MCPc Blog

Mobile Printing Technology from HP

As mobility and access transform business, when, where and how people work has also shifted.

According to a November 2009 Forrester report, Understanding Information Worker Smartphone Usage:

• More than 20 percent information workers spend at least 3 hours per day using smartphone devices in 2009.

• 34 percent of IT executives surveyed in 2009 are somewhat or very concerned with the security issues of using smartphones for business.

• 34 percent of the global workforce is predicted to be mobile information workers by 2012.

Cloud computing and virtualization have brought accessibility to a company’s network and data, but one of the most common tasks bringing down a worker’s mobility — and productivity — is having to use a laptop or other connected network device to print.

The solution: Mobile print technology

HP and Research In Motion (RIM) have partnered to provide HP ePrint Enterprise, a mobile printing and imaging experience for on-the-go business professionals.

HP ePrint Enterprise includes an “email-to-print” feature that works on virtually any Interned-enabled device, including a variety of smartphones. With it, you can:

• Print from a smartphone to a company’s networked printers.

• Print from a smartphone to any of HP’s public ePrint locations in coffee shops, hotels, airports and more.

• Print from any Internet-enabled device through a corporate email account and network printers assigned that corporate email address.

Note: HP’s ePrint Enterprise is available for the following mobile devices and mobile browsers: BlackBerry, iPhone/iPad/iOS, Android, HP webOS.

How it works

The following infographic from HP outlines the process of many ePrint solutions, but specifically shows how a BlackBerry would connect with an HP ePrint Enterprise Server and selected enterprise printer.

Business results: Increased productivity and flexibility

Allowing your employees to print where, when and how they need is a convenience that saves time and increases productivity. Thanks to integrated GPS search to find nearby printers, users can always find a printer near them.

When weighing the benefits and risks, security is a top concern. For businesses that want to use a mobile printing service, look for a provider with in-network (behind the firewall) installation, security management systems, and sharing capabilities.

Conclusion

Solutions for mobile printing have arrived, rounding out a business’s ability to be completely mobile. Lessons learned from cloud computing and virtualization (both in the technologies’ rapid acceptance within in the industry, and the technologies’ logistical and functional advancements) have made options for mobile printing convenient, secure and enterprise-friendly. Approach your company’s mobile printing strategy by understanding all available options and capabilities, and how they can fit within your business environment.

Do you see mobile printing as a part of your organization’s IT and business strategy? What experiences have you had so far?

 

John Patterson is Group President, Imaging & Printing Group at MCPc, and directs the sales and delivery of all print management solutions. He has more than 20 years of experience in the imaging and printing industry. Connect with John on LinkedIn.

 

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8 Questions for Your Mobile Device Management (MDM) Strategy

As mobile devices (smartphones and tablets) become more prominent among consumers, they also continue to infiltrate the workforce, whether company-sanctioned or not. If employees aren’t already asking for access to company email and applications on their personal devices—or simply trying to gain access on their own—they soon will.

Many clients I speak with are using some native Microsoft controls, paired with Exchange ActiveSync (EAS), for mobile device management. While EAS provides controlled, mobile access to email, calendars and other critical applications, it alone is not sufficient in providing a complete mobile device management (MDM) program.

MDM tools offer additional controls to complement EAS, but how do you know what you need, and the best way to continually manage your environment?

To provide end users with the flexibility they demand, while maintaining the security and control that the company requires, consider the following questions when developing your mobile device management strategy.

1. How will you activate and enroll new devices?

One of the most difficult technical aspects of mobile device management is that with multiple devices and operating systems, compatibility with corporate applications becomes an issue. Outside of limiting the types of devices employees can use, this may require system testing, or limited applications employees can access.

You can efficiently sidestep this problem, however, by installing virtualization software on end-user devices. However, virtualization alone won’t provide the levels of security your organization likely requires.

By pairing virtualization with MDM, you can also monitor usage, and set additional security controls. For example, you can see where devices are located and where they have been, and be alerted if a device has been offline for an extended period of time.

2. Do you have an end-user segmentation process?

As you would when developing images for PCs, segment your end users based on their job functions, mobility, application usage, and other company-defined criteria. Then, use these roles to determine which groups need what level of access to various applications.

MDM software allows IT managers to set specific controls and restrictions based on end-user segmentation. For example, you may want to provide a wide-open device for executives, while limiting access of lower-level employees.

3. How will you manage configuration profiles?

Additional controls provided by MDM tools enable you to set specific, granular controls for added layers of security. For example, there is some concern that Android versions under V 3.0 are insecure. To keep questionable devices out, but allow other Androids in, you can set a rule that Androids can access the network, only if they are running V 3.0 or higher.

You can also limit user functionality. For example, screenshot functionality on an iPhone can be disabled when viewing company data. And, those in the healthcare industry can set specific rules for devices that have accessed electronic medical records (EMRs) to stay compliant with HIPAA.

4. What corporate services will you manage and support?

Some companies only allow email access on mobile devices, while others enable the use of nearly any corporate applications that employees can access on their main work machines. The access you provide will depend on the nature of your business, the level of mobility in your workforce and the demands of your staff.

5. What applications and services will you restrict?

There is concern about unsecure applications that employees may download to their mobile devices, which may then adversely affect other devices that access the network. If there is a service that you don’t want end users to access, you can set MDM controls to disallow it. Any device that has a “blacklisted” application installed cannot access corporate data, until the application is removed.

6. How will we control costs?

After setting preliminary budgets, and determining whether your organization will operate on a BYO or stipend model, MDM tools can help manage your mobile device spend, and alert you to inefficient data plans within your network. Reports that show how much cellular data employees have used, roaming levels, variations in access by day and more can help you understand and control costs, and update plans to ensure efficiency in spend.

In addition, there are typically cost savings from fewer lost devices, as employees tend to take greater care of devices that they own, or that house their personal information, pictures, files, music and more.

7. What actions will you take when a device is lost or stolen, or a password is forgotten?

MDM software offers remote wipe functionality, which can be activated at any time if a device is lost or stolen. When virtualization is used for all corporate data access, this drastic measure may not be needed.

8. How will you roll out changes and upgrades?

Smartphones need patches, just like any other like endpoint. It’s important to develop a runbook that will ensure all corporate-accessible devices are up-to-date, and therefore, less vulnerable.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, to have a truly secure and well-managed mobile environment, you need to have a plan in place. It’s important to look at MDM as a managed service, similar to network monitoring or data center management; it requires consistent review, monitoring, reporting and upkeep to maintain control.

Mobile devices are endpoints. They must be imaged, and they must be secure. It’s imperative to answer the above questions early, develop a plan, and put a team together that will execute it—from onboarding and rollout, to regular monitoring, throughout the entire device lifecycle.

Your Thoughts?

How do you manage mobile devices? Please share your tips in the comments below.

Ira Grossman, VP, Personal Systems Group, has more than 15 years of technology project management experience and is an expert in lifecycle management and mobile device management for the enterprise, including the iPad. Connect with Ira on LinkedIn.

 

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Image credit: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Cleveland Tops in Tech Job Growth

On Aug. 1, Businessweek named Cleveland the No. 1 city in the United States for technology job growth, citing that IT jobs in the city grew 107 percent in the past year.*

In addition, according to the first-quarter 2011 survey of its 900 member companies, the Northeast Ohio Software Association (NEOSA) found that 68 percent of Cleveland’s IT firms expect to increase staff in the upcoming year. Brad Nellis (@NEOSA_Nellis), executive director of the NEOSA, said that the number of Cleveland IT companies currently seeking new employees is at a five-year high.

For our own part, MCPc hired 56 technical associates in 2010 and already 47 so far in 2011, with expectations to bring several more on board before year's end.

Of course, job growth wouldn’t be happening without boosts in business. After a few years of belt-tightening brought on by the economic recession, some other promising figures from the NEOSA Q1 2011 survey include:

• 66 percent of respondents said that Q1 2011 business performance was either “good” or “very good.”

• 68 percent said that performance was “better” or “much better” than the first quarter of the 2010.

At MCPc, we’re excited to be a part of such a booming tech community, and can’t wait until we officially move into the heart of it all next month at our new, downtown Cleveland headquarters.

But It’s Not Only Cleveland…

In addition to the top-ten tech city countdown, Businessweek’s Rachael King (@sfwriter) reported on the growth in demand for talented IT professionals across the country. In fact, according to King’s article, the unemployment rate for tech professionals dropped 2 percent in January, from 5.3 to 3.3 percent, compared to a national unemployment rate of 9.1 percent in July.

Looking for a Technology Career in Cleveland?

Check out some of our previous blog posts for details on what we look for at MCPc, and general tips on landing (and keeping) a job in IT:

• You Can’t Hire Attitude

• Your Resume Has Five Seconds to Make a Good First Impression!

• Ten Tips for College Grads Starting Their First IT Job

Or, for more on tech job growth in Cleveland, see Olivera Perkins’ July story for The Plain Dealer, Help Wanted: Cleveland’s High Tech Employers are Hiring.

Your Thoughts?

Are you as excited about Cleveland’s growth as we are, still skeptical of its staying power, or fearful of “brain drain”? Share your thoughts on the Cleveland technology community and its impact on the local economy in the comments below.

* Top cities for technology growth were determined by Dice.com, a technology-career website that tracks annual growth in job listings across the country.

Beth Stec is VP of Corporate Communications and Human Resources at MCPc, and is responsible for the development and management of personnel programs and policies. Connect with Beth on LinkedIn.

 

Image credit: The Cleveland Kid

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July Monthly Roundup: Top IT Industry Articles

Each month, we share a collection of articles that provide insight into the ever-evolving world of IT. July’s roundup looks at: the realities of IT management, open versus closed networks on college campuses, transitioning to the cloud and mobile device management.

The Realities of IT Management

As InfoWorld’s Dan Tynan explains in 10 Hard Truths IT Must Learn to Accept, today’s IT environment is far from perfect, and professionals need to accept these realities when building their IT strategies. Following are some examples of modern IT truths:

• The mobile revolution is here to stay; therefore, IT departments must find ways to manage BYOD situations. 

• IT has lost some control. While traditionally the IT department was involved in all technology purchasing decisions, the cloud enables other departments to easily “research, procure and implement new apps and gadgets,” on an at-need basis, without IT assistance.

• Network downtime is inevitable. In fact, 95 percent of data centers suffered at least one unplanned shutdown in the past two years. 

• IT will always be understaffed. The key is to take advantage of outsourcers and contractors to supplement internal needs. Or, as Eric Berridge explains in his Computerworld article, Your IT Staff Should be as Flexible as Your Technology, organizations must establish flexible IT staffing models, frameworks and staff members.

For Tynan’s full list of IT realities, read his complete article.

Virtualization and the Path to the Cloud

Virtualization is the first step to the cloud, according to Todd R. Weiss in his InfoWorld article. He goes on to provide tips from Laura DiDio, principal analyst with Information Technology Intelligence Consulting, on how your organization can simplify its transition to the cloud, including:

• Outline objectives prior to developing your strategy. What types of benefits would you like to achieve?

• Identify and confront major challenges upfront, including issues of security and compliance.

• Find the most appropriate business model for your needs. For example, will you deploy a private, public or hybrid cloud? Will it be a PaaS, SaaS or IaaS model?

• Understand how your cloud vendor handles data. Consider visibility, support and response time.

• If you choose to run a private cloud, invest in training and staff.

For more on preparing for the cloud, read Bernard Golden’s article, Are you Making Your Data Centers Cloud-Friendly?

Mobile Device Management

There are a growing number of people accessing company networks and data via personal mobile devices, according to Entrepreneur’s Dan O’Shea in the article, Don’t Forget to Wipe. Mobile-device growth introduces numerous security issues and management challenges, which a third-party mobile device management platform may be able to solve. 

These solutions “might include the ability to run automatic firmware updates, diagnostics, data backup and restoration, to scan for security threats and the particularly valuable ability to remotely lock and wipe data from a phone if it is lost or stolen.”

For a compilation of additional mobile device management resources, see Linda Musthaler’s article, Tame the Challenge of Mobile Device Management.

What Do You Think?

What articles, blog posts, videos or podcasts did you find interesting last month? Post a comment, and we’ll be sure to keep an eye on those sources and topics for future articles like this one.

This post is an MCPc blogging team collaboration.

 

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Overcoming Challenges along the Path to the Cloud

After many collaborative hours planning, organization and executing over the last several months, the first of MCPc’s Modern Technology Lessons roundtable series came to fruition. Here, Cleveland business leaders came together to talk candidly about challenges and realities along the path to the cloud.  

Moderated by Jack Wilson, a national virtualization speaker, and Andy Jones, cloud technology expert and Group President of MCPc’s Advanced Technology Group, the business leaders shared experiences about virtualizing IT, technologies used by their organizations, and benefits and risks of the cloud.

Jack and Andy also shared their own experiences with the group. For example, a year ago Jack was in the shoes of attendees as a CTO trying to figure out the cloud. Andy shared insights from MCPc’s move to a new office, and what that meant for the company’s cloud considerations.

The process of moving to a hosted infrastructure and IT ecosystem is complex. The decision to transition to the cloud affects the entire business and its culture, not just IT. This post discusses our audiences’ two common challenges along the path to the cloud — internal buy-in and security.

Gaining Cloud Buy-In

Adopting cloud technologies in your organization requires a long-term, strategic approach, and has many barriers along the way. The first step in cloud adoption: begin with an assessment of your current state and goals for the cloud.

• How virtualized is your organization?

• What technologies do you have in place, where is your data, and who has access to both?

• What are your organization’s goals for moving to a hosted environment? Hint:  Consider both IT’s goals and the company’s business objectives.

• How will a move to the cloud impact the entire organization, and is it ready?

These are some of the questions to start asking while you’re assessing the current IT ecosystem and business environment. Then, it’s time to conquer roadblocks that may pop up along the way to adoption. As our group discussed, many of these barriers have little to do with technology, including:

• Business culture and politics. Who holds the purse, and are they onboard for cloud adoption?

• Cost. What’s the ROI of adoption compared to TCO? How you present this analysis to the C-Suite can be critical in a company’s willingness to adopt. Remember that a hosted infrastructure has long-term benefits, while it also improves the quality of business life, making data more controlled and accessible for your team.

• Resistance to change. Some people just don’t like the idea of doing things differently, and they’ll look to IT for guidance in that transition.

Cloud Computing Security

Finally, one of the most-talked-about concerns when adopting a cloud solution for businesses is security. What’s happening to my company’s data as it’s hosted in the cloud?

The “Mythbusters” section of the roundtable event had a true or false statement for the group to debate: The cloud is NOT secure.

With a split audience, business leaders discussed how secure their own environments are or should be; how secure the cloud can be; and threats of hackers, data breaches or open loops in the system. Andy’s practical take on cloud security opened the discussion:

“Sure, the cloud is secure. It can be about as secure as any other technology you use, or as secure as walking down the street with a briefcase full of confidential documents.”

The point of the statement was that like other technologies we use every day — including virtual banking, email, file sharing, server or network access, BYOD, and more — cloud technology is as safe as we design it to be.

To ensure a secure cloud computing environment, work with your provider to make sure that their physical data center and hosted security practices are up to your standards. Encrypt data before it leaves your facility, manage access to critical data and processes, and continually monitor the state of your hosted environment.

Personally, it was very rewarding to see our customers interact with not only our speakers but also with each other to gain new insights, discuss issues and identify new ways of approaching these modern technology advances. Now, the MCPc Cleveland Team is off and running, organizing our second event in the series to be held August 10^th on Mobile Device Management. Hope to see you there.

What Do You Think?

What roadblocks have you found most challenging along your organization’s path to cloud computing?

Jason Taylor is Senior Vice President of Sales Operations and in the past has served as an IT consultant for several major enterprise-level organizations throughout Northeast Ohio. Connect with Jason on LinkedIn.

 

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