In today’s dynamic, hybrid workplace, few things are more frustrating than being tethered to a specific printer or wrestling with aging print servers. Luckily, cloud print changes the game. It’s a modern approach that lets you print securely from almost any device to authorized printers, regardless of whether you’re working from home, on the road, or in the office.
Read on to learn what cloud print is, how it works, and why organizations are adopting it to reduce costs, improve security, and keep work flowing.
What is Cloud Print?
Put simply, cloud print is a service that routes your print jobs via the internet instead of local print servers. You send a document print request from your laptop, tablet, or phone to a secure cloud service, which handles authentication, routing, and delivery to the right printer. The result: fewer infrastructure headaches and a far more flexible user experience.
Unlike traditional printing, which can lock you into specific networks or devices, cloud print supports location‑agnostic, device‑agnostic printing. It can also ensure that only the intended person collects a given document, preventing sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands.
How Does Cloud Print Work?
While implementations vary, the typical flow looks like this:
- Send — You choose a printer and submit your document from any supported device.
- Secure — The cloud service authenticates your identity and applies any necessary policies (e.g., who can print where, duplex rules, cost controls).
- Route — The job is encrypted and securely routed to the printer or a queue for release.
- Release — You collect your document using a secure method (e.g., badge, PIN, or mobile app), ensuring confidential information stays protected.
This overall architecture helps IT departments reduce complexity (and the number of moving parts), while improving visibility and governance across the print estate.
What are the Benefits of Cloud Print?
There are many benefits to cloud print functionality. Firstly, it enables you to print from anywhere, making it ideal for organizations with hybrid teams, contractors, and satellite offices. Second, it lets you minimize localized print infrastructure and the associated maintenance. Cloud print also facilitates stronger security through encryption, authentication, and secure print release that protects sensitive output.
A cloud print environment is also scalable and resilient, letting administrators add locations, users, and devices without major upgrades. This gives the IT staff better oversight, with centralized analytics that reveal who’s printing what, where, and at what cost.
Cloud Print vs. Traditional Printing
Traditional print landscapes rely on local servers, complex drivers, and tightly‑coupled network setups. They work, but they’re costly to run and can be brittle when users move around. Cloud print replaces that complexity with a managed, policy‑driven service that delivers consistent printing experiences across locations—without the overhead of maintaining server infrastructure. For organizations with compliance needs, secure release and detailed auditing provide extra assurance.
LRS Cloud Print & Scan: Enterprise‑grade Options
If you’re exploring cloud print for your organization, the LRS Cloud Print & Scan portfolio covers the full journey—from direct printing to secure release, scanning, and analytics.
Common Cloud Print Use Cases
There are some environments in which cloud print solutions are particularly useful. For example, they are excellent at supporting hybrid and remote work, letting employees print securely from varied locations without being tied to specific networks. They are also well suited to highly regulated environments, with secure release functions that prevent mis‑delivery and protect sensitive document-based information.
In addition, cloud print is useful in consolidation projects, helping companies move away from dispersed print servers and simplify management. They also support digital workflows when IT staff pair secure print with secure scan capabilities to standardize document capture and routing.
Is Cloud Print Right for Your Organization?
If you’re grappling with rising support costs, inconsistent print experiences, or security concerns, cloud print is well worth a look. It helps you:
- Reduce spending on servers and maintenance
- Strengthen information security at the device
- Standardize user experience across sites
- Gain visibility and control through analytics
When you’re ready, click here to get an overview of LRS’ cloud based solution set or dive straight into specific services like our VPSX/DirectPrint Cloud software or MFPsecure/Print Cloud solution.
Frequently Asked Questions — FAQs
What is secure print release?
It’s a workflow where your job is held in a queue until you authenticate at the device (badge, PIN, or mobile), preventing unclaimed or mis‑delivered pages.
Do I still need print servers?
Many organizations reduce or remove on‑premise servers by adopting cloud print services and direct device‑to‑printer approaches.
Is cloud print safe for confidential documents?
Yes—when implemented with encryption, strong authentication, and secure release policies. Solutions like MFPsecurePrint Cloud are designed specifically for this.
Can cloud print help with sustainability?
Definitely. Analytics and policies (duplex, pull printing, quotas) reduce waste and unnecessary output, while consolidating infrastructure lowers energy use.
What about scanning and digital workflows?
You can pair printing with MFPsecureScan Cloud to standardize capture and route documents into systems of record—securely and with full audit trails.
Take the Next Step
Ready to modernize your print environment? Explore our solutions or contact our team about secure release, direct print, and analytics solutions tailored to your organization.