New Xerox ConnectKey MFP Platform and Related Software Aims to Connect the Dots

Feb 16, 2013 11:22:28 AM

By Jamie Bsales

In a web briefing for analysts, Xerox executives unveiled ConnectKey, the company’s technology platform for the next generation of interconnected MFPs, software and services. Included under the ConnectKey umbrella are an all-new controller architecture for the latest Xerox MFPs; EIP 2.5, the latest iteration of the company’s embedded software platform; an open Application Programming Interface (API) for the development of custom MFP apps; and related software and services offerings.

Rick Dastin, president of the Office and Solutions Business Group at Xerox, framed ConnectKey as “an ecosystem for simplicity” where digital-to-digital transactions join print, copy, scan and fax as the fifth function of the MFP. “Don’t think of the MFP as a peripheral at the end of the process, but rather as an integral part of the process,” urged Dastin. “The ConnectKey platform is the value proposition that sits above the boxes and solutions. The emphasis is not on products so much as customer outcomes.”

The goal of ConnectKey is to create a simpler, more secure workflow that supports cloud services, custom apps, back-end data repositories, BYOD (bring your own device) environments and more. Xerox points out several aspects that make ConnectKey different from other MFP ecosystems.

First, the ConnectKey architecture has an open API system through Xerox’s Extensible Interface Platform (EIP). According to Xerox, this is unlike most competitors, who are trying to build proprietary integrated solutions, or who make the API available only to select partner developers. Thanks to the open API, sales channel partners, system integrators and resellers can develop applications and embed them on the MFP. The company has announced its App Studio development environment to enable those partners to build and customize such apps. The infrastructure of an app will be certified by Xerox to ensure security and stability, and the reseller (or customer IT department) will then be able to customize the presentation layer to suit specific needs.

Second, Xerox claims that the ecosystem has been designed to be very simple, with enhanced usability at the MFP that is consistent across the board. All new ConnectKey MFPs will employ the same touchscreen UI, so if a user learns one he is familiar with them all. The improved UI and ConnectKey controllers will debut on 16 office MFP models in the first half of 2013, including on the new WorkCenter 5800 Series, WorkCenter 7800 Series, ColorQube 8700/8900 Series and ColorQube 9300 Series.

And third, Xerox has forged alliances and partnerships with industry leaders such as McAfee and Cisco to bring powerful new capabilities to market. Specifically, McAfee anti-malware security is baked into the ConnectKey MFP controller. The system uses whitelisting to block malware attempting to compromise the device and alerts the designated administrator of the attempted infection. And built-in Cisco intrusion detection runs in the background to prevent and alert of attempted network breaches.

On the solutions front, ConnectKey-enabled MFPs will help customers in the migration to better document workflow, Xerox claims, thanks to the devices’ more powerful scanning features, cloud-aware abilities and mobile capabilities. One example is the new Xerox Scan to SharePoint applet. This MFP-embedded solution, powered by NSi (makers of the robust AutoStore platform), allows an end user to dynamically interact with the organization’s Microsoft SharePoint repositories to scan documents to libraries directly at the MFP’s control panel—with no server-side software required (other than SharePoint itself, of course). Similarly, ConnectKey Share to Cloud moves documents to online repositories—such as SharePoint Online, Google Drive, DropBox, Evernote, PaperPort Anywhere and Salesforce.com—with a single touch and without middleware. This solution also allows automatic conversion to popular file formats including searchable PDF, Word or Excel, making documents easier to use down the line.

The company also notes that ConnectKey will drive services and further strengthen Xerox’s Managed Print Services (MPS) story. For fleet management and deployment, Xerox resellers can clone all ConnectKey MFP features and share settings across all devices. Xerox has also augmented support management with a next-generation remote management console and remote capabilities. For easy IT integration, ConnectKey MFPs can be managed as a central part of the network, much like servers, for straightforward set-up and service. Troubleshooting and training can be addressed remotely by IT administrators, or self-help can be initiated with online support and videos on the front panel.

For more information, visit www.xerox.com/connectkey.