Microsofts new 'Universal Print' option on 365

[JayPaul]

Re: Microsofts new 'Universal Print' option on 365

Thanks Slimslob but I already made the pop up drivers for them a while back which function very well. My query is that when they start using Azure and this 'Universal print connector' will it properly allow them to switch straigh back to the driver I created. On the MS website it does say you can change the print driver in the same way you can now by going to printer properties, advanced, new driver... etc But I am skeptical it will function exactly the same still, as the info now has to pass through a Microsoft connector product along the way. For me print drivers and Microsoft go together like a firework factory and a lit match. Devastating to all involved.

[parvaz]

Re: Microsofts new 'Universal Print' option on 365

Thanks Slimslob but I already made the pop up drivers for them a while back which function very well. My query is that when they start using Azure and this 'Universal print connector' will it properly allow them to switch straigh back to the driver I created. On the MS website it does say you can change the print driver in the same way you can now by going to printer properties, advanced, new driver... etc But I am skeptical it will function exactly the same still, as the info now has to pass through a Microsoft connector product along the way. For me print drivers and Microsoft go together like a firework factory and a lit match. Devastating to all involved.

Hi Jay

First of all thank you for all the info in this thread this has helped me more than Microsoft support. Thank You

Were you able to make this work with Universal Print? I am in the same situation currently. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank You in advance.

[Mark Bbb]

Re: Microsofts new 'Universal Print' option on 365

Hi all, I have been asked by potential new customer if 04s and IMC model machines will work with Microsofts new 'Universal Print' function, where by everything is cloud based and the customer can connect to their 365 account from home and print to any installed printer on their Azure AD.

That is the link to it if you want to know what I mean, I notice Ricoh is not one of the brands on their page.
Does anyone know if this will work on the Ricohs or not, I imagine it would but seeing as this is a fairly new thing from Microsoft I'm not sure if anyone has done it or seen it in action yet?
Customer wants me to provide some kind of evidence that it works by end of tomorrow or we could lose the deal. I appreciate most people probably haven't even heard of this yet but if you know somewhere that has it working, would be great.

I've watched the video in your link above and saw a Canon MFP in the clip.
Could it be that this "universal print" is just an ordinary Canon driver?
Some say that in the next 10 years some MFP brands will disappear, it seems to me that Microsoft has made her choice already...

[tonerhead]

Re: Microsofts new 'Universal Print' option on 365

Looks to be nothing more than a cloud based print server on M$ Azure server. I would dare to say of course it would work because all of the heavy lifting is done through the server. Looks like any other server printer install, load the drivers, and share out the printer. I really don't see that this is any different than what is already out there. I can already print to any printer in all 6 of our company locations with use of vpn from anywhere. This is just done as a cloud base on Azure server.

M$ smoke and mirrors trying to make something "fantastic" to sucker a customer into an Azure server. It will go the way of Microsoft XPS print drivers. DOA.

[PrintWhisperer]

Re: Microsofts new 'Universal Print' option on 365

Looks to be nothing more than a cloud based print server on M$ Azure server. I would dare to say of course it would work because all of the heavy lifting is done through the server. Looks like any other server printer install, load the drivers, and share out the printer. I really don't see that this is any different than what is already out there. I can already print to any printer in all 6 of our company locations with use of vpn from anywhere. This is just done as a cloud base on Azure server.

M$ smoke and mirrors trying to make something "fantastic" to sucker a customer into an Azure server. It will go the way of Microsoft XPS print drivers. DOA.

That pretty much sums it up. Another boondoggle where you never know about the restrictions until you run into them.

Stuff like the email transfer limits set up under O365 and 'noisy neighbor' policies designed to throttle your access.

Even worse, Universal Print will take the form of a web app in that all the print data will flow through the TLS protocol like email. This is problematic because you can no longer see the print data, or modify print methods with changing port types.


I can think of several applications which will not work under this model...and let's not forget what Google did with Cloud Print.

The cloud is great until it rains

[SalesServiceGuy]

Re: Microsofts new 'Universal Print' option on 365

Toshiba intends to release new firmware in July that will support new cloud services such as Universal Print from Microsoft and Native Print from Chrome OS.

No one has yet asked me for Universal Print but I have a lot of MS365 customers and growing so I know the request will soon become common place.

[JayPaul]

Re: Microsofts new 'Universal Print' option on 365

Hi Jay

First of all thank you for all the info in this thread this has helped me more than Microsoft support. Thank You

Were you able to make this work with Universal Print? I am in the same situation currently. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank You in advance.

Parvaz,
I was asked to get it setup but when I explained the work needs to be done by the IT guy, they said he is really busy with stuff at the moment... So I'm kind of stuck and zero progress has been made. Honestly I'm not even sure what is expected of me right now as I can't do anything. I just want the whole thing over with as it has been looming in the back of my mind for about 10 months already. They will probably phone up some time and say ok it needs to be done today and we don't know what to do and somehow it will all be my fault.
When armageddon comes I will update on here with as much detail as I can to help others from this mess in future.
Realistically it should go something like this...
-Customer wants Universal Print on Azure, they request it from provider/dealer
-Dealer makes sure network details are correct and firmware up to date etc
-Customers IT who control Azure read the How To guide on Microsofts website
-IT set it up, test it and share it with staff
-Everyone is happy...

[slimslob]

Re: Microsofts new 'Universal Print' option on 365

Parvaz,
I was asked to get it setup but when I explained the work needs to be done by the IT guy, they said he is really busy with stuff at the moment... So I'm kind of stuck and zero progress has been made. Honestly I'm not even sure what is expected of me right now as I can't do anything. I just want the whole thing over with as it has been looming in the back of my mind for about 10 months already. They will probably phone up some time and say ok it needs to be done today and we don't know what to do and somehow it will all be my fault.
When armageddon comes I will update on here with as much detail as I can to help others from this mess in future.
Realistically it should go something like this...
-Customer wants Universal Print on Azure, they request it from provider/dealer
-Dealer makes sure network details are correct and firmware up to date etc
-Customers IT who control Azure read the How To guide on Microsofts website
-IT set it up, test it and share it with staff
-Everyone is happy...

And if they expect you to do the IT work they need to first get rid of their current IT and issue a written contract with you to do the work.

[Phil B.]

Re: Microsofts new 'Universal Print' option on 365

And if they expect you to do the IT work they need to first get rid of their current IT and issue a written contract with you to do the work.

+1

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[PrintWhisperer]

Re: Microsofts new 'Universal Print' option on 365

And if they expect you to do the IT work they need to first get rid of their current IT and issue a written contract with you to do the work.

[tonerhead]

Re: Microsofts new 'Universal Print' option on 365



I went from a copier company that was giving away IT like crazy to one that is the other extreme. First it was hard because you want to take care of the customer. Now that I have been here for a while, in hindsight, the customers were really taking advantage of me and prior employer. Customers here know if they want IT they need to buy a contract for it. Overall a few are upset, but the rest seem to realize that computers, networks, and software are seperate from copier hardware. It is not our fault that WindBlows decides to update and no one can print/scan.

At this point the customer can either:
A. Pay IT to figure it out
B. Pay us or buy our IT contract
C. Figure it out themselves

So:
1. They don't want to pay for IT that knows little about copiers
2. They can't figure it out themselves
3. They call us for an IT contract (minimum IT pays for 60% of IT contract, so most go for yearly contract)

At first it was hard, but now it is quite easy to bill for IT work.