NSi Secures Printer Output
October 29, 2013 Alex Woodie
|
Notable Solutions (NSi) recently launched NSi Output Manager, its new offering designed to bolster the security of printed output by requiring a user to authenticate himself before retrieving the paper-based document at the printer. The software provides some IBM i and IPDS capabilities in its own right and supports an even broader array of source inputs as a part of NSi’s overall AutoStore suite. NSi Output Manager has two, interrelated roles. For starters, it’s designed to ensure that the person who sent a job to the printer is the one to pick it up, thereby helping to prevent sensitive information from being compromised. In a similar vein, by closely tracking who sends what to the printer, the software can help reduce incidents where somebody prints something and never goes to pick it up, thereby cutting down on paper wastage. The software works by holding print requests in a print queue on the printer. The jobs are released only when an authorized user authenticates himself at the printer, which can be done by entering credentials at the printer, swiping a company issued security card or proximity card, or even by using a mobile phone. Output Manager is certified compatible with dozens of production printers, multi-function devices (MFDs), laser printers, and desktop printers from the likes of Ricoh, Lanier, Savin, Konica-Minolta, and NRG Group. For a complete list of supported devices, see www.notablesolutions.com/products/nsi-output-manager/supported-devices. Output Manager is based on software NSi acquired earlier this year. In January, NSi acquired the Enterprise Output Management (EOM) business and operations from Barr Systems. Barr developed enterprise printing software, including software that converts IFPS and AFP output from mainframes and IBM i servers into PCL or PostScript. Barr continues to offer these products on its website. Output Manager supports a range of inputs, including the output from ERP systems, mainframes, IBM i servers, and mobile phones, and can output to the printers listed above. The software can also be integrated into the larger NSi AutoStore family, which connects the output to supported content management systems, groupware and collaboration products, and email and fax services. Gabriel Schwartzman, NSi’s vice president of output management, says Output Manager complements the company’s strengths in print and electronic document capture. “So whether the information originates on a mobile device, mainframe, desktop or an office MFP, Notable Solutions provides oversight over the entire information lifecycle, ensuring security and integrity throughout the complete chain of custody,” he says in a press release.
|
