HP launches print/send to anywhere software
Ever printed out a report to the wrong printer with disastrous results? Such blunders could be a thing of the past thanks to software that manages output to all sorts of devices.
A software wing of Hewlett-Packard is attempting to bring some control to the billions of messages organisations send out every day by releasing management software aimed at mid-sized organisations.
This summer, Dazel, which HP bought last year, will release a version of its Output Server with aimed at medium-sized organisations. Dazel's server-based middleware tools monitor information delivery in the shape of printouts, faxes, emails, Web publishing and paging. The software works across enterprise resource planning (ERP), systems management frameworks, customer relationship management and supply-chain management tools, and is also supported by many non-HP printers including Lexmark and Xerox.
Dazel has typically been deployed through third-party consulting firms such as Andersen Consulting and PricewaterhouseCoopers to blue-chip customers, but now the firm is pushing to make information delivery control available to smaller firms. The new version will ease implementation. Deals with application service providers who will handle output management for customers are also planned for this year.
"If you look at most large enterprises they have from a few to several hundreds of places for delivering information to printers or to end-users," said James Cooper, Dazel senior vice president of worldwide sales. "When people make an application in SAP or another ERP they think distribution will be flawless but there is a substantial error rate and often we don't know it. That's going to cost you somewhere because business processes are at risk. Having a centralised infrastructure for raising deliverability won't keep the printer from jamming but it will let you know that it jams."
What do you think? Tell the Mailroom. And read what others have said.