Choosing an agent

Select one or more agents that fit the environment of your organization and the printers to manage from the following:

Fleet Agent

The Fleet Agent is an application that is configured and installed on an on-site server or host computer with high availability. It enrolls one or more printers from Lexmark and third-party manufacturers in Lexmark Cloud Services.

• Requires a stable server or host computer with a constant Internet connection.

• Supports data collection from all Lexmark printers. For more information, see Supported printer models.

• Supports configuration for Lexmark printers with eSF version 2.0 or later.

• Supports data collection only for third-party printers.

• The Fleet Agent scans the printers according to the interval set in the Refresh Printer Information Task setting of the Scheduled Tasks section. The data is sent to the Lexmark Cloud Services server only if there is an alert change or toner level decrement. The data is not sent to the cloud server if there is only a page count change. However, even if there are no alert changes or page count changes, the data is sent to the cloud server once every 24 hours.

Native Agent

The Native Agent is a firmware agent that allows Lexmark Internet of Things (IoT)–ready printers to communicate with Lexmark Cloud Services. When enabled, it can enroll the Lexmark printer in Lexmark Cloud Services.

• Supports data collection and configuration for Lexmark IoT-ready printers. For more information on supported printer models, see the Supported printer models.

• Make sure that the printer firmware version is 075.272 or later.

• Other printer applications and on-site software installations are not required.

• Enroll printers using the following:

  • Printer Enrollment Tool (PET)

  • Cloud-based pre-enrollment

  • Printer-based enrollment

• To enroll multiple printers with native agents simultaneously, use the Printer Enrollment Tool (PET). A pre-enrollment option is also available.

Printer Agent

The Printer Agent is an application configured and installed on a Lexmark printer to enroll that printer in Lexmark Cloud Services.

• Requires running the Printer Enrollment Tool in a network-connected computer to discover and enroll printers.

• Supports data collection and configuration in Lexmark printers with eSF version 3.0 or later (touch-screen models). For more information on supported printer models, see the Supported printer models.

Local Agent

The Local Agent is an application configured and installed on a host computer to enroll USB-connected printers in Lexmark Cloud Services.

• Supports data collection of the enrolled printers.

• Configuration deployment is not supported in printers enrolled through Local Agent.

• Does not support printer firmware update from Lexmark Cloud Services.

• Does not support reporting devices in Analytics.

Notes:

• You cannot delete or deactivate an agent that is associated with printers that are enrolled in MPS Express or pending enrollment.
• If managing Lexmark printers with eSF version 3.0 or later (touch-screen models), then use either the Printer Agent or the Fleet Agent.
• If managing touch-screen or non-touch-screen models with firmware version 075.272 or later, then you can use Native Agent.
• If managing a group of Lexmark printers that include models that the Printer Agent, and Native Agent do not support, then use the Fleet Agent.
• If managing a group of Lexmark and third-party printers, then use the Fleet Agent.
• In the printer listing page, you can filter printers based on agent type.
• You can use only one agent to manage a printer.
• You can use the Native Agent, Fleet Agent, Printer Agent, and Local Agent to manage your fleet of printers. However, multiple agents cannot manage a printer at the same time.
• Local Agent supports Lexmark printers only.
• Local Agent can be installed in the Microsoft Windows operating system only.