Secure Release Services: Overview

What is Secure Release?

Secure Release is a cloud-based solution that allows people in your organization to securely release their print jobs at a conveniently located printer. In the system, a user sends a print job to the secure queue, where the job is held until the user is physically present at their preferred device to release the document. This secure workflow ensures that the document owner is the only person who can print the document, and it prevents documents from being forgotten and left in printer trays where anyone can access them.

Secure Release supports the following network structure:

  • Secure Release Local Connector - With this configuration, the on-premise component (i.e. Device Scout) is hosted on your local Windows server. For information on how to configure Secure Release Local Connector, refer to the Secure Release Setup Guide document.
  • Secure Release Cloud Connector - This option supports internet-only environments (sometimes referred to as zero-trust networks), which means you can fully eliminate your print infrastructure; there are no print servers, print drivers or queues to manage. For information on how to configure Cloud Connector, refer to the Configuring Secure Release Cloud Connector document.

Benefits of Secure Release

  • Security – A print job can only be released by the person who submitted it. People authenticate at a printer using their registered email address and PIN code or proximity card, so they must be present to collect their documents. This prevents unauthorized users from accessing potentially sensitive information.
  • User convenience
    • Users can submit jobs from their iOS or Android devices (if the Mobile Submission feature is enabled).
    • Users can release print jobs from their iOS or Android devices (if this feature is enabled).
    • Users can collect their documents at any secured device in the organization's network, even if the printer is on a different floor or in a separate building.
  • Cost savings
    • Print jobs will automatically expire if they are not released within a defined period of time.

    • As a cloud solution, there are no extra servers to install or manage.

Secure Release On-Premises Components

To use Secure Release, you will need to install the following components on your local area network.

  • Device Scout - This component is typically installed on a Windows server. Depending on your license, the Device Scout will:
    • Discover network-attached print devices, collects device data, secures devices, and authenticates users to Active Directory. It also controls the Secure Printer app running on the printer. (requires Secure Release license)
    • Discover printers compatible with Direct Print. (requires Direct Print license)

After your network print devices are discovered, they are listed in the Secure > Secure Printers screen or Direct > Direct Printers screen (for those with Direct Print license). See Device Scout Overview for more information.

Note: The Device Scout is required only for sites configured with the Secure Release Local Connector architecture. Cloud Connector does not require Device Scout.

  • Print Scout - The Print Scout is installed on user workstations and optionally on a Windows server. It stores encrypted print jobs, optionally sends encrypted jobs to the cloud queue and decrypts and sends print jobs to secure printers. See Print Scout Overview for more information.

Other Components

  • Pharos Secure Release mobile app - Allows print users to submit or release documents using the Pharos Secure Release mobile app. The app is available for iOS and Android mobile devices.
  • Pharos Chome Print - The Chrome extension enables users to print from Chromebooks or the Chrome browser. If licensed for Direct Print, it also allows users to send and print their documents directly to the printer.
  • Pharos Secure Release desktop app - is a desktop application installed with the Windows or macOS Print Scout that allows end users to manage their documents.

  • Pharos Secure Release Setup Guide - a setup wizard installed with the Print Scout which shows users how to set up their workstation and mobile device for Secure Release.

  • Device Discovery and Deployment Utility - a standalone utility that is used to secure printers with Cloud Connector. It is also used to deploy Ethernet 241.

Secure Release Release Options

Secure Release provides these release options:

  • Mobile Release(QR Code) - Users release documents from a secure printer using the Secure Release mobile app. The app is available for iOS and Android mobile devices.
  • Printer Screen - Users release documents from a secured printer using any of the following release methods. The available method depends on your authentication provider (e.g. email auth, OpenID or AD) as well as your printer model. For example, passcode authentication is supported only on KM and HP devices.
    • Proximity card
    • Keypad (registered email address and PIN code or username and password)
    • Passcode authentication
    • Touchless printing with proximity card
  • SR25 Hardware - Users release their documents using a proximity card attached to the SR25 (a hardware device attached to the back of the printer). This option is available only if you have SR25 Hardware license.
  • Ethernet 241 Hardware - Users release their documents using a proximity card attached to the Ethernet 241(a hardware device attached to the back of the printer). This option is available only if you have Ethernet 241 Hardware license.

The Secure Release release options that are available depend on the features that you are licensed for. For example, SR25 Hardware will not be available if you do not have a license for that feature.

Mobile Release may be the best available option if a printer does not support proximity card, password/PIN authentication or SR25 Hardware.

End user workflow

  1. Users print their documents. Depending on how your print environment is set up, there are different ways to send documents to Secure Release:
    1. Submit document to the secure queue installed by the Print Scout.
    2. Submit documents via the mobile app.
    3. Submit documents to the secure queue installed via the Universal Print integration.
  2. Print jobs are held on the individual's workstation and in the cloud (if licensed).
  3. Employees walk up to their preferred or most convenient printer, authenticate, and then release their documents.

Print Job Storage

Print jobs are stored encrypted on individual workstations (on-premises) and in the cloud if enabled. Cloud storage ensures that the documents can be printed even if the workstation goes offline or into sleep mode. There's also an option to release jobs via the print servers instead of local workstations.

Secure Release Setup Guide

The Setup Guide section defines the steps you need to follow to configure.