HYBRID CLOUD PRINT SOLUTIONS
Cloud with a silver lining Hybrid cloud print solutions have become increasingly popular in recent years, but there is still reticence among some SMEs to make the leap from on-premise solutions – but these barriers can be overcome and resellers have a crucial role to play in this.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit five years ago, many businesses have embraced digitalisation and cloud-based solutions as more of the workforce now work outside of the office for at least some of the week and need to be able to work and communicate as effectively as if they were in the office. As part of this, hybrid cloud print solutions have become more popular. Indeed, as Stuart Miller, director UK&I at Canon Channel Partners, notes, recent research from Quocirca revealed that 74% of businesses are now using a mix of on- premise and cloud-based solutions. “Across sectors, we are seeing businesses adopt a hybrid approach to the cloud to enhance integration across both print and digital environments,” he says. Ian Fox, UK channel solutions and services specialist at Xerox, agrees that the increase in remote and hybrid working has significantly increased the popularity of hybrid cloud print solutions in recent years. “IT managers can struggle to deliver secure and functional print to their hybrid workers when using traditional solutions, so demand is growing,” he says. “I wouldn’t say that demand is driven by sector, but more by working practices and policies that organisations adopt. These tend to drive the need as users request access from multiple locations.” Graham Foxwell, product marketing lead at Kyocera Document Solutions UK, agrees that hybrid cloud print options, which use both public and private cloud, are becoming more popular. “These solutions offer unparalleled flexibility, scalability, and enhanced security,
making them particularly attractive to sectors such as education, finance, housing associations, pharmaceutical and healthcare, education and government, where strong data security and compliance are paramount,” he says. Cameron Mitchell, business leader for Indirect Channel at Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) Ltd, agrees that sectors that place a premium on security and compliance, including legal, healthcare, and education, have shown the strongest interest. “That being said, industries across the board are beginning to recognise the benefits, especially those with mixed operational environments,” he adds. Kerry Rush, product marketing manager at Sharp UK, adds that while demand spans multiple sectors, Sharp is seeing particularly strong uptake in industries with hybrid and remote workforces, such as professional services. “These sectors benefit from the ability to manage print environments centrally while ensuring secure and convenient access for users across multiple locations,” she says. Connor Sadik, sales director of bakergoodchild, notes that traditionally, sectors like finance, healthcare and legal led the way because of their strict compliance and security requirements. “But now, adoption is happening across the board including SME’s because companies of all sizes see the benefits of combining physical and digital communication,” he says. “Consumer expectations have shifted, and businesses need to adapt. Print is no longer a standalone channel; its becoming part of a broader, data-driven strategy.
Stuart Miller, director UK&I Canon channel partners
canon.co.uk
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Across sectors, we are seeing businesses adopt a hybrid approach to the cloud to enhance integration across both print and digital environments.
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