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How-To

How Cloud How to Migrate from Print Servers to Cloud Printing Works

A practical, phased approach to moving your print environment to the cloud without a big-bang cutover or disrupted users.

Why Migration Doesn't Have to Be All-or-Nothing

The biggest misconception about replacing print servers is that it has to happen all at once. It doesn't. Cloud printing platforms can run alongside existing print servers during the transition, which means you can migrate one site, one floor, or one department at a time, validate that everything works, and decommission servers at your own pace.

This matters because print infrastructure touches every user in the organization. A failed migration doesn't just inconvenience IT. It stops people from printing contracts, invoices, shipping labels, patient records, and every other document that keeps the business running. A phased approach lets you contain risk, learn from each stage, and build confidence before moving the next group.

The migration process itself is less about the technology (connecting printers to the cloud is straightforward) and more about planning which sites go first, how users are onboarded, and when to decommission the old infrastructure.

How It Works

A Phased Approach That Keeps Users Printing

Phase 1: Assess Your Current Environment

Document your existing print infrastructure: how many print servers, how many printers per site, which GPOs handle printer mapping, which applications depend on server-based print queues, and which user groups print the most. This gives you a baseline for planning the rollout order and identifying potential complications early.

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Phase 2: Choose a Pilot Site or Group

Pick a location or team that represents your environment without being mission-critical. A branch office with a manageable number of printers and cooperative users is ideal. The goal is to validate that cloud printing works in your network, with your printers, for your users, before expanding.

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Phase 3: Connect Printers and Onboard Users

Deploy the Hub or Connector at the pilot site and register the printers with the cloud platform. Create user groups, assign printers, and configure print policies (defaults, Pull Printing, access rules). Onboard the pilot users, either by pushing the print app through your MDM or by sending invite links. Run the cloud setup alongside the existing print server so users have a fallback.

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Phase 4: Validate and Expand

Monitor the pilot for a few weeks. Check that every printer model works, that print quality matches expectations, that backend applications (ERP, WMS, POS) can reach their printers through the cloud, and that users aren't filing tickets. Once validated, expand to the next site or group. Repeat until the entire organization is on cloud printing.

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Sep 2012

Phase 5: Decommission Print Servers

Once all users and applications at a site are printing through the cloud, the print server at that site has nothing left to do. Decommission it: remove it from Active Directory, reclaim the Windows Server license, and shut down the hardware. The cloud platform and Hub handle everything from here.

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Sep 2012
Common Challenges

What to Watch Out For

Legacy Applications That Print to Server Queues

ERP, WMS, POS, and healthcare systems often have print server paths hardcoded into their configurations. These need to be redirected to cloud-connected queues. Most cloud platforms offer a service-mode print app that creates persistent local queues for backend applications.

Specialty Printers and Unusual Models

Label printers, receipt printers, wide-format plotters, and older devices may need driver verification. Check the cloud platform's driver library before the pilot and request any missing models. Most platforms add drivers within a few weeks.

User Communication and Change Management

Users who have been printing the same way for years will notice the change. A brief email explaining what's different ("your printers are the same, you just print through a new app now") goes a long way. IT fielding zero tickets during migration is unrealistic, but good communication keeps the volume low.

Network Configuration and Firewall Rules

Cloud printing uses outbound HTTPS connections, which most networks allow by default. If your environment has restrictive outbound filtering, you may need to whitelist the cloud platform's endpoints. Inbound rules can often be simplified or removed entirely once the print server is gone.

Realistic Timelines

The technical setup for a single site is fast. Connecting printers through a hub takes minutes per device. Creating user groups and assigning printers in the admin portal takes an hour or two. The bottleneck is rarely the technology. It's the planning, internal approvals, user communication, and validation time between phases.

For a single-site organization with fewer than 50 printers, the entire migration can be completed in a week. For multi-site enterprises with hundreds of printers, backend application dependencies, and change management processes, a full rollout typically takes two to three months. The phased approach means that individual sites are migrated quickly, but the overall timeline depends on how many sites are in the queue and how much validation each one needs.

ezeep Cloud Printing

How ezeep Supports Cloud Printing Migration

ezeep runs alongside existing print servers during migration, so there's no disruptive cutover. The ezeep Hub connects printers in minutes, users are onboarded through Entra ID group sync or email invites, and the Print App for Services handles backend application queues. Most organizations complete their first pilot site in under a week.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Can I migrate to cloud printing without replacing my printers?

Yes. Cloud printing replaces the server and driver infrastructure behind your printers, not the printers themselves. A hub or connector bridges your existing hardware to the cloud. Most organizations migrate without replacing any devices.

Do I have to migrate all users and locations at once?

No. Cloud printing platforms can run alongside existing print servers. You migrate one site or group at a time and decommission the print server once everything at that location is running through the cloud.

What about backend applications like ERP and WMS?

Most cloud printing platforms offer a service-mode application that creates persistent local print queues for backend systems. These queues work like standard Windows printers, so applications don't need to be reconfigured. Jobs route through the cloud to the correct printer automatically.

How do I handle users who resist the change?

The printing experience itself doesn't change dramatically. Users still print from the same applications and see the same printers. The main difference is using a new print app instead of a locally installed driver. A short email or quick demo is usually enough. The users who notice the change most are the ones who had the most printer problems before.

What happens if something goes wrong during migration?

Because the old print server stays active during the transition, users can fall back to it if needed. Once you're confident the cloud setup is working reliably at a given site, you decommission the server. The parallel approach means there's always a safety net.

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ezeep is free for up to 10 users. Run a pilot at one site and see how cloud printing works in your environment before expanding.

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