Canon Keeps its Head in the Cloud with Universal Print

Canon Keeps its Head in the Cloud with Universal Print

Canon has said it will support Universal Print developed by Microsoft as a continuing commitment to cloud-based solutions that enable digital transformation in the USA.

Then imaging OEM said organizations that wish to utilize Universal Print within their environment can benefit from the native support that will be built into imageRUNNER ADVANCE firmware along with the additional capabilities that will be provided by either the free-of-charge uniFLOW Online Express, or optional uniFLOW Online.

Designed to provide a modern print service experience in Microsoft 365 for businesses and educational institutions of any size, Universal Print moves some key Windows Server print infrastructure to Microsoft 365 and offers print management capabilities. As an added convenience, a single generic driver is used, irrespective of the printer model, so no driver management and setup is needed.

Native support for Universal Print with imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX and third-generation imageRUNNER ADVANCE models is set to be included in version 3.11 of the Unified Firmware Platform, which is currently scheduled to release in September 2020. This allows users to print to these models using Universal Print without the need for local print servers. uniFLOW Online Express, a free-of-charge SaaS service also running on Microsoft Azure, will be able to extend the capabilities of Universal Print for these models by providing device authentication, comprehensive print/copy/scan/fax reporting, scan to myself and Google Drive.

“The way people work is changing as cloud adoption and technology continue to expand and evolve, driving digital transformation. Canon’s imageRUNNER ADVANCE multifunction printers along with uniFLOW Online can provide the flexibility and scalability to help address diverse workplace needs,” said Shinichi Yoshida (pictured), executive vice president and general manager, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “As demonstrated by this collaboration with Microsoft, Canon is committed to continuously deliver solutions that support our customers in their journey to the digital workplace.”

uniFLOW Online, an optional 100 percent cloud solution running in various Azure data centers globally, will have the ability to connect natively to Universal Print and offer even more capabilities to the print environment including:

• Secure Print with a single universal queue
• My Print Anywhere allowing users to release their job to any compatible device, including those not supporting Universal Print natively
• Extensive accounting (print, copy, fax, scan), prices, cost centers and reporting
• Support for other client operating systems such as macOS and Chrome OS
• Mobile Printing and Mobile Printing for guests

imageRUNNER ADVANCE devices can be registered to uniFLOW Online in bulk, easing administration burdens. Users are able to select supported finishing options such as duplex, hole-punch and multi-position staple from the Windows print dialogue or the Canon device panel.

“We are excited to be working closely together with Microsoft on the integration of uniFLOW Online and Universal Print,” said Karsten Huster, president and CEO, NT-ware. “The result will be a holistic cloud solution that combines powerful features with straightforward administration.”

Support for Universal Print will be launched with the next uniFLOW Online deployment update, which is currently expected in October 2020. Large organizations have the opportunity to try uniFLOW Online and the Universal Print integration before the official launch date. To learn more, please contact marketing@nt-ware.com.

Issa Khoury, principal program manager lead, Microsoft Corporation, said, “Universal Print was developed to provide our Microsoft 365 customers with an easy-to-use solution to help them migrate and manage their print infrastructure in the cloud. We are happy to be working alongside Canon and NT-ware to expand this offering and help our joint customers meet ever-changing business needs. We are really excited that Canon will have print devices in the market that will have native support for Universal Print.”

About NT-ware Systemprogrammierungs-GmbH
NT-ware develops leading print and scan management products for businesses, educational and healthcare facilities. Founded in 1998 as a small start-up in Bad Iburg, Germany, NT-ware now has subsidiaries in New York, Singapore and Tokyo and counts more than 20,000 customers and around 1,500,000 users all over the world. The products and services are available globally via Canon Inc. and authorized resellers. Canon and NT-ware work in close partnership to develop software solutions, with Canon Europe holding a 70% stake in NT-ware. To keep apprised of the latest news from NT-ware, visit www.uniflowonline.com and follow us on Twitter @ntware and LinkedIn NT-ware.

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