If you have to pay extra for the software, you may consider an independent vendor so that when you change your printer you do not have to re-train your users how to use another way of authentication. Only an independent output management solution will provide flexible, scalable, enterprise-wide output delivery, monitoring, and management via a unified infrastructure.

Some vendors provide very good ergonomic authentication readers, ranging from robust keypads, proximity card, barcode, swipe card and combination readers. The better systems will integrate with your access control systems and be able to use your existing ID badges to authenticate at the device or even combine the ID badge with the users fingerprint for more secure authentication.

The top-end of the output management systems will allow entering cost codes, client matter id, user enrollment from the front panel as well as getting job-queue feedback and management from the built-in display on the printer or on an additional display unit supplied with the authentication system. This makes the output management solution capable to be used in applications of the legal profession requiring accounting of print output production and association with Client Matter Codes.

Once you have many users dependant on the availability of workgroup printers, you may want to plan for redundancy, let the print follow you to the printer where you happen to be and authenticate. This Follow-Me type system allows you to pick up your print from any available printer in your organization and overcomes the odd hiccup if a printer is out of toner or out of paper.

Some printer makes allow output management of independent vendors to run embedded on their printers and the best are different in as far that independent software can run on the printer and independent authentication readers can be plugged directly into the printer, requiring no external authentication devices. The more capable embedded solutions allow fax, email and scanning to be controlled by user, making this the most cost effective way to implement a hardcopy-output and output-device management solution.

You want to look out for the database technology used by the independent software vendor and make sure it is transparent, like MS-SQL or Oracle and their free versions MS SQL 2005 Express or Oracle Database 10g Express Edition. SQL or Oracle are really the only practical databases for larger output management implementations as it also allows the sharing and integration into other enterprise applications. MSDE has a 2GB size limitation and is only practical for small or well maintained applications. A full blown SQL or Oracle license gives you all the tools and convenience, downside is that it only runs on a Server so you have to consider the higher cost of a server license.