Cisco, Xerox Ally to Offer New Mobile Printing Solutions Through Channel Partners

Cisco Systems Inc. and Xerox Corp. said that they will team up to offer cloud-based managed print services and technology solutions for mobile users to more readily and securely print on the fly.

The companies said that they will provide three new solutions to advance mobile printing, in which users send files from devices, such as a tablet or smartphone, through a service to print at their organization. The solutions will be made available through channel partners, officials said.

Under the alliance, Xerox will supply managed print services delivered over Cisco’s network infrastructure, cloud IT outsourcing services built on Cisco’s Unified Computing System (UCS) and Vblock infrastructure, and mobile print services on Cisco’s virtual desktop clients and Cius tablets.

Channel partners currently resell, deliver and manage Xerox private and public cloud services, including, on a somewhat limited basis, Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), private cloud and managed print services on Cisco architectures.

The companies said that their alliance will afford Cisco’s channel partners new solutions, such as mobile printing, and options for customers to track print usage and reduce costs, while enabling Xerox’s channel to access Cisco Smart Services to support clients’ network solutions.

"This relationship puts Xerox and Cisco at the center of a simplified, connected infrastructure – bringing together networking, printing and cloud services," said Ursula Burns, Xerox chairman and chief executive.

"Together we're helping businesses transition to the cloud in ways that best suit their operations, and add the services needed to enhance security and productivity for employees," she said.

Under the alliance, the companies will offer Xerox’s Managed Print Services (MPS) over Cisco’s Borderless Networks, a solution that uses the network’s security, and leverages Cisco’s Internetwork Operating System (IOS), WAN optimization and print management for mobile printing.

In addition, Xerox’s IT Outsourcing (ITO) services, founded on its purchase of ACS, will run on Xerox data centers built on Cisco’s UCS equipment and VCE Inc.’s Vblock infrastructure.

A mobile print solution will allow mobile workers to print documents from any email-enabled device, including Cisco virtual desktop clients and the Cius tablet, to any printer using the vendor’s Borderless Networks and Wireless LAN solutions.

"Aligning Cisco and Xerox cloud offerings brings the power of intelligent networking to printing and helps our mutual customers drive innovation across their businesses and become more agile and reduce costs,” said John Chambers, Cisco chairman and chief executive.

“This strategic alliance also creates a tremendous opportunity for channel partners to grow revenue by building cloud practices," he said.