Blueprint Print Center Sentry Print Credentials

To install Sentry Print application on a printer and to carry out runtime operations for some manufactures, Blueprint needs to provide the printer's admin credentials to the Sentry Print Service. However, these credentials are routinely changed for security purposes. This frequent rotation of credentials presents challenges for Blueprint administrators. 

 To assist administrators in managing printer credentials, especially in organizations with many devices, Blueprint introduces the Global Printer Credential Management feature. This feature streamlines printer credential management and enhances security by offering:

•  Ability to create and manage printer credentials that can be shared across an entire fleet of printers from the same manufacturer. For example, administrators can generate a single credential applicable to a group of HP printers.

• A printer manufacturer can have multiple sets of credentials.

• A credential is associated with a single printer manufacturer .

Credentials are matched to a printer when it is being secured. Sentry Print evaluates the credentials against the device in priority order so it can find a working credential. The following illustrates how credentials work in Blueprint. 

1. Create a Credential for a Manufacturer in Print Center -  Set up the credential in the Secure > Credentials screen of Print Center.

2. Secure a Printer in Print Center – Secure the printer in the Print Center in the Secure > Secure Printers screen. During the securing process, Sentry Print evaluates the list of credentials set up in the Print Center.

3. Evaluate Credentials -  Sentry Print tries each credential in order of priority, starting with the highest priority. 

4. Assign Working Credential -  Once Sentry Print finds a working credential for the printer, the printer uses that credential going forward. Blueprint sets these credentials for the printer in the Blueprint database. 

Backward Compatibility

• In older versions of Blueprint, printer credentials were set individually for each device. Blueprint 5.4 Update 4 introduces a new approach by using printer credentials specific to each manufacturer.

• When upgrading from older versions of Blueprint, your existing per-device printer credentials are kept, ensuring a smooth upgrade. However, if you decide to unsecure the device and then resecure it, Blueprint will use the new per manufacturer printer credentials.  If the per manufacturer printer credentials are not configured, the process of securing the printer will fail.

Print Center Update

The Print Center includes a new section called Credentials, allowing administrators to seamlessly manage Sentry Print credentials.  You can access the Credentials tab from the Secure tab. 

The Credentials tab replaces the Update Credentials button in the Secure Printers tab.  

The Credentials tab provides the following action buttons: 

• Add - Enables administrators to add new credentials for each printer manufacturer.

• Update - Use this button to modify an existing credential.

• Delete - Use this button to remove an existing credential.

• Set Priority - Allows admins to adjust the priority order for credentials for a manufacturer. 

Add a Credential

In Blueprint, a credential comprises essential information associated with a printer, such as the manufacturer, a username, a password, and when the credentials will be valid. These credentials are used to access the printer, facilitating tasks like installing Sentry Print software or accessing the card reader.

 Notes: 

• The Credentials tab is available only for log on accounts with Manage Devices logon role. 

• A device can only be secured if there is a currently valid Credential for the device's manufacturer, which has the same username and password as the device

 To add a credential

1.  Navigate to the Secure > Credentials screen within Print Center.

2. Click the Add button. This opens the Add Credential dialog. 

3. Enter the necessary details for the credential you wish to add. 

• Credential Name – Provide a descriptive name for the credential you're adding.

• Manufacturer – Choose the manufacturer associated with this credential.

• Username  –  Enter the username required to access the printer.  

• Password – Enter the password required to access the printer. 

The username and password must match the credentials configured on the device. 

• Start Date and End Date – Specify the validity period for the credentials. 

For Ricoh devices only

Remote Installation Password/Confirm Installation Password – Enter the Remote installation password for Ricoh devices if required. 

For Xerox Devices only

• SNMP Configuration – Select the SNMPv3 Configuration to be used. This list comes from the SNMPv3 configuration list in Blueprint Administrator. 

• HTTP Port Number –If the Xerox device’s HTTP port has been set to something other than 80, enter it here. 

• HTTPS Port Number  - If the Xerox device’s HTTP port has been set to something other than 443, enter it here. 

4. Click Save to create the credential. 

Update a Credential

1. Navigate to the Secure > Credentials screen within Print Center.

2. Select the credential you want to update.

3. Click the Update button. This opens the Update Credential dialog.

4. Enter the necessary details for the credential you wish to update. 

Update the Priority for Credentials

Priority is used when Blueprint evaluates credentials against a printer to find a working credential for the printer.  Blueprint will evaluate the credential with the highest priority (for manufacturer and time period)  first, and then proceed to lower priorities until a working credential is found, or all valid candidate credentials have been tested.

Priority applies to credentials from the same manufacturer. For example, there will be a priority “1” for each manufacturer with a credential.

Priority order is initially set during credential creation but can be modified using the "Set Priority" button on the Credentials tab.

To set the priority: 

1. Navigate to the Secure > Credentials screen within Print Center.

2. Select Set Priority.

3. Choose the printer manufacturer. You’ll see a list of credentials displayed for the chosen manufacturer, arranged by priority.   

4. Adjust the priority order as required using the up and down arrow buttons on the right.  These changes are saved instantly in Blueprint.  

Delete a Credential

You can delete a credential using the Delete button. 

1. Navigate to the Secure > Credentials screen within Print Center.

2. Select the credential you want to remove. 

3. Click Delete. 

4. Click OK to delete the credential. 

For manufacturers other than Xerox, when a credential is deleted, printers associated with the credential will continue to work.  However, if you want to unsecure a device, it may fail unless you have other valid credentials.

If the credentials linked to a Xerox printer are deleted, the printer  will stop working. Credentials are used by Xerox devices to allow Blueprint to access the card reader. 

The Credential Name column has been added to the Secure > Secure Printers tab.  This column displays the assigned credential for each printer. Credential Name column can have any one of the following values:

1.  NotSet – Is displayed when the system has not yet been assigned a credential to the device.

2. Credential Name – The credential associated with the printer.

3. Per-device credential – Credentials inherited from the old credential management system.