CLOUD PRINT
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around security, maintenance and cost prevent them from moving their processes to the cloud are at risk of falling behind as their competitors embrace digital transformation.” Security is key Graham Foxwell, product marketing lead, Kyocera Document Solutions UK, says there are multiple barriers to cloud print adoption for SMEs, particularly for those who are trying to implement this themselves without support of a reputable cloud print provider. “The main barriers are security, lack of in-house IT expertise, Initial setup and ongoing costs, unreliable internet connections and legacy equipment, such as older printers/MFP’s,” he says. He adds that there are steps that can be taken to ensure that solutions are fully secure. “Select a reputable cloud print service provider that has a strong track record in security,” he says. “In addition, ensure that data in transit and at rest is encrypted and there are strict access controls to limit who can access your cloud resources.” There should also be regular back-ups of data, as well as system updates and security patches, along with data loss prevention measures to monitor and prevent unauthorised sharing of data, he adds. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should also be part of a solution, along with the employment of endpoint detection and response technology, to provide continuous monitoring for suspicious activities or anomalies, Graham says. Paul adds that leading cloud service providers, like AWS or Microsoft Azure, are architected to be the most flexible and secure cloud computing environments available today. “All cloud solutions that follow their security guidelines are leaning on the most
secure data environments available,” he adds. “If businesses want to build such security into their own networks, they need a dedicated (and expensive) team of certified security professionals that understand and implement best practices consistently and continuously. Most companies don’t have the resources to do it themselves – or buy it in. That’s why they choose to use solutions that lean on cloud service providers, like AWS or Microsoft Azure, which have already made and continue to make significant investments in security. “All reputable cloud software providers also engage third party audits to certify the soundness of their security practices. These certifications include the likes of Service Organization Control 2, ISO27001 and National Institute of Standards and Technology. They assure consumers that the provider’s security practices, including preventative and responsive protocols, have been tested and certified as reliable.” Reseller conversations Security is one of the vital areas that SMEs are concerned about with cloud printing and is something that should be in conversations resellers have with customers about it. Although Paul says it isn’t about ‘selling’ cloud these days. “Stop talking about cloud!” he says. “We know that businesses want to be able to log in from anywhere and without using a license key. They need remote set up, configuration, reporting and monitoring. All that and more is only available with cloud printing. So, don’t ‘sell’ cloud; just ask questions about what the customer needs – knowing that the answer always ends up in the cloud.” Phillip adds that solution providers must provide resellers with all the information required to overcome any barriers that SMEs may perceive to have. “We know that
Arjan Paulussen, managing director,
UK, Western Europe & English-Speaking Africa
lexmark.com
Paul Vogt VP Partner Strategies
loftware.com
Leading cloud service providers, like AWS or Microsoft Azure, are architected to be the most flexible and secure cloud computing environments available today. “
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