INTRODUCTION

In certain circumstances, a direct IP/HP Universal Print Driver (UPD) printing environment can be an efficient and cost-effective alternative to a client/server printing environment. HP developed this white paper to help you decide whether a move to a direct IP/HP UPD environment is right for your organization.

To help you with this decision, this white paper cites HP’s own successful migration from client/server printing to direct IP/HP UPD printing. It looks at the background and the business challenges that led to HP’s decision, and it details the process of the migration. It also addresses possible issues and benefits for using the HP UPD for direct IP printing in your printing environment.

Direct IP printing connects computers directly to network printers for printing without the need for print servers. The features of the HP UPD make direct IP printing easy and convenient for users while simplifying printing support for IT administrators.

BACKGROUND

HP based its decision to migrate from a client/server print environment to a direct IP print environment on the potential cost savings and the improvements to print management it can provide.

HP’s high-cost print infrastructure was attributed to the following:

•Multiple print architectures—HP’s network contained a variety of print architectures, which lead to higher IT support costs, including driver deployment and management, print server management, and end-user support.

•Outdated server hardware—HP considered replacing its server hardware with new equipment, but it would not have been as cost effective.

RECOMMENDED PROCESS FOR TRANSITION TO DIRECT IP

Before beginning its transition to direct IP/HP UPD printing, HP identified the following important objectives and tasks:

•Integrate the various enterprise operating environments (Windows, UNIX, Linux, and MPE) and the various client access devices (servers, desktops, laptops, and PDAs).

•Define global infrastructure standards for enterprise applications printing.

•Define global standard printing hardware for use inside HP.

•Define global general office print infrastructure to reduce cost through reduction of total printers within HP.

Having support from the Information Technology team was vital for a successful transition to direct IP/HP UPD, and efforts to secure this support were undertaken early in the process. Since direct IP/ HP UPD printing is a single-driver and print-server-free environment, IT immediately understood that this transition would dramatically reduce their printing-related costs by eliminating dozens of discrete drivers to support. The transition enabled HP to reduce IT costs even further by decommissioning all of its 150 general office print servers.

To facilitate this change, HP used Managed Printing Administration (MPA) to create Managed Printer Lists (MPLs). One of the key features of MPA/MPLs is clickable image maps that enable users to easily find available printers. These maps are available in the HP UPD interface in Dynamic Mode. This provides a tremendous ease of use benefit to users.

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