As we wrap up another year, we want to take a moment for the customary look back at the year that is ending and look ahead to the new year.
It’s been two years since the major release of ScrewDrivers version 7. During this time, we’ve had several releases that have refined the solution as a stable, flexible, and robust system. Accordingly, this year has seen brand new deployments as well as a drastic increase in the Tricerat customer base upgrading to version 7 to take advantage of the latest feature set.
In 2022, Tricerat had two minor version releases as well as multiple maintenance releases. Version 7.2 was released in the spring, adding a hold and release feature as an additional security measure for print jobs on any printer. For printers that are set to use this feature, print jobs are held on the server until the user releases it through the ScrewDrivers Printers app on any of our supported platforms. ScrewDrivers also extended its flexible cloud deployment options with full support for Azure Databases.
In version 7.3 we enhanced our cross-platform capabilities, releasing the Linux client for ScrewDrivers Scanning. Our development team refactored many areas of the code for improved multiplatform support, feature parity, and improved deployment options. Another big feature in 7.3 is the introduction of printer profiles, now allowing administrators to define different default options for users of the same printer based on their group, device, or location.
Through all these versions, Tricerat has maintained our commitment to customer service and addressing any issues in a quick and direct way. One of the benefits of a third-party printing solution is leveraging the expertise of a team that is dedicated to solving printing problems. Dealing with the complexities of applications, print jobs, print drivers, and remote protocols, being able to quickly address a specific case and release an update earns approving feedback from our customers time and time again. Additionally, Tricerat was awarded multiple badges this year through G2 thanks to the glowing reviews from our customers including best support, high performer in print management, and more.
As we turn the calendar to 2023, the two big themes for ScrewDrivers development in the new year are follow-me printing and enhancing cloud deployments. Both of these items have seen progressive development over the past months, leading to releasing these technologies to the public. Tricerat is currently preparing for the release of 7.4 which will feature the addition of pull printing, a single print queue for the user that can be later released to any printer. In this version, a user can view pull print jobs in the ScrewDrivers Printers app on any platform (Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android) to select the printer and release the job. For a user, this can allow for printing in a session without needing to know the printer, and then “pull” the job to the nearest printer when they are ready.
While Tricerat has been steadily adding cloud features, the roadmap in 2023 has a prominent focus on cloud-hosted deployments. We recently hosted a webinar that highlighted the rise of DaaS environments, among other cloud VDI platforms, and will add features that make it easier to deploy ScrewDrivers as a printing solution into cloud environments. This will include hosted components where admins can instantly enable the ScrewDrivers service for their environment and roll out the related agents to connect printers to user sessions. Also on the roadmap is broader compatibility for cloud authentication and directory services. Throughout these improvements, Tricerat is committed to continue full support of on-prem customer-hosted environments, while also offering a path with an easy managed cloud service for desktops in cloud, hybrid, or on-prem platforms.
Some may be surprised that there is still so much to talk about with regards to printing in 2022. But as administrators quickly realize, and as users expect, printing remains a critical component of an IT infrastructure and the user profile. We’ve frequently seen where a print management product can optimize printing even in complex environments, saving time for admins and enhancing the end user experience in their applications. Our engineering team works directly with admins to apply a solution into your solution stack to reach those productivity goals.
We are thankful to have the opportunity to work with so many great people as partners and customers and look forward to another year advancing the capabilities and performance of end user computing environments.