Sentinel™ consists of printing management software, which is installed on the printer server (or servers), and of devices located adjacent to the printers in the system.
When a user sends a document to the printer, the printout is locked at the level of the server. It can be released by passing an authorization card through the device or typing a code. The printer can be the same printer designated by the user when he sent the document to the printer, or another printer.
The printout can also be released through a web interface, either by the printing system manager or by the user, if he is authorized to do so.
The printing management software, which is accessed through the web interface, enables the following functions:
- Security management - Authorizing users (individual or groups) to use specific printers and to use the web interface according to the organization policy; monitoring security by analyzing printing information.
- Printing management - Authorizing users to a quota of black and white/colored pages; reports of resources usage per user: printers, printouts, pages (black and white, colored).
The web interface allows access to the Sentinel™ software. In addition, it enables authorized users to release printouts to specific printers, delete printouts and delay printouts.