Reports are coming in that many older functioning MFPs from virtually every brand are having difficulty with SMB scanning due to an upgrade that Microsoft has released which affects the older versions of SMB (V0 & V1). The upgrade corrects a security problem which is a good thing but for networked MFPs from Kyocera, Ricoh, Konica Minolta, Canon, Toshiba, Sharp, Samsung and other brands, it can interfere with the functioning of their scanning operations. 
For first generation (V0) SMB there does not appear to be any patch to correct them. For those using second generation (V1) there is potentially firmware upgrades that the copier MFP companies can deploy which can correct things. The latest versions of devices which have the latest SMB protocol (V2) there should not be an issue.
Kyocera MFPs can be patched
We have been advised by the technical team at Kyocera that there are corrections available for all but the oldest equipment.
For many clients scanning is one of the most frequently used features of MFPs so this challenge is an important feature to correct.So if your copier has stopped scanning then it is time to check with support and see what upgrade or correction you need.
One tool which can correct things for Kyocera V0 devices is to deploy Kyocera Pin Point Scan which is a secondary scanning software package which can enable network scanning in an enhanced mode.
For other vendors equipment it is possible to use third party software like the AutoStore App from Nuance to their machine. This product works with all major vendors including Kyocera and could save the need to upgrade your MFP fleet. Leppert can help with installation no matter what brand of copier MFP you have deployed. This can be a good solution especially if you have a mixed brand fleet to correct.
Upgrade is a potential
If you have found that your scanning is broken and you wish to review what options are best for you to solve the problem, especially if your current equipment is fairly old then considering a fleet upgrade is an obvious option. Since newer equipment has been designed to use the later protocols and thus not to be affected by the Microsoft upgrade patch, a new deployment can work. Of course there is always budgeting and cost to consider but if like most users scanning is critical to your operation then it is a good potential option.
Leppert can assist anyone, no matter what copier brand they have, to review their scanning operations to outline options to consider.
Deploy alternative scanning
One final thought is to review how you are doing your scanning. Historically scanning was not an option on all MFP devices and therefore there are stand alone scanning solutions available which might work for you. Sometimes it makes sense to dedicate a device to the need especially if there has been a back ground environmental change like the Microsoft patch breaking MFP scanning. It takes a solid understanding of how you use the tools in your workflow and what the various options might be, ie. MFP based, stand alone centralized or distributed dedicated device scanning, to figure out which system might work best for you.
With well over 25 years of scanning deployment experience coupled with good IT background Leppert is well positioned to assist in doing this kind of review.
So if your MFP scanning has recently broken due to the Microsoft patch update, there are many ways you can correct the issue. Deciding which is right for you takes some thinking, some research and understanding the options.
Unfortunately, given the need to hard security in software these days this is probably not going to be the last time whole generations of hardware are going to get affected by a background update. Scanning can still work but it takes understanding your whole picture to be sure you get the right solution.
Lee K
