What is pull printing, how does pull printing work?

Detailed description of pull printing

Secure pull printing is facilitated by a number of components:

• The end user computer
• The Sentinel print server
• The printer or MFP
• The Sentinel printer interface (either embedded printer firmware or an external touch controller.

When a user needs to print, they do so as normal, except they will only have one printer to choose from in their "Devices and Printers" list - the Sentinel virtual printer. Users select this printer and run the print job. The Sentinel server picks up the print job and stores it in the database, in that specific users private print queue.

It is at this point that the Sentinel software is able to execute some of the advanced DLP features - such as examining the job automatically for keywords such as "confidential", and preventing the job from being printed or sending an alert to an administrator or manager if needed.

In the meantime, the user goes to any Sentinel-enabled printer of their choice. This could be a printer in their office, or in another department or building, or even in a different branch. The user authenticates at the printer, either on the external or embedded  interface, by using a PIN, RFID card or other secure authentication method, and if authentication is successful, their print queue will appear on the interface. They then select the print job or jobs that they wish to print, and the jobs print out immediately whilst they are standing at the printer.

This method effectively creates a closed loop for the entire print process, from the action of printing from the PC to then final task of collecting the printout - which ensures a high degree of security for all printed documentation.