Product Reviews

What does the software do?

The Insite Prepress Portal streamlines job submission, job-status tracking, online collaboration, and remote proofing and approval, automatically notifying both client and printer when a proof has been passed, for example. This information is then sent automatically to the Prinergy system which manages and drives both litho and digital devices cutting out production steps.

Kodak has teamed up with virtualisation specialist VMware to create an edition that allows both software environments to be run simultaneously on the same server hardware, while ensuring the Prinergy server is protected. So a single server can host multiple versions of both Prinergy Connect Workflow and an Insite Prepress Portal System. Matthieu Bossan, Kodak EAMER Unified Workflow Solutions marketing director, explains: "The advantage is that we can separate the hardware from the software. If a file is not 'virtualised', your software has to be connected to a certain piece of hardware and, although you might have another piece of hardware with the same software loaded on it, this would have to be synchronised to have the same effect."

By running multiple virtual servers on one platform, a printer can reduce the physical amount of hardware required, saving space and reducing power consumption. Less IT maintenance is also required where there are fewer servers to install, support and upgrade. Alternatively, a printer might choose to retain the same number of servers in order to have an emergency back-up system.

The VMware edition was launched in June and has been particularly popular with mid- to large-sized businesses dealing with a high-volume publication markets. But Bossan predicts that smaller companies will also start to appreciate what it can offer. "Over time this technology will appeal to more customers � avoiding downtime is crucial for any company; whether you are big or small, you're always trying to better serve your clients."

Customers can buy hardware with the VMware edition already installed, but a key advantage to this system, according to Kodak, is that it can be installed within a wide range of IT environments, as long as the hardware has sufficient capabilities. Installation takes approximately one day.

While training is available on request, Bossan says, typically, very little is required. "Once it's up and running within the VM environment you don't really touch or interact with the software," says Bossan. "If you're an IT administrator there's a high chance you're familiar with the software anyway. This is something IT professionals have been implementing for a long time for other parts of the business."

Kodak says the system doesn't reduce performance as virtualisation allows a user to utilise more of their server's memory. However, as with all software, performance is dependant on hardware specs. Kodak recommends Dell PE T610 and PE T310 servers for running virtualised Prinergy and Connect, but other similarly specced platforms will function just as well.

Kodak says 10% of its customers are opting for virtualised systems, but that it expects this to rise to 30% by the end of the year. "A year from now this will be, not necessarily the standard, but certainly something that all customers will want," says Bossan.