To implement the solution, both newly ordered
and old photocopiers (4 photocopiers in total)
were fitted with YSoft SafeQ card readers. In
addition, the client devices that initiate the
printing needed a client software installed to
tag the identity of the print job owner, which
we call a SafeQ client. Once the software is
installed on the client machine, it will ask for
a user ID and password every time the user
initiates a print job to the SafeQ print system.
After authentication, the job gets spooled in
to a server. Once the user keys in a PIN or scans
their student ID at the card reader of any of the
4 photcopiers, the card, in conjunction with the
SafeQ server, identifies the print job and checks
the print quota and credit availability of the stu-
dent. If sufficient quota/credit is available, the
job is printed and the credit balance conveyed to
the student. If not, the job will not print and the
user is notified. The same SafeQ terminal (touch
interface), once logged in, allows the interface to
do the copy/scan as well.
The advantage of this system is that students
only need their ID card to authenticate. Also,
after initiating a print job, a student can go to
any of the four photocopiers and print their job.
The SafeQ printing project, which took around
6 months to implement, was a huge success. Its
benefits far outweighed the restrictions on the
print quota agreed by students, i.e 500 pages
per semester. Students could top up the print-
ing credit by paying AED 50/- for an additional
500 pages.
9 |
December 2015
UITS Newsletter
