You know Xerox is onto something big, or what portends to be something big, when they present an hour-long, well-scripted and choreographed Webinar hosted by industry analyst Bob Palmer. That happened this past Monday, February 11 in advance of the February 13 rollout of ConnectKey, a software system embedded in Xerox MFPs along with a set of solutions designed to accommodate the mobile workforce and the need for more advanced IT security across connected devices.
Starting this month Xerox is rolling out 16 ConnectKey MFPs, including the WorkCentre 5800 and 7800 Series, which reportedly use the industry’s first embedded security protection from McAfee. This, according to Xerox will give IT managers more control and peace of mind in “bring your own device” (BYOD) workplaces. ConnectKey MFPs also have an extra layer of security via Cisco’s TrustSec, which protects data paths to and from the devices.
With ConnectKey’s open Application Programming Interface (API), sales channel partners, systems integrators and resellers can develop and embed apps on the MFP with no additional software requirements.
“ConnectKey was designed for one purpose: to simplify how work gets done in a secure, ‘always on’ world,” says Douraid Zaghouani, president, Channel Partner Operations, Xerox. “Through the MFP as a secure hub, ConnectKey’s features include the ability to scan and upload documents to cloud repositories, send business-critical documents directly into workflow processes and print securely and easily from any mobile device.”
Xerox claims ConnectKey’s solutions give IT professionals, channel partners and large, medium and small workplaces fast and easy ways to get work done, including:
- · Standard apps or build-your-own: Xerox’s App Studio will let users and channel partners customize apps that make daily work processes faster. For example, a custom app for a health insurance company could scan reimbursement claims directly into the payment system from the MFP screen.
- · Print from anywhere: Workers can print from any email-enabled mobile device without special software with Xerox Mobile Print, or use apps with additional convenience features developed for iOS, Android, Windows and Blackberry. Users have the added flexibility of choosing to implement mobile print as either a cloud-based or on-site solution.
- Cloud access: With a single touch – and no middleware – ConnectKey Share to Cloud moves documents to repositories, such as SharePoint Online, Google Drive, DropBox, Evernote, PaperPort Anywhere and Salesforce.com. It also allows automatic conversion to searchable PDF, Word or Excel, making documents easier to manage for the future.
- Connect to SharePoint: Office workers can browse, convert and store documents in SharePoint and network folders, or store directly to their SharePoint My Site or home folder. With a focus on ease of installation and maintenance, it’s designed for small and midsized businesses.
- Easy IT integration: ConnectKey MFPs can be managed as a central part of the network, much like servers, for straightforward set-up and service. Troubleshooting and training can be addressed remotely by IT administrators, or self-help can be initiated with online support and videos on the front panel.
All components are designed to fit together.
“The platform approach is essential because you want to move the solutions where the customers want them, laptop, device, cloud, etc.” notes Rick Dastin, president, Xerox Office & Solutions Business Group. “What we’re selling is our platform value proposition. “What we’re doing here is changing the value proposition and raising it above the box.”
It’s a value proposition that sits above our box, you buy into our platform story, and then we’ll have whatever you need to fit your price point, etc. This is where the ConnectKey solution comes, creating software that’s consistent and standardized.”
The key to ConnectKey is simplicity, especially when it comes to mobility.
“Today, there’s mobile systems all over the place, they don’t connect together well, and they create a system where it’s hard to manage and we think our ConnectKey will make it a lot simpler and connect all the pieces together and have the ability to be mobile and to get the workflow people want and do it in a secure way,” notes Dastin.
I spoke to a few industry analysts to get their take on the ConnectKey, and while some are still digesting the information, others aren’t ready to rave about it just yet. A couple of analysts were able to go on the record by my deadline, including Andy Slawetsky, president of Industry Analysts, who said, “The ConnectKey suite offers some great enhancements to workflow and addresses serious needs with respect to mobile printing.”
Ron Glaz, program director for hardcopy software and services at IDC adds, “Xerox ConnectKey is big in the sense that this is the first OS that consolidates all the digital transformation features required for today and future businesses under one umbrella. What I mean by that is that all the technologies that are available under ConnectKey are available to business as individual applications. Today businesses are acquiring similar solutions to those available with ConnectKey (such as security mobile print solutions, remote management. cloud, scanning etc) as individual apps and stack them into their MFP/MFD. The issues with the current way is the complexity of integration and deployment. ConnectKey alleviates these issues, all the solution are already integrated and that simplifies deployment enabling deployment across the entire business spectrum.
“In addition, adding secured solutions designed to support BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) will help IT accept employees use of personal devices in the office.”
I’m sure we’ll hear more about ConnectKey from the analyst community in the weeks and months to come.
The Xerox WorkCentre 5800 Series (45-, 55-, 65-, 75-, 90-ppm) and the WorkCentre 7800 Series (30/30-, 35/35-, 45/45-, 50/55-ppm) are available now; the WorkCentre 7220/7225, the Xerox ColorQube 9300 Series and the Xerox ColorQube 8700/8900 Series with the ConnectKey Controllers will be available in the second quarter.
The ConnectKey for SharePoint and ConnectKey Share to Cloud are available now; the Xerox Apps Studio will be available early in the third quarter.
If you’d like to learn more about ConnectKey, visit www.xerox.com/connectkey.
