New York – Hewlett-Packard is giving small and medium sized businesses a new suite of tools for locking down the printer room.
The company is employing a combination of free cloud-based service, software and enhanced features to make sure it latest line of multi-function LaserJet Enterprise MFP M630 series printers for SMBs is protected against hackers and even negligent employees that could compromise corporate data.
Securing endpoint devices is nothing new in the SMB space, but HP is banking IT managers and business decision makers will realize that data and network protection also includes peripherals such as printers.
“Imagine a scenario where one employee just printed a document but waited for some time before picking it up from the printer’s out tray,” said David Lorenz, future products marketing manager for HP. “That could contain something confidential but every minute it remains in the out tray there’s a risk people unauthorized to read it could pick-it up.”
More disconcerting, he points out, is the fact that very often in many organizations, there is no way of determining office personnel are authorized to handle documents that they print, copy, scan and fax of email out.
The M630 series is comprised of four upright standing laserjet MFPs that can tackle high volume printing with a standard capacity of up to 3,100 sheets. The top of the line M630z model can print up to 60 pages of A4 sized paper per minute (up from 57 ppm from HP’s previous MFP model), with the first page coming out in just 8.5 seconds. The printers also come free-loaded with more than 200 safety settings.
Lorenz, however, said biggest advantage of the M630 series over other MFPs is its tie-in with HP’s new JetAdvantage of document and printing portfolio. For example, users of an M630 machine can sign on for a free account with HP which allows them to take advantage of HP’s JetAdvantage Pull Print solution.
With Pull Print, users are able to send their documents from PCs or Mac machines to the HP cloud where the data is encrypted. From there the data is passed on to the user company’s HP printers. The user needs to go to the printer and key-in their password in order to select and print the documents only they are authorized to print. The system prevents the possibility of other people viewing printed material they are not authorized to see.
“Full Print is ideal for SMBs because it helps them cut printing cost while providing document security,” said Lorenz. “The solution is free and it is cloud-based so there is no need to install software or servers. And it is very easy to use so there is no need to train personnel.”
Among the printer’s workflow enhancing capabilities include:
- The ability to scan two-sided documents in a single pass. HP EveryPage technology allows users to scan documents and even detect potential errors or missed pages on the spot – even when the weight, seize and condition of pages being scanned varies
- An eight-inch colour touchscreen allows users to preview and edits scans, adjust images and launch standard process
- A pull-out keyboard allows users to enter data quickly and accurately as well as search for files
- Network and mobile capabilities enable users to securely print documents at work, home, or on the go from a smart phone, tablet or notebook with HP’s ePrint and AirPrint solutions. Users can also print or scan directly from a USB drive
- Secure peer-to-peer direct-access mobile printing without connecting to the corporate network
The series also makes use of the HP Imaging and Printing Security Center (IPSC) tool.
“IPSC simplifies security deployment and monitoring for HP printing fleets, “according to Shauntae Houff, worldwide product marketing manager, for HP. “It streamlines the tasks of creating IT security policies around the printing environment.”
Business data sent to the M630 is further safeguarded with a built-in encrypted hard disk. Each machine in the series comes with an HP Trusted Platform Module Accessory, a microprocessor designed to secure hardware by integrating cryptography keys into the device.
The M630 series will be available in Canada later this fall.
