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Hewlett-Packard Announces Operation Camouflage, a Strategic Initiative for Simplified Network Printing

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Hewlett-Packard Company has unveiled "Operation Camouflage," a joint initiative with IBM, Microsoft, and Novell, aimed at simplifying network printing. The program focuses on developing and integrating printer-management software into widely used computing platforms, providing users with intuitive, transparent, and powerful network printing capabilities. This announcement comes as network administrators spend a significant amount of time addressing network printing issues, which arise from various areas, including the printer, print server, network operating system, operating system, and application software.

Key Takeaways:

  • Network administrators spend an average of 20-30% of their time on network printing issues.
  • Operation Camouflage is a strategic initiative to develop and integrate printer-management software into widely used computing platforms.
  • HP is working with IBM, Microsoft, and Novell to address the complexity of network printing.
  • HP JetAdmin for IBM OS/2 LAN Server is a critical component of the Operation Camouflage strategy, providing network administrators with integrated remote printer-management tools.
  • NDPS (NetWare Distributed Print Services) is a new NetWare print-services architecture that will provide users with better job management and visibility to printer capabilities.
  • HP has been active in pioneering and supporting industry-standards efforts, including the development of the IEEE 1284 standard and the Printer Working Group.
  • Operation Camouflage is designed to improve network-printer management and ease of use for administrators and users in today's most widely used computing environments.
  • HP has developed its network-printer software for most major network operating systems, including Apple Macintosh, HP-UX, IBM AIX, Microsoft Windows NT, and SCO UNIX.
  • HP is the world's leading supplier of hardcopy products, with over 30 million printers sold worldwide since 1984.
  • The company has 98,200 employees and had revenue of $25 billion in its 1994 fiscal year.

Statistics:

  • Network administrators spend 20-30% of their time on network printing issues.
  • HP has sold over 30 million printers worldwide since 1984.
  • HP has 98,200 employees and had revenue of $25 billion in its 1994 fiscal year.
  • HP has developed its network-printer software for 10 major network operating systems.

Sources:

  • Hewlett-Packard Company, March 28, 1995 - Operation Camouflage Announcement
  • Hewlett-Packard Company, October 1994 - Integration of HP JetAdmin software into Microsoft Windows 95 operating system
  • Hewlett-Packard Company, April 1993 - HP JetAdmin software introduction with HP LaserJet 4Si MX network laser printer
  • IBM, 1993 - LAN Server 4.0 announcement
  • Microsoft Corporation, 1995 - Windows 95 announcement
  • Novell, 1995 - NDPS announcement
  • BIS Strategic Decisions, 1995 - Network printing issues study

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