Presto Secure Release

This article provides details on the setup and management of Presto Secure Release Stations.

Note: The contents of this article are specific to Presto Server version 3.0 and later.  If you are running an earlier version of Presto, we encourage you to upgrade as soon as possible.  Your purchase of the Presto 3 license entitles you to free upgrades to all Presto 3.x versions.

Overview

Presto Station is a software-based Secure Release technology that works with any printer, requires no special embedded firmware or card readers, is fast and easy to deploy, is easy and intuitive for users and is included in the Presto software as part of your license.  

As a general approach Presto Station is designed to provide Secure Release broadly on the network.  Thus, it should not be necessary to write many rules, if any.  If a user does not have physical proximity they will not be able to release to a printer.  If a user has physical proximity but you don't want to permit printing, then consider writing rules to prevent use or further managing the printer.  The most powerful setup is also the easiest to deploy - advertise only the single Magic Queue and place all printers into station mode.

Setting up a printer as Presto Secure Release Station is a simple three-step process:

1. Configure the Server
2. Configure the Secure Release Station
3. Activate the Magic Queue

Once a Printer is set up as a Secure Release Station, a User can release a print job to a Printer one of two methods:

• Scanning a Printer's QR Code with a client device
• Authenticating to a tablet located at the Secure Release Station

Configure the Server

To configure a Printer to be a Secure Release Station, login to Presto Administrator as an Admin user and follow these steps:

1. Go to the Printers tab.  
2. Select desired printer.  
3. Click Edit from the menu
4. Swipe 'Station' to activate Station mode and Save changes.

Note: Presto will automatically set the Printer to Active if it is not already Active.

Configure the Secure Release Station

Configuring the Station can be done in one of two ways:

Printed QR Code

Simply print the QR Code and affix to the printer somewhere it can be easily scanned by a mobile device.

Tablet/Kiosk

• Download the Presto app to a portable device that will be stationed at the printer.  
• Login to the Presto app as an Admin User. 
• Select Station Tab.  Select the printer previously set to Station mode. 
• Confirm/Save. 
• The tablet screen presents the Presto QR specific to that printer as well as a login box.
• Place the portable device in an accessible location.

Advertise the Magic Queue

The Magic Queue is the print destination for Secure Release printing.  As all Presto instances are federated, only the single queue is required for all Presto Secure Release Stations.

• Login to the Presto app as an Admin User.
• Select Printers Tab. Select Magic Queue.
• Select Magic Queue and click Edit in the menu.
• Swipe Active to Activate the queue.
• Configure Rules, if necessary, to advertise the queue in accordance with your policies.

User Experience

The User Experience for printing is virtually unchanged, with the exception of the printer selection.  Releasing the print job is a flexible and intuitive procedure.

Printing

To print, a user selects Magic Queue as their printer.  It will stay in the queue until it is released at a Presto Secure Release Station.

A User can proceed to a Secure Release printer, select one or more print jobs from the My Jobs page and release the selected print job(s) by one of the following two methods:

Releasing via Scan

A user scans the QR code (that is affixed to the printer or displayed on the tablet) with their mobile device, either by opening their camera (if native QR code scanning is supported by their OS) or by opening the Presto app.

Releasing via Authentication

A user simply logs into the tablet using their network credentials or PIN code.

Note: PIN code support requires a directory provider plugin. For more information, contact Collobos Support.

TIP: We suggest Presto's SSO plugin for a seamless user experience eliminating the need for authentication to Presto. For more information, contact Collobos Support.

Troubleshooting

Magic Queue is not displayed to User

• Confirm the Magic Queue printer is set to Active.
• For additional troubleshooting, see Troubleshooting Printing in Presto Troubleshooting.

QR Code Scanning is not working

• If scanning with the Presto App: 
  • Be sure camera permissions are turned on for the Presto app.
  • If the job is visible in My Jobs but not printing, it is likely that there us a Rule in place preventing the User from printing.
  • Be sure the User is logged into the Presto App.  
• If using native Scanning: 
  • Be sure the mobile OS supports native QR scanning
  • Be sure the user successfully authenticates to the browser.