• 17
  Jun

Internet of Things: A New Era for Smart Printing

The following piece was written by Louella Fernandes of Quocirca

Fueled by machine-to-machine (M2M) communications, the Internet of Things (IoT) is all about connecting a wide range of internet-enabled devices – from cars, lighting, smart meters and more – that generate actionable data. Thanks to innovations in smart sensors and RFID chips, devices are becoming more intelligent assets that can be connected, monitored and managed remotely. In the enterprise, this networked world of smart devices has the potential to improve business efficiency, reducing operating and maintenance costs.

In the print industry, proactive maintenance and support is nothing new. Today, many smart printers and MFPs (multifunction peripherals) are equipped with embedded technology to enable remote management. This enables automated meter readings, automatic supplies replenishment and remote diagnostics which provide a business with better uptime and greater productivity. For instance, devices may send alerts when service is required or when consumables, such as ink or toner, need replenishment.

Automated monitoring and proactive management is the foundation of a managed print service (MPS). Quocirca estimates that over 40% of enterprises are using some form of MPS to better control and manage their printer and MFP fleets. Due to the lack of standardization between printer brands, MPS providers typically need to use either a combination of tools, or a centralized brand-agnostic tool that can track and monitor usage and device status across a mixed fleet.

So could print management across a heterogeneous fleet be simplified with the addition of smart sensors which are standardized across devices?

IoT/M2M technology has the potential to make a profound change in the evolving print industry that is having to adapt to the proliferation of mobile devices and ubiquitous connectivity. Smartphones and printers are already talking to each other via near-field communications (NFC) – and future innovations could use M2M communications to ensure standardized mobile printing regardless of mobile OS or printer brand.

The print industry is already taking the lead in respect to smart connected devices. Printer hardware is already becoming more powerful, most offer cloud connectivity and increased document processing capabilities and intelligence. By adding sensors and networking technologies to printers and MFPs, businesses can gain valuable real-time insight into print usage.

Using IoT/M2M technology can offer a range of benefits, including:

• Operational efficiency.  Remote monitoring and analytics can minimize the need for “routine maintenance” visits as problems can be identified and fixed before they have an impact on the business. Also, accurate, timely delivery of information leads to less device down-time and better usage. Information can be collected automatically and in certain cases systems maintained and repaired remotely so engineers and service staff can manage their time more effectively.
• Improved service quality: M2M allows businesses to collect data from assets that can be used to provide more accurate billing. M2M also allows for proactive maintenance models rather than ‘repair breaks’. Data collected (such as usage patterns) is an input for development of new products that meet changing customer requirements.
• Sustainability. Real-time data can so be used to optimize energy usage for devices, reducing environmental impact and related carbon emissions. For instance, machines can be put into a light or deep sleep mode, or completely powered off based on the usage of the device.

The enterprise print, IT and mobile environments are far from homogeneous. As M2M technology evolves and costs fall, it will play a wider role in both the business and consumer environments. Managed Print Service providers stand to gain enormously from the growth IoT, unlocking the potential of information-driven, value-added service opportunities.

Ultimately, smart embedded device automation will help manufacturers and their customers reduce costs, optimize processes and improve efficiency. Harnessing this growth requires new levels of innovation through partnerships between vendors, technology and communications providers.

Certainly, as the market evolves, leveraging the intelligence of smart  connected printers and MFPs  will be fundamental to both the service delivery and the insight that businesses gain from their next generation print environments.

• 3
  Jun

Get the Most Out Of Your Printer

Tired of running out of ink too soon? Getting poor copy quality? Here are some quick tips and tricks to help you extend the life of your printer and ink cartridges:

1. Print in “Draft Mode.” If you are printing out hardcopies of documents for your own personal use, it might be a good idea to print the document out using “draft mode.” “Draft mode” is usually an option offered to you in your printer dialogue box. By selecting this feature, you will get a lower quality document that will still be perfect for your own records, but will use far less ink!
2. Edit email and websites before you print them. Emails and websites can contain images or banner ads that will deplete your colored ink supplies. If you don’t need a record of these images, try cutting and pasting the text you need into a word processing program before printing the documents.
3. Clean your printer heads. If you are noticing streaks in your printing jobs, it might be time to invest in a good cleaner!
4. Shake, shake, shake! If a cleaner isn’t resolving the problem, something as simple as taking out the cartridge and shaking it can be enough to break up some of the dust or particles clogging your printer heads.
5. A printer is as cheap as its ink cartridges. Don’t be fooled by “bargain printers.” Check to see how much its cartridges cost in comparison to how long they last before you buy.

Need more help extending the life of your printer? Our print solutions team is here to help you out!

• 20
  May

How Strong Is Your Password?

The easiest step you can take to protect your computer and your files is coming up with a strong password. You owe it to your clients and your business to secure your computer and your network. An un-crackable password is a free and simple first step to safe-guarding your information.

1. Think of a password longer than six characters. You may want to use something that you can remember, but be careful. The more obvious your password is to you, the easier it is for someone to break. Try splitting the difference; think of something catchy but not an obvious choice.
2. Mix uppercase and lowercase letters. Some password platforms are not case-sensitive, but if it is, take advantage of this extra security feature!
3. Throw in some numbers and/or symbols. Relying solely on one set of characters weakens your password. Throw in some numbers and symbols into the mix to shake things up.
4. Using letter or symbols to replace letters may be too obvious. Replacing “E” with “3,” or “L” with “1” might seem like a natural choice, but remember… it may be too obvious!
5. When in doubt, use a random character generator.
6. Repeat. Don’t use the same password more than once! Create several so that you have multiple levels of security! And remember… change your password early and often!

Still worried about your computer’s vulnerability? Let our security solutions experts help you out!

• 6
  May

Why Is My Computer Running So Slow?

We have all been there: you are running up against a deadline and trying to work as fast as you can. But suddenly your computer is not cooperating.

You may experience it as a word processor lag between when you type and when the words actually show up on the page. Or maybe a new browser or application is taking its sweet time in opening. These small frustrations can add up to big trouble if time is of the essence. They may also indicate that your computer may be in need of a tune up.

Here are a few reasons why your computer may be running slow:

1. Too many applications are open at once. Try closing a few down, or checking your Task Manager to see if another program is running in the background.

2. You are running low on memory or hard drive space. It may be time to upgrade! As a temporary fix, you may want to delete any applications, files, or games you no longer use to free up space.

3. You may have a virus! Spambots and viruses may have infected your computer. If you don’t have anti-virus software, this might be a good time to invest in some. If your anti-virus software isn’t locating any problems, it may be time to get it checked out by a professional!

If you need help getting things “up to speed,” our IT Solutions service is here to help you out! You can reach out to our Help Desk 24 hours a day!

• 22
  Apr

Go Green This Spring!

It’s finally spring! The flowers are blooming, the grass is growing and suddenly the trees have leaves again. Everything around you is going green… so why not make your office green as well! Here are a few simple tips to make your office not only more cost-efficient, but energy and resource efficient as well!

Optimize the Energy Settings on Your Computer. Make sure you set your computers settings so that the screen is not on when you take a break from your work space. Also don’t leave your electronics on overnight! By plugging everything into one power strip that can be turned on and off, you save energy and a hassle!

Pass on the Paper. It is time to go digital! By digitizing all your office documents, not only do you make your important documents safe from coffee spills, you save on money and wasted paper. And if you upload your documents to a cloud service, you never have to worry about things getting lost, deleted, or destroyed!

Let the Light In! Open those blinds and let natural sunlight light your office. Not only does a dose of vitamin D help improve your attitude and work productivity, but turning off the office lights once and a while will help your energy bills. Your office plants will thank you too! A fresh breeze from outside helps clear the air as well, especially as the warmer months follow.

Looking for more Green Solutions? Let us help you make your office green for spring!

• 8
  Apr

Don’t Let Your Hard Drive Drag You Down

So that old computer in your office has been sitting around for some time now.  The system is obsolete, it is gathering dust, and maybe it has crashed once too often.  It’s time to throw it in the trash, right?

Not so fast!

Even an old computer may still contain vital information about your company and clients on its hard drive.  Even if the computer may not be of much use to you, it may still be of use to someone who wants to steal your or your company’s information.  Information thieves can easily retrieve private data off of improperly disposed hard drives.  Information stolen this way can be then used for everything from identity theft to corporate espionage.  This is why it is vital that you dispose of your old computer correctly.

It is not enough to simply delete files or reformat the hard drive.  These methods only prevent the drive from locating a file, and may not actually eliminate the information from that drive.  Clever thieves can still recover data such as PIN numbers, bank records and information, client-sensitive material and more from drives that are not wiped and destroyed the correct way.

Advanced Office Systems is here to help you keep your business safe.  Our hard drive destruction service will make sure that your data does not fall into the wrong hands and that you remain compliant and above board.

Your clients, your employees, and your company depend on you to keep their information safe.  So don’t take short cuts.  Let the professionals dispose of your hard drive the right way, and save yourself a big headache down the line!

• 7
  Apr

6 Tips for Managed Print Services Success

The following was written by Louella Fernandes of Quocirca

Many enterprises are turning to a managed print service (MPS) to minimize the headache of managing an often complex and costly print environment. Through device consolidation, optimization of hardware and software and continuous monitoring, MPS is helping to reduce costs – both financial and environmental, lower the IT print management burden and improve user productivity.

MPS is extending beyond the enterprise print environment to address requirements of mobile and remote workers, as well as encompass IT infrastructure and business process automation needs. While some enterprises may be at the early stages of their MPS journey, many are now entering their second or third generation MPS contracts.

Although cost control remains a top priority, enterprises are also looking to drive wider productivity and business process improvements. Consequently enterprises are looking for next generation MPS providers to become true innovation partners with industry-specific business insight and services that will deliver new cost savings.

Below are some recommendations on how to maximise the benefit from MPS, and ensure it can help drive greater business value and sustained long term performance.

1. Think big, start small

MPS engagements vary widely in scope depending on business needs. New opportunities exist to not only extend the scope of MPS engagements to encompass all aspects of enterprise printing (office, mobile, production and commercial), but also improve performance by outsourcing higher-value services such as IT operations and business processes. Consider how well the scope of services matches your business needs. Can you start with a limited engagement and add services as business requirements evolve and/or you relationship with your MPS provider beds in?

2. Conduct a full evaluation of the print infrastructure

A detailed assessment is the foundation of an effective MPS engagement and should take a holistic view of all print-related processes. Things to check include: is an established methodology used? What scalability is offered in terms of depth and cost of assessments? At the minimum, this should include a full document analysis that analyses print usage across the enterprise. Additional assessment services to consider include environmental and document security. Some vendors also offer document workflow assessment services, which identify potential for business process improvements. A comprehensive assessment will ensure the greatest opportunities for cost savings and productivity improvements over the long term of a contract.

3. Evaluate the flexibility to add new services

As a business continually adapts to the marketplace, MPS agreements should be adaptable as well – in terms of the commercial offering, contract arrangements, staffing and delivery location etc. When agreeing on the service offering, negotiate for the flexibility to incorporate new capabilities. For example, next generation MPS may look to take advantage of evolving technologies such cloud, mobility, business intelligence and ITIL-based process methodologies to ensure that business objectives continue to be met throughout the duration of the contract.

4. Leverage MFP sophistication

Multifunction peripherals (MFPs) are often underutilized in the office environment, yet have powerful document workflow capabilities that can be integrated with key business processes such as HR, legal, and finance and accounting. Look for seamless integration of MFPs, either via the cloud or on-premise, with enterprise content management (ECM) systems which can optimize paper to digital workflows and improve productivity.

5. Ensure mature service level quality

SLAs are critical to the success of any MPS engagement. SLAs have to be flexible, and the MPS provider must use analytics to be able to advise on past performance and future requirements. Are service levels matched to your business needs (hours of services, problem resolution times, end-user productivity)? How does the provider handle service events in multivendor environment? Is a pre-emptive service and automated supplies management used to reduce response times and solve device problems? Is onsite or off-site support available?

6. Continuous improvement.

Monitoring and ongoing management is critical to ensure that the MPS adapts to changing business needs. This requires governance throughout the contract which should place a high emphasis on service analytics, reporting and communication. A governance program allows the parties to evaluate, address, and resolve service issues as and when they arise.

• 25
  Mar

24 Hour Help Desk Support

One of the beautiful things about a 9-5 job is the end time. Unfortunately many small-businesses can’t afford the luxury of clocking out right at 5pm. Unforeseen problems often arise and they need to be dealt with immediately. That’s when it’s great to have an IT service provider you can count on.

Advanced Office Systems offers 24 Hour Help Desk Support to make sure your business’ IT experiences little to no downtime. Our Help Desk offers a wide range of supportive solutions in the areas of network design and monitoring, maintenance, remote backup, software updates, and more.

Outsourcing your managed IT solutions is much more cost effective than staffing a full time IT team of your own. This low cost solution frees up your company’s funds to put towards other important business needs.

Finding resolutions for short to moderate length issues is what 24 Hour Help Desk Support was designed to do. If however, a larger problem does arise that requires a more strategic approach, you may want to speak directly to a Help Desk Technician. They will be able to provide support and walk you through the problem.

Call Advanced Office Systems today to learn more about 24 Hour Help Desk Support and how it can assist your business!

• 25
  Feb

Windows XP Support is Ending Soon

If you still have Windows XP, you need to act soon before your computer and data are at risk!

On April 8, 2014, Microsoft is discontinuing support for Windows XP.

What does that mean to you?

It is a battle out there!  Hackers are continuously trying to find new ways to circumvent the security features of XP and other Microsoft operating systems, by creating viruses, and other and other bad programs, which can harm your computer, or steal your private information.  Microsoft regularly provides updates which help to protect your computer against these attacks.  Without these updates, even the best anti-virus programs cannot protect your computer or your data.

After April 8, 2014, Microsoft will stop providing these updates for Windows XP, and you need to be prepared.  Contact us and we will ensure that your computers, and your valuable data are protected.

• 4
  Dec

Document Management Can Help Green Your Business