for Humans by Adam Balfour
    • 2021: Raise Your Game, Not Your Voice by Lentini-Walker & Tschida
    • CCI Press & Compliance Bookshelf
  • Podcasts
    • Great Women in Compliance
    • Unless: The Podcast (Hemma Lomax)
  • Research
  • Webinars
  • Events
  • Subscribe
Jump to a Section
  • At the Office
    • Ethics
    • HR Compliance
    • Leadership & Career
    • Well-Being at Work
  • Compliance & Risk
    • Compliance
    • FCPA
    • Fraud
    • Risk
  • Finserv & Audit
    • Financial Services
    • Internal Audit
  • Governance
    • ESG
    • Getting Governance Right
  • Infosec
    • Cybersecurity
    • Data Privacy
  • Opinion
    • Adam Balfour
    • Jim DeLoach
    • Mary Shirley
    • Yan Tougas
No Result
View All Result
Corporate Compliance Insights
Home Governance

Enterprise Printing, In and Out of the Cloud

by Arron Fu
April 15, 2014
in Governance
Enterprise Printing, In and Out of the Cloud

Printing and the cloud are seemingly at opposite ends of an organization’s infrastructure spectrum. Printing remains one of the last bastions of an organization’s infrastructure that cannot be completely virtualized, since the whole point of printing is to take something virtual and make it physical. The cloud allows businesses to be more efficient, and printing should be one of those business processes, maybe even the most basic business process that could be simplified with the cloud.

The big benefit of cloud printing is that it drastically simplifies intra-organizational printing structures and flattens the complexities of coordinating hardware across a widely distributed system of computers. Of course, not all cloud printing is created equal, and — as with any new technology – the cloud brings with it a slew of new challenges. Among these are the differences between public and private cloud printing and the ease of implementation to achieve these benefits. Figuring out these differences is central to understanding how to successfully implement a cloud-printing solution for your organization.

Cloud printing is particularly useful for large organizations with complicated computer network infrastructures, such as government agencies, financial corporations and health care organizations. Many of these institutions connect hundreds (if not thousands) of devices and printers, sometimes across multiple locations. As work becomes more mobile, an employee may need to print from multiple locations in different parts of a building or of a country. Struggling with installing different printer drivers each time an employee needs to print from a new printer is not just annoying, but also time consuming and a drain on productivity.

Public cloud printing services can smooth out some of these snafus. They connect printers to the web so that they can be accessed from anywhere and at anytime from web-connected devices. Instead of installing unique drivers for every new printer, you could print from anywhere, as long as both the printer and the device are linked to the cloud-printing service. Even more, with cloud-printing services, you could print from virtually any device that can connect to the service — including tablets and mobile phones.

However, often organizations also have high levels of security concerns that preclude them from using a public cloud.  And the problem with many third-party cloud-printing services is that they use the “public” cloud. While these cloud-printing options do simplify the printing process, all the print data must travel through the public cloud as it makes its journey from device to printer. Many organizations such as government agencies, financial corporations or health care organizations do not use public cloud services for the express reason that it is public. Though some public cloud services have a privacy policy and a guarantee in place, many organizations need greater control and oversight of the sensitive data they handle. Moreover, these organizations are also often large enough to merit their own clouds. As such, they prefer to create in-house private clouds so that they can leverage the advantages of cloud services while also maintaining their own security over sensitive data.

But implementing a private cloud-printing solution has its own complications. Consider the infrastructure of government agencies as just one example. Every agency has its own structure for printing, each with active directories, and hundreds of thousands of users dispersed over wide geographic areas. Consolidating printing in this situation requires aligning all the printers, drivers, devices and users within the system — something that can’t be done easily or efficiently. Even more, this system is routinely bogged down with driver updates, creating a giant logistical headache. Every device needs to be updated for every driver update for every printer when the updates crop up. For the devices that don’t have printer drivers? Those will never be able to print at all.  As such, a great resolution to this organizational hazard is to deploy a universal printer driver solution that can seamlessly connect and manage all printers within complex enterprise environments.

Institutions on the scale of multiple government agencies, whether they’re on the local, state or federal level, manage more printers than are easily handled in list form – though, truthfully, in comparison to public cloud printing, private clouds handle far fewer printers, which also makes them a better option for enterprises. Either way, the printers need a structure that ensures that users can identify the right printer without extraneous hassle. The structure should require as little effort on the user’s part as possible, so this particular iteration of cloud services must keep the location in mind. Printers should automatically connect to whatever network makes the most sense (like the library in a university or the particular building a printer is attached to) so that only a few printers out of all the printers in the cloud get exposed to each user, based on localities.

Cloud printing seems like a solution to the headache that is consolidating the vast multiplicity of printers in large and sprawling institutions. However, this solution may create more problems than it solves in its implementation. Instituting cloud printing for many organizations is not as simple as ceding the reins to a public cloud service company. The particular security concerns of government agencies, financial corporations, health care providers and other security-sensitive institutions make public cloud solutions impossible. Private cloud solutions, on the other hand, are complex puzzles that are difficult to administer.  The right solution must be implemented to effectively address the complicated infrastructures of institutional printing while also ensuring that user access to printers is as easy and secure as possible. Without that, cloud printing would just replace one problem with another.


Previous Post

Asking Questions To Build Your Compliance Program

Next Post

Five Things the Audit Committee Won’t Tell Internal Audit

Arron Fu

Arron Fu

About the Author As the Vice President of Software Development, Arron Fu oversees the operation of UniPrint, and also presides over its software development function.  He is instrumental in steering software developments, including the award-winning UniPrintTM Infinity printing solution, a universal printer driver specifically designed for optimizing printing functionality and simplifying administration in multi-user, server-based computing environments. Arron is an IT industry veteran.  Prior to taking up his management role at UniPrint, he spent 15 years in the field of consulting, system installation/integration and application design and development across business functions, processes and industries. Arron holds a degree in Computer and Electronic Engineering from the University of Manitoba as well as a number of industry standard qualifications.

Related Posts

slippery slope ice mountain

The Slippery Slope & Your Culture of Integrity

by Mary Shirley
June 23, 2025

Small transgressions and unanswered questions create pathways to major misconduct — and compliance teams need strategies beyond punishment

low battery on iphone warning

Ethics Fatigue: The Burnout That’s Putting Your Organization at Risk

by Nick Gallo
June 20, 2025

The psychology behind why ethics professionals are exhausted and what companies risk when they let it go unchecked

news roundup new

Few Business Leaders Feel Fully Prepared for Challenges of 2025

by Staff and Wire Reports
June 20, 2025

Data center operators not using full slate of available sustainability tactics; companies continue to use AI without policies

SmartSearch Daon Partnership

SmartSearch Partners With Daon for Enhanced ID Verification

by Corporate Compliance Insights
June 19, 2025

UK digital compliance provider SmartSearch has partnered with digital identity company Daon to integrate AI-powered biometric identity technology into its...

Next Post
Five Things the Audit Committee Won’t Tell Internal Audit

Five Things the Audit Committee Won't Tell Internal Audit

No Result
View All Result

Privacy Policy | AI Policy

Founded in 2010, CCI is the web’s premier global independent news source for compliance, ethics, risk and information security. 

Got a news tip? Get in touch. Want a weekly round-up in your inbox? Sign up for free. No subscription fees, no paywalls. 

Follow Us

Browse Topics:

  • CCI Press
  • Compliance
  • Compliance Podcasts
  • Cybersecurity
  • Data Privacy
  • eBooks Published by CCI
  • Ethics
  • FCPA
  • Featured
  • Financial Services
  • Fraud
  • Governance
  • GRC Vendor News
  • HR Compliance
  • Internal Audit
  • Leadership and Career
  • On Demand Webinars
  • Opinion
  • Research
  • Resource Library
  • Risk
  • Uncategorized
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • Well-Being
  • Whitepapers

© 2025 Corporate Compliance Insights

Welcome to CCI. This site uses cookies. Please click OK to accept. Privacy Policy
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About
    • About CCI
    • CCI Magazine
    • Writing for CCI
    • Career Connection
    • NEW: CCI Press – Book Publishing
    • Advertise With Us
  • Explore Topics
    • See All Articles
    • Compliance
    • Ethics
    • Risk
    • FCPA
    • Governance
    • Fraud
    • Internal Audit
    • HR Compliance
    • Cybersecurity
    • Data Privacy
    • Financial Services
    • Well-Being at Work
    • Leadership and Career
    • Opinion
  • Vendor News
  • Library
    • Download Whitepapers & Reports
    • Download eBooks
    • New: Living Your Best Compliance Life by Mary Shirley
    • New: Ethics and Compliance for Humans by Adam Balfour
    • 2021: Raise Your Game, Not Your Voice by Lentini-Walker & Tschida
    • CCI Press & Compliance Bookshelf
  • Podcasts
    • Great Women in Compliance
    • Unless: The Podcast (Hemma Lomax)
  • Research
  • Webinars
  • Events
  • Subscribe

© 2025 Corporate Compliance Insights