Press Releases
RICOH INTRODUCES SOPHISTICATED DEVICE RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
@Remote Streamlines Data Management Process
CHICAGO, May 10, 2005 — Ricoh Corporation, the leading provider of digital office equipment, announced at a press conference today the initial launch of @Remote, an intelligent remote device relationship management (DRM) system with the ability to monitor up to 500 devices. The @Remote appliance collects operational data from networked laser printers and multifunction products (MFPs) and then feeds it through the Internet via a secure communication network to Ricoh’s data center for inclusion in detailed usage reports. An innovative network solution, @Remote provides businesses with the information needed to better manage their fleet of MFP’s and printers while enabling a reduction in overall operation costs.
As a business expands, so does its need for more intelligent technological devices, and with a diverse fleet of equipment, it is critical for the Information Technology (IT) department to effectively manage this complex network to keep operational costs down. In the past, meter reading has been a manual, labor intensive, time consuming, error-prone process. With a vast fleet of machines, businesses have also had many problems locating printing devices on the network as well as keeping track of the volumes being generated on these printers and MFPs by different departments. Due to these various issues, businesses have to spend numerous amounts of time and money to manually maintain, manage and report on these devices, but @Remote can change all of that.
Featuring automated meter reading and reporting capabilities, @Remote enables proficient business and IT operations by collecting and sharing data for meter billing as well as connected fleet utilization reporting. Breaking it down by vendor, model and segment, the reported data includes print, copy, and fax by monochrome and color counts from many Ricoh devices on the network. In addition, the system’s enterprise fleet management abilities allow IT managers to identify what machines are being over and under utilized. Fleet reporting is available for analysis 24x7 via a secure Ricoh Web portal. By eliminating the tasks and costs associated with manual reporting, @Remote is truly a cost efficient automated alternative that meets business operational needs at a reduced total cost of ownership
An extremely robust solution, the @Remote appliance is a sleek, compact server with the ability to monitor up to 500 Ricoh and non-Ricoh devices in various locations by way of a local or wide area network. By building a virtual community of intelligent devices with @Remote, an organization can manage numerous MFPs and printers on a network and assist in determining if they are being used effectively. Additionally, it can assist in managing financials by communicating data from the devices that can decipher the amount of pages printed.
Although operational efficiency and cost savings are major goals for the business community, so is providing a secure network for information sharing. Understanding the importance for network and information protection, Ricoh has designed @Remote to deliver information on a secure communication path, eliminating an external point of entry to the user’s network. To further address our customer’s needs for security assurances, the @Remote appliance has been submitted for and is pending ISO 15408 Information Technology Security certification, which is also recognized as Common Criteria Certification, a qualification required by many federal departments and agencies as well as security experts in the intelligence community. @Remote also offers three outbound communication choices including broadband connection (HTTPS or SMTP) and dial-up connection (HTTPS), to meet varying security and communication requirements. These security features are essential for IT management as concerns over the digital sharing of what may be considered as confidential information continues to rise for both the public and private sector.
“With its ready-to-use service and long-term cost savings benefits, the @Remote device relationship management system is the ultimate solution for organizations looking to better manage their output devices and keep budgets under control. Combined with its security features, @Remote provides a secure and automated way for customers to enjoy all the benefits of DRM,” said Hede Nonaka, vice president of marketing, Ricoh Corporation.
Phase II of the @Remote system, for which the release date is to be determined, will include the ability to perform remote adjustments, execute automated service call notifications and allow for remote firmware upgrades on newer Ricoh devices.
The pricing for @Remote is based on a monthly service program. For more information, visit www.ricoh-usa.com.
About Ricoh Corporation
Ricoh Corporation, headquartered in West Caldwell, N.J., is a subsidiary of Ricoh Company Ltd., the 69-year-old leading supplier of office automation equipment and electronics, with fiscal year 2004 sales in excess of $17 billion, a 1.9% percent increase over the previous year.
Ricoh Corporation is a leading provider of document solutions. Ricoh’s fully integrated hardware and software products help businesses share information efficiently and effectively by enabling customers to control the input, management and output of documents. Ricoh’s line of document management devices include, color and black & white digital imaging systems, facsimile products, printers, scanners, digital duplicators and wide format engineering systems. Additionally, Ricoh offers a wide variety of document and printing solutions directly and through strategic alliances enhancing office productivity and document workflow. Ricoh’s document management software enhances workgroup collaboration and offers secure storage, retrieval and sharing of critical information.
Ricoh Corporation directly or through its subsidiaries markets and distributes products in North, Central and South America. For fiscal year 2004, Ricoh Corporation sales exceeded $2.9 billion, an increase of 6.9% over the previous year.
Information about Ricoh's complete range of products and services can be accessed on the World Wide Web at www.ricoh-usa.com.
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