Bits and Dots articles

TIP: HP Web Jetadmin in Vista and Windows 7 Environments

Brian R. Kneebone — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 01:29:06 GMT

Have you ever been working with HP Web Jetadmin in either Windows Vista or Windows 7 and wondered how to refresh the screen without closing the client?

DSS: HP MFP Digital Sending Software 4.18 Released to HP.com

Brian R. Kneebone — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 04:47:00 GMT

This is just a quick note to advise that the HP MFP Digital Sending software (DSS) has been revised to version 4.18. The details for this version and 4.17 enhancements are listed in the "Read Me" which I've copied to my personal site from here.

WJA: HP Web Jetadmin 10 has been updated to 10.2.63313

Brian R. Kneebone — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:13:00 GMT

HP Web Jetadmin was updated a few weeks ago to version 10.2.63313. Please read the "Late Breaking News" and another accompanying documentation for more information. There have been some significant changes to the installation and upgrade abilities from previous versions. As always, for large enterprise customers, test in your development before deploying into production. Notable changes include: upgrade and migration support from 8.x and earlier dropped; Windows Installer 4.5 required; etc.

Some great enhancements have been made for several of my previous enterprise clients including 64-bit server support; suppression of false positive alerts for some devices whose cover are open; improved data collection reliability and maintenance for reporting; addition of a new device modules, notably the HP ScanJet Enterprise 7000n Document Capture Workstation. Nicely done Web Jetadmin team. Thanks for all your hard work.

Download your copy of HP Web Jetadmin now.

VIDEO: Have devices in child groups populate into their parent groups in HP Web Jetadmin 10.x

Brian R. Kneebone — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 13:12:00 GMT

Are you managing a complex group structure in HP Web Jetadmin and looking for an easy way to have devices in child groups populate the parent group as an aggregate? Then view the video tutorial I put together for you here.

Have devices in child groups
populate into their parent groups
in HP Web Jetadmin 10.x

Click Here to launch the video

Please note that clicking the link above will
redirect you towards my personal website
(a non-HP website) where the video I have
created is hosted.

Please be very careful about any auto-group you create in HP Web Jetadmin. Sometimes administrators create policies to trigger against a group which can produce unpredictable results if you're adding large groups of devices you would otherwise not prefer to configure. I strongly recommend customers test in an isolated environment first, then bring over into production afterwards. HP Web Jetadmin 10.2 facilitates this by allowing administrators to import and export groups in its most recent versions.

Take care, B.

Email Subscriptions to this Weblog

Brian R. Kneebone — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 08:37:00 GMT

The feeds to this website are offered in RSS and ATOM. The feeds for this blog are managed by Feedburner which also offers an email subscription option. If you would prefer to be notified of updates this way, Subscribe to the Bits and Dots by email. You can unsubscribe at any time. Note that this service is provided by Feedburner (Google) whose terms of service are described here.

VIDEO: Use HP Web Jetadmin 10.2 or later to configure MFP Home Screens

Brian R. Kneebone — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 23:46:00 GMT

I had a question come up from one of my customers recently about configuring icons at the front panel of HP MFPs. I figured this would be a good opportunity to do up a brief video (10 mins) showing how to hide/display icons as well as offer alternate languages for multi-lingual envirponments. These settings were at the devices already of course (although you may need to update your firmware). But the ability to configure fleet-wide was just introduced in recently with HP Web Jetadmin 10.2 and later.

Use HP Web Jetadmin 10.2 or later
to configure MFP Home Screens

Click Here to launch the video

Please note that clicking the link above will
redirect you towards my personal website
(a non-HP website) where the video I have
created is hosted.

Take care and happy new year! B,

DSS: HP MFP Digital Sending Software 4.16 Released, 4.17 coming soon

Brian R. Kneebone — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 02:12:00 GMT

This is just a quick note to share that DSS 4.16 released a while ago and it's only now that I've been able to update and catch-up on the blog entries. New features and will address customer issues resolved and identified through HP's support and escalation personnel are documented in the "Read Me" I've shared below on my personal site (as the release notes for this product are not published like other HP products on the download site):

http://www.briankneebone.com/docs/copiedfromhp/dss/v4-16/dss-4-16-readme.rtf

In my last DSS-related article I pointed out, thanks to Dave G. for pointing out, that the downloaded file was an ISO. This latest version is back to being a ZIP file, so no need for additional software to mount as a drive or burn to CD is required.

Currently DSS is supported only in Windows 2K, 2K3 (including R2) and XP environments, 32-bit only. Although support for newer OS' is coming sometime in 2010. Also, it took me a while to get posting on 4.16's update, so DSS 4.17 is just around the corner in case you'd prefer to wait for that release. You'll see a post come from me when it's available on the HP.com portal. Download the latest version of HP MFP Digital Sending Software from Hewlett-Packard.

Take care, B.

UPD: HP Universal Print Driver 5.01 Released

Brian R. Kneebone — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:52:00 GMT

The HP Universal Print Driver 5 released earlier this summer. A maintenance release of this version corrects some items listed in the "Breaking News" tab of the HP Universal Print Driver site. Please review the following sources of information:

Detailed release notes for the original HP Universal Print Driver 5.0 launch

NEW: Universal Print Driver System Administrator's Guide

Other documents for WTS, Citrix and Cluster environments published under the "Documents" tab of the UPD site.

Compatibility with plug-and-play as well as print language support for devices under the "Specifications" tab of the UPD site.

As always, if you have questions for new or existing product, please consult the support resource your sales team provided to you. If you have not been working with an HP Sales representative for enhanced support, call 1-800-HP-INVENT. Regards, B.

Win: Getting ready for Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2

Brian R. Kneebone — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 09:13:00 GMT

As many IT administrators know, the launch of Microsoft Windows 7 and Microsoft Server 2008 R2 are quickly coming around the corner. The MS Windows 7 wide release comes on the 22nd of October, 2009. I know most of my customers are looking forward to this release from Microsoft. Administrators managing devices such as printers, scanners, multifunction and all-in-one products will likely want to plan for compatibility and readiness.

Commercial LaserJet, Color LaserJet and Edgeline Drivers:

Customers who have moved to simplify their deployed drivers on print servers and clients are in good shape with the HP Universal Print Driver. While they may be fine with earlier versions, officially support from HP comes with the current 5.0 version (www.hp.com/go/universalprintdriver). Specifications on what hardware models are supported by this print driver and method of connectivity are listed on the "Specifications" tab from the UPD's website. For administrators sharing drivers from print servers or hosting as direct-IP or USB connections for compatible devices, this is a good option and the recommended one to go with by Hewlett-Packard in most cases.

Other Imaging and Printing Products including printers, scanners, all-in-one's, etc.:

HP has posted a Windows 7 readiness portal at www.hp.com/go/win7. It’s been recently updated with the link for “HP Imaging and Printing Software and Driver Information for Windows® 7”. Click this link to see if your product is (or will be) supported in the Windows 7 environment. Consider the following:

Right now the device list looks relatively complete and detailed. If you do not see your device there, talk with your HP sales representative as you plan for fleet deployments or contact your support contact for confirmations if required on what is or is not supported. There are always options for unsupported devices, including trade-up programs and seasonal trade-in promotions.

Customers will not see download links for Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 drivers just yet on the HP portal, but the Windows 7 Readiness portal advises: "HP Software & Driver downloads will be available closer to the official release of Windows® 7, which is scheduled for October 22, 2009." Customers can expect to see those download links appear as the URL advised closer to the launch date.

Kind regards, B.

UPDATE (01-OCT-2009): Customers will start seeing links on download locations appearing for HP's commercial products like Laserjet, Color LaserJet and Edgeline devices showing "Microsoft Windows 7 (32-bit)" and "Microsoft Windows 7 (64-bit)". There's not much content there yet, but as I start to see drivers post for various products I'll advise. No such links exist yet for the consumer and small business and commercial direct-attached oriented products like DeskJet and OfficeJet products, but when I see stuff, I'll advise. Don't forget the "Windows Update" feature for many drivers which are already available for distribution from Microsoft documented here: www.hp.com/go/win7.

MAC: Apple's "Snow Leopard" (Mac OS X v10.6) Release and HP Print, Fax, Scan Drivers

Brian R. Kneebone — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 14:23:00 GMT

Apple's "Snow Leopard", which released on Friday, updates the Mac OS X platform to version 10.6. Here are the Apple and HP resources available to help determine compatibility for your select models plus some of the refinements related to print which Apple mentions.

Mac OS 10.6 compatible HP devices and drivers are listed on Apple's Website: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3669#HP

According to Apple's "What's New" section, Snow Leopard sports the following major enhancement that is definitely note worthy here:

Automatic updates for printer drivers.
Snow Leopard makes sure you always have the most up-to-date driver so you can get the most from your printer. When you plug in a printer, Mac OS X can download the latest driver available over the Internet. And it periodically checks to make sure it has the latest driver. If not, it downloads the newest version through Software Update. Easy.

Source: http://www.apple.com/macosx/refinements/ (30 AUG 2009)

More information is available in the following knowledge base article from Apple: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3771

For those interested in optionally downloading the 10.6 Drivers from Apple's website (outside of the Apple Software Update), visit the following URL: http://support.apple.com/downloads/HP_Printer_Drivers_for_Mac_OS_X_v10_6. Note that generally in the past I've always recommended my customers to download drivers and software from HP for Windows and Macintosh platforms at www.hp.com/go/support). And while the HP "Mac Connect" site still shows 10.5 information (understandable given this recent 10.6 update only just launched), there is other really great information there about HP and Apple compatibility for printers, media servers, etc.: http://www.hp.com/go/mac-connect.

I haven't tested the Apple versus HP distributed drivers myself so I'd be curious to see what the differences are (if any). Post your comments and feedback if you have information based on your experiences you'd care to share. Thanks, B.

UPDATE (5 SEP 2009): I've had to take the unprecidented approach of closing comments for this particular article. As with any major operating system change, check to validate compatibility of your drivers. HP has posted a support URL here:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01664444&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN

Several people have reported incompatibility with devices which are indeed supported. I can only encourage you to call into HP's support line and work with a technical support representative to resolve your issues - that's what they're there for. Listed devices will show whether there's full (including scanning) support or only partial (print only) support. If your device is not listed or only partially supported, it may indeed be unsupported although there are indications on various non-HP sites implying success by downloading the drivers for 10.5 (Leopard).

As a reminder, this weblog is put up for large commercial audiences with a managed IT environment. My primary audience would normally observe prudent testing before deployment of a new OS and release to their environment only once drivers (including printers and scanners) are found to be compatible. In some cases, this may never come to be depending on the age and market the device is sold into so for consumers who happen to find the blog through a search engine, I would simply recommend similar cautious steps. Before you purchase and deploy the major OS upgrade from Apple, check the vendor sites for compatibility. Both Apple and HP have support URLs highlighting what is and is not compatible with their new platform. Where possible HP indicates where it is attempting to update drivers from the support URL above. Thanks and regards, B.

DSS: HP MFP Digital Sending Software 4.15 Released

Brian R. Kneebone — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 02:26:00 GMT

This is just a quick note to share that DSS 4.15 released a short time ago. If you're updating from DSS 4.14, there are no new features really as this is mainly a maintenance release. This updated software package will address customer issues identified through HP's support and escalation personnel. If you're updating from previous releases, review the release notes to see what the new software enhancements are. The release notes for this product are not published like other HP products on the download site, so I've extracted the "Read Me" and posted on my personal site:

http://www.briankneebone.com/docs/copiedfromhp/dss/v4-15/dss-4-15-readme.rtf

Currently DSS is supported only in Windows 2K, 2K3 (including R2) and XP environments. It is not supported or possible to install in any 64-bit environment. Even though not supported, I've tried installing in 2K8 (which I presume would be a similar experience for Vista, 7 and 2K8R2) and while the install goes well, there are issues with devices getting added in the "MFP Configuration" tab and possible other side effects. But for reference, even though 2K8 and 64-bit are not supported today they'll be coming. It's far enough out however that I cannot comment publicly here. Work with your sales team for more information.

DSS 4.15 can be downloaded from www.hp.com/go/dss_software

Regards, B.

UPDATE (09-SEP-2009): One of my extended colleagues was kind enough to inform me that the downlod format (previously .ZIP in versions 4.14 and earlier) has switched to ISO. If you're not familiar with manipulating ISO's, this is essentially an image of a CD-ROM (or can be DVD as well). This ISO can be mounted virtually for those interested in keeping archived electronically (I prefer to use MagicDisc for this since it's supported in all flavours of Windows) or it can be copied to a blank CD-ROM (I prefer to use ImgBurn for this since its quite flexible as well). But other tools like Toaster; Nero; etc. can do the trick as well. Use what you prefer to mount or copy as needed within the terms of the agreements. Thanks Dave G., I owe you next time I see you!

MFP: Digital Sender and Multifunction Firmware Updates (2009 - 1)

Brian R. Kneebone — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 10:17:00 GMT

The HP LaserJet, Color LaserJet, Edgeline and Digital Senders have new firmware updates which officially launched on the HP website recently. I've shown a list of the devices below with their new and previous firmware versions. I've done a couple other things with this list since past versions including:

I have added a column showing an "OXPd Type". If you're not sure what this means, trust me when I say you don't need to know. It's only meaningful if you're working with our document capture solution partners such as Omtool, Kofax, Perceptive, etc. who will give you guidance on what firmware version to use depending on how their solution is implemented and tested.

I've added HP Edgeline classed devices to the table below even though updates typically happen asynchronously from LaserJet and Color LaserJet MFP releases. In this case, the release coincided with the rest of the MFPs so I've included it in the list.

Device	OXPd Type	Previous Firmware	New Firmware
Devices Launched between Fall 2004 and Summer 2006 ...
HP Digital Sender 9200c	Group 10	20081211 (09.131.1)	20090605 (09.131.1)
HP LaserJet 4345mfp	Group 10	20081211 (09.131.1)	20090605 (09.141.4)
HP LaserJet 9040mfp	Group 10	20081206 (08.120.9)	20090604 (08.131.3)
HP LaserJet 9050mfp	Group 10	20081206 (08.120.9)	20090604 (08.131.3)
HP Color LaserJet 4730mfp	Group 10	20081211 (46.211.2)	20090604 (46.221.3)
HP Color LaserJet 9500mfp	Group 10	20081205 (08.120.9)	20090604 (08.131.3)
Devices Launched Fall 2006 and later ...
HP Digital Sender 9250c	Group 20	20081208 (48.071.1)	20090604 (48.081.2)
HP LaserJet M3035mfp	Group 20	20081208 (48.081.2)	20090605 (48.091.4)
HP LaserJet M4345mfp	Group 20	20081208 (48.081.2)	20090605 (48.091.4)
HP LaserJet M5035mfp	Group 20	20081208 (48.081.2)	20090605 (48.091.4)
HP LaserJet M9040mfp	Group 20	20081209 (51.031.2)	20090605 (51.041.3)
HP LaserJet M9050mfp	Group 20	20081209 (51.031.2)	20090605 (51.041.3)
HP Color LaserJet CM3530mfp	Group 50	20081210 (53.011.2)	20090603 (53.021.2)
HP Color LaserJet CM4730mfp	Group 20	20081208 (50.061.2)	20090604 (50.071.3)
HP Color LaserJet CM6030mfp	Group 40	20081205 (52.031.1)	20090605 (52.041.5)
HP Color LaserJet CM6040mfp	Group 40	20081205 (52.031.1)	20090605 (52.041.5)
Edgeline Devices ...
HP CM8050 Color MFP with Edgeline Technology	Group 30	20081028 (75.020.0)	20090616 (76.008.0)
HP CM8060 Color MFP with Edgeline Technology	Group 30	20081028 (75.020.0)	20090616 (76.008.0)

The HP devices listed above include the following enhancements, changes & resolutions:

Highlights for devices launched between Fall 2004 and Summer 2006 (Group 10 Devices):
- Mainly fixes to issues discovered with various customers. Read the firmware "Read Me" or "Release Notes" for the summarized list.

Highlights for devices launched fall 2006 and later (Group 20, 40 and 50 Devices):
- Enhancements to customers using Smart Cards for authentication for additional card supported card types and email encryption using PKI.
- Fixes to issues discovered with various customers. Read the firmware "Read Me" or "Release Notes" for the summarized list.

Highlights for Edgeline devices:
- Added more advanced sleep option handling, especially after working with infrequent print jobs, the release notes describe the features in more detail.
- Added a digital send log.
- Added support for improved longevity with supplies when used before the expiry date.
- Added support for a service account when accessing information from the LDAP authentication method.
- Improved the diagnostic screens that field services technicians (HP or HP Authorized) can access to better diagnose conditions while on-site. While this screen is not accessible to customers directly, it does benefit them with improved service from HP and authorized service providers working on behalf of HP.
- Fixes to issues discovered with various customers. Read the firmware "Read Me" or "Release Notes" for the summarized list.

I hope this helps as a general update keeping administrators "In the Loop". Remember to subscribe to email alerts if you want the official updates for specific product you care about and/or general security alerts for imaging and printing product by going to the IT Resource Center (ITRC).

WJA: HP Web Jetadmin 10.2 has Re-launched

Brian R. Kneebone — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 08:57:00 GMT

In a previous post I mentioned that HP Web Jetadmin had launched. It was temporarily pulled to deal with an installer-related issue and re-released super quickly with the necessary hot-fix. I shan't bore you with the details found nestled in the release notes, but I do suggest, if you have the old installer 10.2.58560, ditch it and please use 10.2.59093 exclusively. Many thanks to the WJA and support teams who caught the issue and dealt with it in an expedient fashion. I'm sure people will love WJA 10.2 given all the fantastic new features I mentioned earlier. Take care, B.

Video: Use SNMP to Query Select Device Settings

Brian R. Kneebone — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:59:00 GMT

The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is used in many network appliances like switches, routers, printers, IP console KVMs, etc. While most network administrators would be directed to use tools like HP Web Jetadmin to do the work for them, for various reasons some administrators may prefer to query devices directly. I put together this simple video to show how you can use a simple tool like Net-SNMP to walk the list of OIDs, hunt for a particular value to find its corresponding OID to use in specific SNMP get queries admins may choose to build into their own scripts, programs etc.

Use SNMP to Query Select Device Settings:
Serial Number & MAC Address Example

Click Here to launch the video

Please note that clicking the link above will
redirect you towards my personal website
(a non-HP website) where the video I have
created is hosted.

Firstly a caution. Not all objects are enumerated in SNMP. Examples of objects which typically are in SNMP include low-level objects like serial numbers, mac addresses, system location, system contact, etc. Examples of objects which are not typically found in SNMP include high-level objects used in functions like digital sending such as the type of authentication used and servers jobs are sent to. I may cover a little about scripting and HTTP in the future, but that gets a little more interesting, so mining that from HP Web Jetadmin (or exporting it in a CSV format) might be the easiest.

Secondly, not all devices behave the same way. As you dip into the more consumer oriented devices, SNMP objects may not be as consistent. I don't have specific examples, but don't automatically assume because you can find the object in one device that it will be there for all. There's a good chance it will be but double-check to be sure.

And finally, this is only one technique used to accomplish the goal of looking for an OID and them mining that OID from various devices using Net-SNMP (http://sourceforge.net/projects/net-snmp/). Other approaches could be to navigate a MIB if you're comfortable navigating the trees in tools like iReasoning's MIB Browser (www.ireasoning.com). If you're looking for HP specific MIBs, get them from the "Public SDK's" section on HP's developer website (www.hpdevelopersolutions.com).

Here are some resources for those interested in taking SNMP to the next level in their scripting and programming:

For those managing their own BAT or PERL scripts, "Net-SNMP" is great (http://sourceforge.net/projects/net-snmp/)

I'm fond of "#SNMP for C#" as it's the only set of libraries I was able to use for free with my C# (C-Sharp) programming hobbies (http://lextm.blogspot.com/search/label/%23SNMP). There's many other commercial libraries out there, but as a hobbiest I liked this one since I could play without paying money.

I haven't done much with Java or PHP or C++ or VisualBasic (VB, VBA, VBS), if anyone has any freebie recommendations out there they'd like me to reference, write in your comments.

Take care everyone. B, out.

WJA: HP Web Jetadmin 10.2 has Launched, 10.1 updated as well

Brian R. Kneebone — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 06:25:00 GMT

HP Web Jetadmin 10.2 (10.2.58560) has launched. There are a lot of really great new features that have been added with a couple altered or removed all-together. Give yourself some time to absorb the new features and treat this like a major upgrade. While the release notes show the detailed "What's New" information, here are some of the highlights I'm mainly appreciative of:

Alternate log-in feature allows users to specify a username and password
(helpful for administrators launching the browser outside of their standard desktop environment)

New device mapping features resurrected from when they were retired with WJA 8.1

Ability to schedule device resets (e.g. power cycles)

Print test pages or push PJL configuration files like Send-to-Self to multiple devices

Fleet configuration of gateway and subnet mask for static IP address assignments

Vastly superior summary view of firmware with JetDirect and Device firmware broken into seperate easier to view sections

Histories can be archived to disk now for configuration, discovery, alerts. etc.

Device groups can be imported and exported now.

Faster PC-connected discovery by allowing a WMI-only interrogation for customers who have not deployed the HP SNMP Proxy Agent

Firmware for JetDirect and Devices can be automated with policies like configuration templates now.

Advanced Storage function for advanced font and macro manipulation including use of templates.

Official support for SQL Server 2005 and 2008 Standard and Enterprise versions (note that by default it installs with 2005 Express). IMPORTANT: I've not performed this myself, but I have reviewed the section entitled "Using a Separate Instance of Microsoft SQL Server 2005" in the "HP Web Jetadmin 10.2 Installation and Setup Guide" (http://ftp.hp.com/pub/printers/software/wja/docs/hpwja_installguide_en.pdf). Read the instructions thoroughly. There are references to HP Web Jetadmin Enterprise Edition. Consult your sales representatives if interested so they can follow-up to you with more information once ready for puchase/release.

Home Screen manipulation on M-series devices now possible.

Configuration of sleep mode with wake/sleep schedules.

Configuration of more digital send functions including message options, file settings, etc.

Dozens of new columns added to the list view for selection and triggering automated groups if desired.

System name shows as a configurable field when using the "Import From" feature
(this was something someone commented on with regards to one of my earlier posts)

Pleanty of other goodies added or issues specific customers had which are now resolved.

NOTE: Supplies Groups have been removed in favour of using standard reporting.

It's worth noting that for those customers who have open bug-fix items through support that HP Web Jetadmin 10.1 is being updated to Service Release 3 in parallel as well (10.1.58563). It doesn't contain nearly the ammount of new items that WJA 10.2 has, but for those requiring hot fixes to items not yet ready to migrate, this might be a good option for you. You'll see both options under the "Download Now" link.

All of the documentation (PDFs) have been updated to reflect the new HP Web Jetadmin 10.2 functionality. It may take a couple of days for the download now link to reflect WJA 10.2 correctly, but I assure you after selecting it you will be brought to the correct download locations. Enjoy!

http://www.hp.com/go/webjetadmin

Many thanks to the HP Web Jetadmin product developers, support personnel, technical marketing and enterprise solutions consulting teams for making this release one of the best ever. Regards, B.

UPDATE (9th July, 2009 @ ~1:30 PM): Please note that the installer for HP Web Jetadmin has been taken off the web temporarily while an issue is investigated for people doing upgrades over-top of previous editions where an issue was uncovered in some environments. It will be reposted when resolved we hope in the next week or two. Look back here for updates or the main HP Web Jetadmin portal.

UPDATE (15th July, 2009 @ ~1:30 PM): The HP Web Jetadmin folks have found out what the issue was with the initially released installer. They are re-releasing and you should see it on the web very soon. I'll do a new post/announcement when it comes to update peoples' RSS readers. Please don't use 10.2.58560. This hot-fixed release with the corrected installer will show as version 10.2.59093 which supercedes 10.2.58560. Please use 10.2.59093 moving forward. It should be on the web in a matter of days.

UPDATE (28th July, 2009 @ ~9:00 PM): The 10.2.59093 update mentioned above did indeed post to the web last week. Given the importants, I referenced in this in a new article. Please download from www.hp.com/go/webjetadmin. I would have updated sooner, but I'm fresh back from vacation. Thanks for everyond advising the update had posted while I was away.

Security: Remote Code Execution Vulnerabilities on Select MS Platforms

Brian R. Kneebone — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:56:00 GMT

Posted by: Brian R. Kneebone
Technology Consultant, Imaging and Printing Group

I was listening to one of my security podcasts while driving back in the car from a customer appointment and the podcaster mentioned a series of critical MS updates for most of its operating systems had been posted on the latest patch-Tuesday. The full summary is available here:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms09-jun.mspx

Updates to prevent remote code execution are available for IIS, Desktop Search, etc. but the one that caught my attention was for the Windows spooler. Security updates are not anything new and I would imagine most of our enterprise customers would address this via standard desktop management. But I figured I'd share the information for print administrators given the spooler is being patched just in case there are print admins who like to stay in-the-know. In my case this was helpful since I run a number of test/demo systems with my colleagues outside of the standard desktop management infrastructure. I'd have definitely done the updates anyways, but I found the update helpful to re-remind me to get ontop of this.

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS09-022 - Critical
Vulnerabilities in Windows Print Spooler Could Allow Remote Code Execution (961501)
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS09-022.mspx

FYI - I read through the related KB article (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/961501) and there does not appear to be any changes to UniDrv.dll or Pscript5.dll or their related files. I make this point because many print administrators are sensitive to these changes given impacts on driver settings, length of time spoolers take to update, etc. That said, I haven't done super thorough testing but wouldn't expect there to be any surprises.

Take care, B.

WJA: New Training Videos Online for HP Web Jetadmin 10

Brian R. Kneebone — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 05:12:00 GMT

Posted by: Brian R. Kneebone
Technology Consultant, Imaging and Printing Group

The HP Web Jetadmin team has put together an amazing series of training videos that are beyond fantastic. I'm really happy to recommend this to customers of all sizes and types who would like a quick crash course in familiarizing themselves with the software or even to use it as a refresher. Many customers use HP Web Jetadmin for some, but not all functionality. Perhaps these videos are useful even to seasoned veterens with WJA interested in using features they may not have even known were available. This may be especially true as security topics continue to interest customers wishing to proactively manage their printing and imaging assets.

The training topics covered (based on the content I just saw today) include:

Introduction to Web Jetadmin – Part 1:
This video is the first of two introductory reviews of Web Jetadmin 10.x, including installation topics and device discovery.

Introduction to HP Web Jetadmin – Part 2:
This video is the second of two introductory reviews of HP Web Jetadmin 10.x, including Proactive Alerts, Reports Generation, Print Management, and Help Resources.

Advanced HP Web Jetadmin Deployment:
This video outlines the installation and deployment of HP Web Jetadmin on various types of servers, including troubleshooting and detailed instructions.

Advanced HP Web Jetadmin Problem Resolution and Proactive Management:
This video outlines areas such as Problem Resolution, Performing Firmware Upgrades, Advanced Alerts, and Supplies Group Management.

Advanced HP Web Jetadmin Security:
This video outlines all areas of HP Web Jetadmin security, including Application Security, Users and Roles, SSL, Device Security, and Other Security Areas.

Advanced HP Web Jetadmin Reporting and Optimization:
This video covers key areas of Reporting and Optimization, such as Data Collection and Reports Generation.

The videos can be accessed by visiting the HP Web Jetadmin Portal (www.hp.com/go/webjetadmin) and clicking on the "Self Help" tab, then selecting the "Training Videos" link. For customers who need more, HP offers advanced onsite consulting and integration services. Talk with you HP sales representative for more information on the options and prices available in your region. Take care, B.

Colour: Devices Designed for Business Continue to Challenge Perceptions

Brian R. Kneebone — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:40:00 GMT

Posted by: Brian R. Kneebone
Technology Consultant, Imaging and Printing Group

Most enterprise customers I work with equate enterprise printing with laser printing. While Hewlett-Packard has a fantastic array of products in its LaserJet and Color LaseJet portfolio, for many needs ink-based solutions may be perceived as inappropriate. Many customers think of the low-cost devices as having higher operational costs, challenges with archivability including water fastness, and issues with tracking and monitoring over the network (especially for USB-connected devices) using tools like HP Web Jetadmin. Hewlett-Packard continues to challenge these perceptions with new advancements in it's HP OfficeJet Pro line-up refreshed in February.

Customers purchasing OfficeJet Pro products may be surprised to learn the following major benefits:

Better cost per page than can typically be found on color laser based devices with a lower acquisition cost.

Advancements with ColorLok using an all pigment ink set providing faster drying, bolder black impressions, vivid colours and improved archivability and water fastness (especially when using ColorLok media).

Better registration and fewer jams with a center paper-pick mechanism.

Advanced direct digital filing in all-in-ones for the ability to scan to email and other destinations without software.

Corporate slim drivers designed for large enterprise business available for download online.

Ability to track and monitor using HP Web Jetadmin, even if connected using USB to client desktops when used with the HP SNMP Proxy Agent.

Want to learn more? Visit the HP OfficeJet Pro 8000 Printer Series and HP OfficeJet Pro 8500 All-in-one Series websites. Take care, B.

Video Tutorial: Importing and Exporting Data with HP Web Jetadmin

Brian R. Kneebone — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 19:40:00 GMT

Posted by: Brian R. Kneebone
Technology Consultant, Imaging and Printing Group

It's been well over a month since I've posted an update on this portal, so I figured it was time for another video tutorial. This question has come up a couple of times with my various customers around importing and exporing data. This is usually around using asset management fields like exporting a list of serial numbers to compare against an asset management system or even importing tags into HP Web Jetadmin to either help for device identification with helpdesk and/or incorporate into reports.

Importing Configurations
in HP Web Jetadmin 10:
Asset Management Example

Click Here to launch the video

Please note that clicking the link above will
redirect you towards my personal website
(a non-HP website) where the video I have
created is hosted.

While this 20-minute video tutorial just covers the basics, it will give you an understanding on how to get data out of and into HP Web Jetadmin using CSV (Comma Seperated Values) and pointers for how tools like Microsoft Excel can be used as an intermediary to merge data depending on your goals.

Let me know what you think of this video. I'm trying to keep them short and sweet. Too short? Not sweet enough?

Take Care, B.

Solutions: HP Global Solutions Catalogues and HP LaserJet Fonts Portals Updated ...

Brian R. Kneebone — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:30:00 GMT

Posted by: Brian R. Kneebone
Technology Consultant, Imaging and Printing Group

I work with large enterprise customers where they look to Hewlett-Packard to solve universal problems you may be interested in, including: reducing wasted prints, facilitating document capture, improving electronic and paper security, reducing costs of specialty printing, etc. Hewlett-Packard has made strong investments in the solutions space to help customers optimize their infrastructure, manage their environment and improve workflows. For some people, this may be as simple as doing more with the printers, MFPs, scanners, etc. they purchase from HP already. For others, they may look for solutions which alter business process to improve efficiencies. If you're thinking along these lines, I strongly you to take a look at the HP Global Solution Catalog and the HP LaserJet Fonts websites which have been recently updated showing more solution partners, better descriptions, more products, etc.

Take care, B.