Lately, the articles that I’ve been reading and writing have led me to think about my days as an IT and network manager. Those days pretty much took up all of my time from the 1980s to about 2005. My thoughts are divided compared to what has recently been going on.

In the late 1980s, we began to see the first networked printers. I’m not talking about a shared printer attached to a small workgroup I’m referring to the first printers with an Ethernet card that could be attached directly to the network. The list of problems was quite long and compounded by the fact that some departments had PCs and Macs.

Today, people are able to print directly from their smartphones. This of course, creates a whole series of problems that I never had to deal with. On the other hand, it also does resolve many problems that I had to be creative in addressing.

As the proliferation of BYOD continues to grow in the workplace, being able to print from any of your mobile devices becomes a necessity and something that creates new problems for IT and network managers. It seems that Hewlett Packard (HP) has also spent time considering this issue.

To address this concern, HP has launched its first touch-to-authenticate solution for enterprise customers using near field communication (NFC) enabled smartphones and tablets. This gives end users, with Android (News - Alert) devices, the ability to easily authenticate themselves by simply tapping their device to an HP Enterprise LaserJet, or multi-function printer (MFP).

You may be asking yourself, how can this help you when you have an iPhone (News - Alert)? HP ePrint Enterprise 3.2 is now fully integrated with MobileIron's AppConnect, which is one of the leading enterprise mobility management platforms. This is an update to HP’s ePrint Enterprise product, upgrading its connectivity and security features.

Pradeep Jotwani, who is the senior vice president, LaserJet and enterprise solutions for HP, said "As mobile device usage in the office continues to grow, many businesses are concerned with security. HP continues to focus on the security needs of enterprise customers by delivering LaserJet devices and solutions that break new ground with touch-to-authenticate technology. By simplifying authentication for users, IT managers can better secure printer and MFP fleets without the concern of burdening users with a complicated authentication process".

BYOD has brought a fair share of changes in the way that companies of any size have to manage all of their devices. Through the use of NFC technology, HP has found a way to simplify the login process while still maintaining network security. This means that when configured properly, not only can employees have access to all of the resources at work that they need, but they can do so without having a complicated login process.

HP will also be launching a new range of enterprise ready printers and multi-function devices. If you need an MFP, the Color LaserJet Enterprise MFP M680 series can reach print speeds of up to 45 pages per minute. In addition, it also delivers advanced paper handling and finishing options. It is designed with the concept of increasing office productivity by giving users the ability to print, copy, scan, fax and use other functions directly from the printer’s 8-inch color touch screen.

If you just need a new LaserJet printer, then you should take a look at the HP Color LaserJet Enterprise M651 series. These are single function printers that provide simple wireless printing from smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices including wireless direct options from HP ePrint and AirPrint.