- Existing print devices were old and replacement parts were hard to obtain.
- Issues with existing print services were one of the highest complaints from students and staff.
- The University IT staff had to manage and fix the existing devices.
- There was no clear overarching IT strategy for the management of essential services like printing.
- Legacy software did not allow for modern contemporary print analytics and insights.
The University of Notre Dame Australia had been using multiple enterprise printing solutions for many years and had not reviewed its solutions in a long time. The print devices were ageing, with some printers almost 10 years old, and parts for these were becoming harder to get. Often, printers would be out of service, with printing services receiving the highest level of complaints from students and staff.
The University sought a service provider that would contribute to a valuable partnership, as well as provide quality hardware, software and expertise. It also needed to ensure the new solution could support a secure printing environment, while providing the university with the analytics and insights on printing quantities and behaviours that would improve their environmental impact.
Darryl Kefford, Chief Information Officer, The University of Notre Dame Australia, said, “Notre Dame didn’t really have a clear strategy for the management of essential technology services. Print services are considered an essential service, so this area was prioritised during the IT overhaul and transition to managed services. Due to the University’s geographical disparity, we needed a partnership that would focus on building a managed service relationship with trusted expertise and quality software.”
The University of Notre Dame Australia chose Konica Minolta due to its commitment to building a long-standing partnership and its network of support that could cater to all campuses and schools across Australia, as well as the quality of Konica Minolta’s devices.
Konica Minolta worked with the University to decide on the final devices and software, with more than 120 devices provided across all campuses and schools throughout WA, NSW and Victoria. Implementation occurred over two phases: firstly, all student-facing devices; and secondly, administration and staff devices.
YSoft SafeQ software provided security features such as multifactor authentication, either using an ID card and pin code or university login and pin code. It also provided reports on printing behaviours for insights and decisions around future printing strategies.
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