|
FollowMe
| In network printing environments, the ease with which you, and only you, get your printouts on shared printers is important. Maybe you have invested in color, large-format or multifunctional printers to meet a variety of demands cost effectively, and now you need a way of preventing unauthorised use, by controlling access to extended capabilities, or simply by ensuring that users pay fairly for their printing. Or do you need to route print jobs to different printers for users who use different desks on each trip to the office – or even different offices throughout your organisation? |
FollowMe Printing intercepts documents printed from any Windows PC, and holds them until the correct recipient identifies him- or herself at any of the printers designated for their use, before outputting to paper. Individual users can also be assigned credit limits – or can pay for printing or copying at a FollowMe kiosk – to prevent the misuse of expensive resources or consumables. Users can also be designated time zones to allow printing or copying at certain times only. |
How FollowMe works
FollowMe printing is an integrated solution, comprising port monitor and client software on the user’s computer, a queue server, which runs on a Windows PC, and an identification device connected to the LAN and located close to a networked HP printer.
The port monitor routes print jobs to the queue server. By clustering queue servers, FollowMe can reroute print jobs to overcome hardware problems.
A web interface lets users print Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Office files for designated users over the Internet, at other offices, or at any of the FollowMe Global Network Partner sites in hotels, airports and public areas. Between submitting the job and releasing it, the user can control it using the FollowMe Client software, which lets them Print & Retain, Print & Delete, Delete, view or print the job list, manipulate document details, or request additional copies after proof reading. |
At the printer, FollowMe printing uses PIN codes, fingerprints, swipe or proximity cards to identify the user and release the print job. Messages on the
front panel inform users about their credit level, print job status or access rights, as appropriate.
An optional cable, to connect the FollowMe Printing identification device to the copy unit of the HP LaserJet MFP, extends authorised access and tracking to valuable copy functionalities too.
FollowMe administration, (part of the queue server), makes it possible to assign restrictions and permissions to different users, and to extract information on print jobs including the user, printer, number of pages, time and date, to help compile accurate records of printing and copying costs. |
Characteristics
- controlled printing and copying – restrict use as necessary
- convenient printing – users print when and where they like
- collect from any location (LAN, intranet, Internet)
|
- monitor printing and copying costs, generate reports on an individual or
departmental basis
- options available (number of copies, job retention or deleting) to control
printing and eliminate waste
- a variety of identification methods: proximity card, magnetic swipe card,
PIN, or fingerprint (biometric) readers are available
|
Areas of Application
- personal printing from shared printers
- ensuring sensitive documents are not left unattended in the printer’s output tray
|
- controlling the use of printing and copying resources and consumables
- implement pre-paid printing
- implement fault-tolerant printing
|
Special Features
- complete software/hardware package requiring minimal set up and low maintenance
- direct and simple Ethernet connection to identification device
- prints to all internal or external print servers
|
- print server clustering to ensure redundant print paths
- messages on the printers front panel to indicate credit level, print job status
and user’s access rights
- FollowMe Pay kiosk for 24 hour pre-pay printing
|
Printer Compatibility Print Datasheet PDF
|
