One Q and MPI Tech partnership delivers world-first print management system for IBM mainframes

Print management software development company One Q has partnered with mainframe specialists MPI Tech to enable One Q’s device-agnostic solution to run on IBM mainframes using IBM Integrated Facility for Linux, IFL. The collaboration permits mainframe users – which are some of the world’s largest companies – to access a market-leading print solution while achieving significant financial and time savings as well as GDPR compliance across all print.

Many large enterprises depend on mainframes to handle their huge transaction volumes, and these are often legacy systems. Now, users no longer need to change their mainframe applications to become GDPR-compliant or to use a new document workflow management system. Previously, they have needed to opt for bespoke applications, which can be a slow and expensive process. These organisations also tend to have very large, widely distributed fleets of printers from multiple manufacturers, which can make print management challenging – especially trying to achieve GDPR compliance when it’s virtually impossible to ensure the secure release of print.

Now, in a world first, a collaboration between One Q and MPI Tech has enabled One Q’s print management solution to run on a zLinux partition on an IBM mainframe, as well as LinuxOne (the standard IBM IFL).

Morten Sørensen is COO at One Q, and says the announcement offers mainframe users countless organisational, technical and user benefits. “From huge cost savings to security to speed of deployment and ease of use, One Q offers mainframe users the kind of print management solution they could only dream of previously. Now they can access a proven, feature-rich and well-maintained solution from the open market, with all the benefits that brings.”

According to Jan Bjerre Aagesen, head of solutions and architecture at MPI Tech: “Many have tried this in the past, but all have failed. It’s taken close collaboration between two highly specialist businesses to achieve this solution. MPI tech brings its deep understanding of IBM mainframes and their users’ print needs, while One Q has the technical expertise and focus on device-agnostic, cloud-based print solutions.”

The primary organisational benefits of the joint solution include:

• Very significant savings when it comes to the cost of IT infrastructure; custom development; software deployment, support and maintenance; and user downtime. Plus, print conversions are off-loaded from the mainframe onto the IFL – which can offer substantial savings in itself.
• Advanced security which ensures GDPR compliance (especially important since mainframes often process large amounts of sensitive personal data that is difficult to print securely).
• No development is required at the mainframe level.

Functionality benefits include:

• MPI Tech identifies the mainframe’s user IDs, which are then used by One Q to manage print jobs. This means that a single, device-agnostic pull-print solution, with a single user interface, can be deployed across the entire printer fleet – including different device types from different manufacturers and in different global locations.
• The end client can now consolidate its print servers onto the zLinux partition, slashing their costs by removing the need for Windows and other types of print servers (of which there can be hundreds).
• The option to use IBM zLinux OR the IBM Hyper Protect Cloud Service).
• One Q’s wide range of security features includes biometric access, password-protected print retrieval, full audit trails, automatic stamping of print outputs, and much more. MPI Tech’s SAP solution also feeds into One Q, offering the rare ability to fully track all SAP print jobs, from start to finish (even full call back functionality in the SAP system, with the actual status of a given print job).
• One Q’s solution requires no printer-driver management and can be deployed in minutes, which slashes the demand on support teams, cuts user downtime, and makes it easy to relocate printers.

Already trialled with a very large enterprise in Denmark, the solution is available with immediate effect from MPI Tech.

About One Q

One Q is a Danish print management software company established in 2009. Its products are available as SaaS via public, private and hybrid clouds, although local servers are also supported. One Q products are designed primarily for enterprise customers and are sold through OEMs and value-added distribution partnerships in Europe, the Middle East and the Americas.

About MPI Tech

Established over 30 years ago, MPI Tech is a leading provider of mainframe/midrange-based document management and output solutions. The group has subsidiaries in Denmark, France, Germany, the UK and the USA, and its clients include some of the world’s largest companies.