Cloud native MFPs

[SalesServiceGuy]

[SalesServiceGuy]

Re: Cloud native MFPs

An edge device is essentially just a bridge between two networks. These can be two on-premises networks, but an edge device can also be used for cloud connectivity. The important thing to keep in mind is that the two networks are otherwise not connected to one another and might have major architectural differences.

There are two basic things that an edge device must do. First, the edge device must provide physical connectivity to both networks. The second thing that it must do is allow traffic to traverse the two networks when necessary.

Initially, an edge device was defined simply as a piece of hardware that enables communications between two networks. Over time, though, edge devices have evolved, with new types of edge devices being introduced. The most notable of these additions is the IoT edge device.

IoT devices are commonly defined as nontraditional, internet-enabled devices that are connected to a network or to the internet. In industrial settings, however, sensors commonly make up the bulk of the IoT devices in use. These might include things such as temperature sensors, moisture sensors or radio-frequency identification (RFID) scanners. Although these types of devices aren't edge devices, they are commonly connected to an edge gateway. The idea behind this architecture is that, because IoT devices generate data, they must be placed as closely as possible to the systems that use them. Hence, IoT devices commonly send data through a gateway -- an edge device -- which then passes the data to the computing infrastructure that ultimately stores, analyzes or processes data.

One of the problems that has long plagued IoT devices is that they can generate massive amounts of data. This data must be analyzed if it is to be of use. This can be especially problematic if the data must be uploaded to a cloud service, as doing so incurs direct costs related to the uploading, processing and storage of the data. Depending on the volume of data to be uploaded, the availability of internet bandwidth might also be an issue. Intelligent edge devices, which are sometimes referred to as IoT edge devices, can help with these problems.

An intelligent edge device is a sophisticated IoT device that performs some degree of data processing within the device itself. For example, an intelligent industrial sensor might use artificial intelligence (AI) to determine whether a part is defective. Other examples of intelligent edge devices include computer vision systems and some speech recognition devices.

[SalesServiceGuy]

Re: Cloud native MFPs

What is zero trust and how does IT work?

Zero Trust is a security framework requiring all users, whether in or outside the organization's network, to be authenticated, authorized, and continuously validated for security configuration and posture before being granted or keeping access to applications and data.

[SalesServiceGuy]

Re: Cloud native MFPs

To ensure the highest security, Cloud API SDK can be used for integration with leading cloud-based identity providersCloud Identity, which enable multi-factor authentication and single sign-on (SSO) for users.

... how is the average copier technician suppose to configure all of this stuff who does not spend their whole day in the IT world?

... is the copier industry moving to a place where for a monthly fee, the OEM employing Help Desk experts can configure all of this remotely?

... yet we have all experienced Help Desk assistants where English is a second language to themselves and can be hard to understand.

[rthonpm]

Re: Cloud native MFPs

... how is the average copier technician suppose to configure all of this stuff who does not spend their whole day in the IT world?

The answer is that techs won't be configuring AAD or other SSO solutions for customers. It will be up to an administrator for the customer's tenant to add the device to their cloud service, likely using an onboard browser from the machine. This isn't like the old days of configuring accounts for SMB scanning provided by an admin: these are all web-based enrollments requiring administrative permissions in a cloud service.

From a customer's perspective, I wouldn't want to give any outside tech access to the credentials for cloud administration, nor would I expect a technician to set them up. Even in my own company, the number of people who can add devices or users to our cloud providers can be counted on two fingers.

Sent from my BlackBerry using Tapatalk

[PrintWhisperer]

Re: Cloud native MFPs

To ensure the highest security, ....

... how is the average copier technician suppose to configure all of this stuff who does not spend their whole day in the IT world?

... is the copier industry moving to a place where for a monthly fee, the OEM employing Help Desk experts can configure all of this remotely?

... yet we have all experienced Help Desk assistants where English is a second language to themselves and can be hard to understand.

I salute you for the summary but these are the same questions we were asking 20 years ago, only the details have changed.

What you see now is that full separation of the 'Haves' and the 'Have Nots' from the revenue stream of Professional/Managed Network Services.

Haves: Began a program of funding Network Trained personnel and Sales Training for migrating their Dealership into one capable of meeting advanced connectivity needs. They have realized the profitability, won more deals, and grown with technology.

Have Nots: Gave away their (lowly trained and limited) connectivity services to win a deal, failing to establish a revenue stream and increasing the 'race-to-the-bottom' of service pricing. They lose opportunity in every deal to another company doing their customer's IT work.

Due to this downward spiral, the average screw-turner salary does not attract an Associates level education in electronics (as it once was) and the candidate likely to take said salary is not very apt to engage in advanced network study. The 'Have Nots' will NEVER break out of this cycle, and only survive in the remotest of locations with no competition, never realizing the profit level of the 'Haves'.

What you are pointing out is that both the Cloud Providers and the Manufacturers have found a way around this weak link in the middle. Networks still need administration, but the machine specific knowledge of a break fix tech in connecting a device is something neither of them can count on anymore.

For the last 10 years I have watched the 'Haves' buy-out the 'Have-Nots'.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Cloud native MFPs

For the last 10 years I have watched the 'Haves' buy-out the 'Have-Nots'.

I don't disagree but what I've seen is that over the past 20-years, the big players have gobbled up the locally owned dealerships. The big companies would rather buy out the local dealership and have a ready made customer base as opposed to having to start from scratch and they'll pay big money if there's enough profitable accounts on the books.

Many years ago I faced with this very scenario. I wasn't looking to sell but as Don Corleone said: They made me an offer that I couldn't refuse.

[rthonpm]

Re: Cloud native MFPs

For most of the businesses I support, the purpose of an MFP has completely flipped. Instead of being a device to replicate paper, it's being used to convert paper and deliver electronic files. It's now a factor of what the device is connected to as opposed to how fast it spits out paper.

Most printing is from the Document Server function for forms and checklists that rarely change and are only needed for a short time. Printing is more of a convenience than a necessity, while scanning is the more urgent need.

Anyone still stuck in the idea of seeing an MFP primarily as a paper output device is already about a decade back in thinking. Now there are exceptions, but for many customers now a hard copy is just something to get lost or thrown out: it's not a primary part of their operations. It's their data on their servers and storage systems that are of crucial operations to their business. To paraphrase one of my customers: if it isn't in SharePoint, it doesn't exist.



Sent from my BlackBerry using Tapatalk

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Cloud native MFPs

. To paraphrase one of my customers: if it isn't in SharePoint, it doesn't exist.



Sent from my BlackBerry using Tapatalk

Just a quick comment. You introduced me to SharePoint a while back (and a bunch of other stuff ). Even though I have a physical server, I have moved almost everything over to SharePoint. In my mind, it was an easy decision.

You've covered it in the past but the data is probably more secure vs. a traditional server and sharing is much easier. I'll stop before I get too far out over my skis.

PS - Feel free to correct anything I said.

[PrintWhisperer]

Re: Cloud native MFPs

I don't disagree but what I've seen is that over the past 20-years, the big players have gobbled up the locally owned dealerships. The big companies would rather buy out the local dealership and have a ready made customer base as opposed to having to start from scratch and they'll pay big money if there's enough profitable accounts on the books.

I think what you are missing is how the big companies got big, and how they use their 'big' money. You cannot blame it on deep pockets. The reason 'Have-Nots' leap at these deals is that they are starving. If they are in a remote area with no competition they have a hard time finding skilled labor.
The reason the deals are offered is because the 'Haves' see how mis-managed these territories are due to not exploiting the deeper and more profitable customer relationship within IT Services.

Professional Services and Network Services have vastly greater profit margins, and continue to be the path that copier dealers should follow for increased opportunities.

This article is about 5 years old now, but shows the level of thinking being applied to this area of the business:

Service Leadership Newsletter - March 2017
State of the Copier IT Industry

[rthonpm]

Re: Cloud native MFPs

It's more of an operational preference as to where data resides. Security is rather strong either way, but it really depends on what you want to be able to access outside of your network or share externally.

For me: my file server contains the files I will only need in the office. Operating system ISO files, installers and license keys for software, etc. SharePoint Online is where all of the little files live: forms, receipts, general documents, even my service manuals.

For some of my customers, their proprietary files live on-prem like design files, blueprints, massive analysis results, etc. SharePoint Online contains their documentation, certification reports, employee training docs, contracts or other documents shared with customers.

For most of my customers, the only real access they have to their SharePoint Online tenant is through Microsoft Teams, which is probably the cleanest front end ever developed for SharePoint as it makes provisioning and assigning permissions easy without any IT interaction.

Sent from my BlackBerry using Tapatalk

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Cloud native MFPs

I think what you are missing is how the big companies got big, and how they use their 'big' money. You cannot blame it on deep pockets. The reason 'Have-Nots' leap at these deals is that they are starving. If they are in a remote area with no competition they have a hard time finding skilled labor.
The reason the deals are offered is because the 'Haves' see how mis-managed these territories are due to not exploiting the deeper and more profitable customer relationship within IT Services.

Professional Services and Network Services have vastly greater profit margins, and continue to be the path that copier dealers should follow for increased opportunities.

This article is about 5 years old now, but shows the level of thinking being applied to this area of the business:

Service Leadership Newsletter - March 2017
State of the Copier IT Industry

Again, I don't disagree. But I think it would be a mistake to make the blanket statement that all (or the majority) of the mom & pop dealerships jump on the buyout offer because they were starving. I personally know several owners that sold because the money was right and it made sense. Also, I think it's a mistake to say "deep pockets" doesn't play a huge role. Not only in the copier business but most technology companies.

Elon Musk just bought Twitter and they weren't starving or hurting. It just made financial sense.

My 2-cents.

[rthonpm]

Re: Cloud native MFPs

In terms of the Haves and Have-Nots: a lot of the Have-Nots refused to do the investment in their staff. If you're getting people trained on IT and connectivity skills you can't pay them what you were when it was just paper spitting out of the machine that was part of the sale. That's even assuming that they even looked at trying to give their people the skills instead of relying on them to pick it up on their own.

The dealer I was with before I went off on my own was flush with good contracts and bringing in a tidy profit. As all of the techs started to need to know the intricacies of the IT side of the operation, the compensation didn't keep up. A few techs were able to roll over to first tier (phone level) IT help desk roles for twice what they were making. I bumped up my own IT certs and was all but running the IT side of a few customers and never saw more than a dollar or two increase. Before that, I had worked for Ricoh direct, and to even be considered for a tech position I needed CompTIA's A+ and Network+ certs. Huge mistake when I moved out of the area to go with that dealer.

Copier techs have been underpaid for years, but this move towards connectivity has really drained a lot of the good younger guys out of the field leaving this a greying industry in a lot of places.

Sent from my BlackBerry using Tapatalk

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Cloud native MFPs

In terms of the Haves and Have-Nots: a lot of the Have-Nots refused to do the investment in their staff. If you're getting people trained on IT and connectivity skills you can't pay them what you were when it was just paper spitting out of the machine that was part of the sale. That's even assuming that they even looked at trying to give their people the skills instead of relying on them to pick it up on their own.

The dealer I was with before I went off on my own was flush with good contracts and bringing in a tidy profit. As all of the techs started to need to know the intricacies of the IT side of the operation, the compensation didn't keep up. A few techs were able to roll over to first tier (phone level) IT help desk roles for twice what they were making. I bumped up my own IT certs and was all but running the IT side of a few customers and never saw more than a dollar or two increase. Before that, I had worked for Ricoh direct, and to even be considered for a tech position I needed CompTIA's A+ and Network+ certs. Huge mistake when I moved out of the area to go with that dealer.

Copier techs have been underpaid for years, but this move towards connectivity has really drained a lot of the good younger guys out of the field leaving this a greying industry in a lot of places.

Sent from my BlackBerry using Tapatalk

This is something I've been kicking around.

How much IT training does a copier company want to give to a copier tech? I'm talking about beyond the basics related the the copier?

Personally, I would keep it separate. I think. I would have a separate IT department and just train on the basics for a copier tech.

rthonpm is a rare duck in that he's a pro at both but I don't think that's the norm.

[PrintWhisperer]

Re: Cloud native MFPs

This is something I've been kicking around.

How much IT training does a copier company want to give to a copier tech? I'm talking about beyond the basics related the the copier?

Personally, I would keep it separate. I think. I would have a separate IT department and just train on the basics for a copier tech.

NOW you are starting to get the problem. Everything else you said is pretty much anecdotal and doesn't fit with the facts, maybe spend some time in that article I posted. Here's my cool story...what happened to the deep pocket Global money....sold off to Xerox now trying to do the Direct Op thing Ricoh failed at so recently. Big or small, management and vision makes the difference.

"It made sense" covers a lot of ground. As rthonpm identified, these 20th century minded dealers often do not have the savvy or resources to do what you are beginning to identify here...create a separate business group trained to deliver these services.

I am the tech-turned geek and I have been living and watching this equation for over 20 years son.

You must realize it's not a copier anymore....it's a computer wrapped in a print engine with a scanner sitting on top.

Customers who are using it as such need more than a copier dealer who grew from a typewriter repair shop model.