We’re excited to announce our latest Argos release, version 7.7.0! This is an action-packed release with lots of new features. What are those features? Funny you should ask...
Automatic Print Queue Merging
This is a long-standing request from our enterprise customers, and we’re proud to announce it is here! In the past, each print queue in Argos was a separate entity, independent of a physical printer. Similar queues could be merged together to report as a single device, but it was a manual process.
In Argos 7.7, this changes completely. If you create two print queues for one device on your server, Argos knows that they are for the same physical printer - regardless of what they are named. If you don’t use print servers at all, and all users print directly from their workstations to the printers, we’ll automatically merge all the queues from those workstations together, and apply common tracking settings so you don’t need to configure each one separately.
Customers with large numbers of printers, large numbers of users who do not use print servers or both, will spend a lot less time managing printers in Argos thanks to 7.7!
Data Archiving
Argos uses SQL Server to store your billing data. SQL Server is an incredibly robust, scalable database platform, but hardware requirements rise as more data is stored. For customers who adhere to Sarbonnes-Oxley (aka SOX) compliance rules, billing data must be retained for several years. To reduce the hardware requirements for retaining millions of billing records, we have introduced Data Archiving, which retains historical data in the system for compliance purposes but separates it from active data used for billing. Archived data takes up much less space in the database, freeing up system resources to keep your Argos system running at top speed without requiring hardware upgrades.
Archiving is great for customers who don’t care about SOX-compliance as well. Once data is archived, the original devices, users, media and projects that you may no longer use can be removed, cleaning up database space and simplifying Argos.
HP PageWide XL and DesignJet Walkup Copy Tracking
We did a “soft” release of this feature a few months ago, but now we’re ready to go official: Thanks to our deep partnership with HP, Argos supports walkup tracking on both PageWide XL and DesignJet large format MFP devices! If you’re an equipment provider, you no longer need to place an LED-based large format device with a scanner along with your inkjet large format device to meet customer billing requirements - users can enter PIN codes right on the panel of PageWide XL or DesignJet scanners to track walkup activity. One single device footprint that meets all of your customer's needs!
Canon ImageRunner Advance
We’ve added support for the latest and greatest models of the Canon ImageRunner Advance models. Track printing, copying and scanning right from the device panel. Log in using PIN code or proximity cards. You can even enter project info right on the panel, or back at your desktop!
KIP System K Large Format support
KIP’s latest series of color devices get a tracking makeover in Argos 7.7! We’ve got support for the latest firmware for print, copy and scan tracking on the latest models, while retaining backwards-compatibility with legacy devices.
Cleanup time!
We’ve made the Argos Manager cleaner, removed redundant options, and simplified the experience of setting up your printers.