BENEFITS OF DIRECT IP/HP UPD PRINTING

This efficient, cost-effective support system resulted in higher user satisfaction and productivity at HP. Server consolidation and standardized devices and processes meant less time and money spent on infrastructure maintenance and support.

Benefits for users

•A consistent, user-friendly printing interface

•A simpler means of locating printers—Users can use custom Managed Printer Lists to select printers based on floor plan, tabular view, and image view

•Fewer print drivers to install and to learn how to use

•More self-sufficiency—HP UPD’s Status Notification Prompts communicate real-time printer status including basic issues such as out of paper, so users can address these issues themselves

Benefits for the enterprise

•Reduced costs with single driver deployment—Users can discover and add printers easily using HP UPD in Dynamic Mode

•Simpler management—administrators can easily manage HP UPD driver capabilities using Managed Printer Policies (MPPs)

•Reduced IT costs—IT spends less time resolving print-related helpdesk calls

Benefits for IT

•Deployment benefits—Reduced driver vending requirements, since one driver replaces multiple, product specific drivers, greatly reducing testing, installation, and management costs

•Manageability benefits—maintained IT control over printer access (using MPLs) and printer features (using MPPs), implemented via MPA or HP Active Directory Templates

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS FOR MOVING TO DIRECT IP/HP UPD PRINTING

Characteristics of your enterprise

Before you decide to implement major changes to your printing environment, it is important to assess your company’s printing environment and its objectives for printing, including its future printing needs. Be aware of some printing environments where direct IP printing may not be the right choice.

The only limit to the number of users who can print with the direct IP/HP UPD is the number of printers in your enterprise. For practical purposes, however, it may be necessary to balance the number of users to printers based on individual printing needs.

Your company’s objectives for printing

Each company has different needs and priorities for printing:

•Is it a large enterprise with remote locations or a small business with one central location?

•Is the print volume high or low?

•Is the printing mostly plain text, or is it complex and rich in graphics?

•Is printing mission-critical?

Consider these questions to help determine the appropriate printing infrastructure:

•Where do users print: in one office or in satellite offices?

•How many people share a printer?

•Do users have access to training for basic printing troubleshooting?

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