HP Authentication Manager V4 release information

HP Authentication Suite Version 4 ,includes several new features, critical bug fixes, and enhancements to overall system usability and performance. To help you and your customers prepare for this release, we have outlined key technical considerations and changes you should be aware of.

Azure Integration option

Customers now have the choice of self hosting the HP Authentication Suite services on their own Azure Tenant. 

What does this Mean?

Currently, the management of your Cards, Badges, BLE, and QR Code identities is handled via our  Hosted Azure-managed API services, which are distributed across multiple Azure regions. We are responsible for the operational oversight and maintenance of these API services.

Customers now have the option to self-host their Badges, Cards, BLE, and QR Code identities within their own Azure tenant. This empowers them to manage and delete user identity data directly, without relying on our  Hosted API services. By maintaining control over identity data, customers benefit from enhanced security and full ownership of their user identity lifecycle.

Additionally, if you choose to self-host you’ll also be eligible to leverage our new free Print Device Logging system. This allows you to ingest detailed printer activity data—including print, scan, fax, copy, and consumable usage—directly into your Azure Log Analytics Workspace. With this integration, you can generate comprehensive reports on usage patterns and associated costs, enabling better visibility and control over your print environment.

How is Self-Hosted implemented?

To  Self Host your own Azure services, simply activate Azure’s built-in feature called Custom Security Attributes and provision an Azure SignalR Service within your own Azure tenant.

If you would like to provide printer activity reporting, you will require to commission an Azure Log-analytics workspace.

We will provide comprehensive deployment manuals and automated scripts to assist your IT team with setup, ensuring a smooth and efficient implementation process. We highly recommend these options are discussed with the clients IT support team first.

Is Self-Hosting optional?

Yes. If you're currently using our Hosted API services and prefer to continue with this setup, everything will operate as usual, you just need to Upgrade to V4 across all of the HP Authentication suite of apps and follow the upgrade Guide (Click Here)

Just remember that customers who do not wish to self-host, will not be licensed to access our Free Print reporting  - logging features.

Other Information

We offer 2 methods of deployment / Onboarding of HP Authentication suite, here is what to expect from an Onboarding process.

For our current Hosted API/Keycloak Services

Business as usual, the onboarding process will not change, you will still need to provide us with the completed onboarding Secure PDF form and we will supply the final onboarding documentation with all of the remaining configuration settings & Secrets for your Azure Tenant and Printer configuration settings for your HP Installer.

For Customer wishing to Self Host their own Azure Services

The HP Authentication Suite can now be installed and commissioned by your client, no onboarding request or customer registration forms are required by us. All that is required is a purchase order from HP or the HP Authorised reseller, which must include the customer’s subscription period (1–5 years), customers Azure Tenant ID and Total number of Printers/MFD., We also support Orders via Azure Market Place too!

Our updated installation documentation enables customers to fully self-install the HP Authentication Suite, provided they have access to HP Command Centre or are working with an authorized HP installer with HP Command centre access.

To Self Install - you will require the following 2 documents.

HP Authentication Manager Azure Self-Hosted Deployment Instruction.pdf

HP Authentication Manager Printer Deployment Instruction.pdf

*For Proof of Concept Licenses, we will activate a 30 day trial licenses, and we require a Proof of concept request as per our POC  terms and conditions .

Enhanced Logging for Self-Hosted HP Authentication Manager customers.

Customers who choose to self-host the HP Authentication Manager suite can now integrate an Azure Log Analytics Workspace to enable advanced device activity logging. This integration allows all connected devices to send detailed user activity data—including user names, page counts, paper sizes, simplex/duplex usage, total pixels printed per toner supply, job sizes, and more—directly into your  Azure Log analytics workspace.

With this data, you can generate comprehensive reports on usage patterns and associated costs, providing deeper insights and greater control over your print environment.

Support for Universal Print Anywhere

Universal Print “Anywhere” – Badge Release

Microsoft is expected to make Universal Print “Anywhere” functionality available to third-party developers including HP Authentication Suite—by mid November 2025 when it is slated for General Release (GA).

What does this mean?
Once in General Release, this capability will allow users to submit jobs to a centralized Secure or Pull Universal Print Queue and retrieve them from any HP Authentication Manager Universal Print-enabled printer, regardless of location.

Effectively, this introduces true Print Anywhere support for third-party platforms. Our Universal Print v4 implementation is fully compatible and ready to support this functionality upon Microsoft’s general preview release.

Additional Fixes and Enhancements in Version 4

HP Authentication Suite v4 includes a series of critical updates aimed at improving reliability, security, and compatibility: See What's New & Known Issues

Device License Activation

We now require all devices to be licensed via our new license server located in Microsoft azure Australia East Coast infrastructure.

For existing customers, your current license will be automatically activated, allowing you to seamlessly upgrade to Version 4 without any additional steps.

Please review What's New and Known Issues

What’s Next?

Prepare to Upgrade to HP Authentication Suite Version 4!

We recommend that partners and administrators begin preparing their environments and customers for the new update.

You now have 2 Choices for Upgrading from V3 > V4

1. Keep using our current hosted API Services and just update all your HP Authsuite application to V4, which will include a new set of configuration settings to be applied to  HP Authentication Manager.

Want to Upgrade? See Article Upgrade - Update Release Notes V4

2. Upgrade Customers over to their own Self-Hosted Azure services, which will require them to deploy Azure custom Security attributes, SignalR service and optionally a Log-Analytic workspace for Print logs. 

Want to upgrade/migrate to Self-Host your Azure Services then Click here for Upgrade V3 to V4 Self-Hosted Azure Instructions!

*For detailed guidance or assistance with pre-deployment steps, please reach out to our support team.

* If you require assistance with planning, technical validation, or customer enablement, please do not hesitate to contact our support or solutions team.

Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm for the HP Authentication Suite—a solution uniquely designed for HP’s secure MFPs and built to leverage the full power of the Microsoft cloud ecosystem. Together, we are delivering the future of Smart Document Exchange.

* For more information or to discuss any of the upcoming features, contact us at: Help@hpauthsuite.com.