Data Collection Agent (DCA)

Questions and Answers

  •  "There is no way you are installing something on my network!"     -Every IT Manager in the World                                      

CARBON SiX software is secure and offers no threat to network security. CARBON SiX operates through outbound communication only, and communicates to the printing devices through SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol). Collected data is sent through HTTPS (the same security levels as internet banking) and is 128-bit encrypted using SSL (secure socket layer) protocol.

It is also important to point out that CARBON SiX software only collects information on network attached printing devices. It cannot track information on user behavior (i.e. Jane, in accounting, printed 12 financial spreadsheets on June 27th @ 2:00pm). CARBON SiX offers specific documentation in regards to network security and specific documents to support compliancy acts such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).

  •     "What about heavy network traffic when collecting and sending data to your database?"

Network traffic with CARBON SiX is very minimal. When the data is collected from the printing devices, it is sent i .CSV format, averaging 1.5KB to 3 KB in size. Each subnet scanned results in network traffic approximately equal to viewing a single web page

The CARBON SiX data collection agent has the ability to "smart scan" and only look at IP addresses for previously discovered printing devices. A full network scan can be programmed to occur on a weekend or late in the evening, in the event that the network traffic is a concern at the client site.

  •    "The last thing our IT team needs is more work with managing or administering network-attached software systems!"

CARBON SiX actually eliminates the amount of work for the IT staff by managing and supporting their printers and copiers. The software will reduce the amount of help desk calls they receive on printing devices as well as all device management requirements. All will be managed by the dealer remotely. This frees up their time and resources to focus on other important IT projects.

  •          "What about liability? Who is responsible for the software in the event of an issue and how am I protected?"

The CARBON SiX EULA (End User License Agreement) protects you and your customer in the unlikely event that an issue arises at the network level as a result of the Optimizer software.

  • " Can you track information on our local printing devices?"

Yes. Local Beacon, a software agent which can allow locally connected printing devices to be tracked within CARBON SiX, is installed at each workstation that carries a local device. This device allows for the tracking of page counts and visibility of the device. It does not provide the same level of detail as a networked printing device, but the idea is to track the usage of the local printer and migrate this print activity to a network device that provides a greater level of detail. The Local Beacon is a locally installed program on the PC attached directly to the printer that runs as a Windows service.

  •  "What are the system requirements to support and install a DCA (data collection agent)?"

The CARBON SiX Data Collector Agent (DCA) is a software application that collects printer and copier metrics from a client's network, The DCA is installed on a networked computer running Windows 2000/XP or higher. It does not require a dedicated computer. The DCA runs as a Windows service, allowing it to operate 24/7.

 IT benefits :

  • •No hardware to install
  • Secure network software
  • Standard network protocols used (SNMP, ICMP, PJL, HTTPS, HTTP)
  • •Communicates with the internal network only
  • You can identify all of their printing devices and print activity in minutes