Method and system for decommissioning cloud-connected printers

1 . A method in a server, the method comprising:

communicatively coupling a client computing device to a printer via a server based on an association of the client computing device and the printer with an account identifier, the server controls print operations of the printer in response to instructions received from the client computing device;

receiving, from the client computing device associated with the account identifier, an account deletion request corresponding to the account identifier;

retrieving, from a repository, an identifier of the printer associated with the account identifier;

receiving confirmation of the account deletion request from the client computing device;

determining that the printer is not connected to the server in response to the account deletion request;

queueing a decommissioning command in a queue in response to determining that the printer is not connected to the server;

receiving, from the printer, an attempt to re-connect to the server;

checking the queue for the decommissioning command for the printer;

transmitting the decommissioning command to the printer corresponding to the identifier of the printer and transmitting a de-authentication command to the client computing device;

decommissioning the printer via the decommissioning command in response to receiving confirmation of the account deletion request and receiving the attempt to re-connect to the server, the decommissioning command causing the printer to delete data associated with the account identifier from a local storage of the printer, the decommissioning command terminating a communication connection between the server and the printer and renders the printer inoperable for printing;

de-authenticating the client computing device via the de-authentication command in response to receiving confirmation of the account deletion request, the de-authentication command causing the client computing device to delete locally stored authentication data including the account identifier and prevents the client computing device from re-connecting to the server with the locally stored authentication data; and

deleting, from the repository, the account identifier and account data associated with the account identifier.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to retrieving the identifier of the printer:

in response to receiving the account deletion request, initiating a confirmation timer at the server; and

receiving an account deletion confirmation request from the client computing device before expiry of the confirmation timer.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

receiving, from the client computing device, (i) a re-authentication request, and (ii) the account deletion confirmation request, before expiry of the confirmation timer.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing, in the repository, (i) historical data corresponding to the printer in association with a primary account identifier, and (ii) an association between the primary account identifier and the account identifier; wherein deleting the account data includes deleting the association between the primary account identifier and the account identifier.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the data associated with the account identifier stored in the local storage of the printer includes at least one of:

the account identifier,

the primary account identifier,

wireless network credentials,

an encryption certificate,

saved print data, or

a stored location of the printer.

6 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

generating an encrypted recovery file containing the account identifier and the primary account identifier; and

transmitting the encrypted recovery file to the client computing device.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

retrieving, from the repository, respective identifiers of a plurality of printers associated with the account identifier; and

transmitting respective decommissioning commands to each of the plurality of printers.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

retrieving, from the repository, an identifier of a second client computing device associated with the account identifier; and

transmitting, to the second client computing device, a de-authentication command.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the decommissioning command includes a secure erase parameter.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a printing operation of the printer is rendered non-functional in response to the decommissioning command.

11 . A server, comprising:

a memory storing a repository;

a communications interface; and

a processor configured to:

communicatively couple a client computing device to a printer via a server based on an association of the client computing device and the printer with an account identifier, the server controls print operations of the printer in response to instructions received from the client computing device;

receive, from the client computing device associated with the account identifier, an account deletion request corresponding the account identifier;

retrieve, from the repository, an identifier of the printer associated with the account identifier;

receiving confirmation of the account deletion request from the client computing device;

determining that the printer is not connected to the server in response to the account deletion request;

queueing a decommissioning command in a queue in response to determining that the printer is not connected to the server;

receiving, from the printer, an attempt to re-connect to the server;

checking the queue for the decommissioning command for the printer;

transmitting the decommissioning command to the printer corresponding to the identifier of the printer and transmitting a de-authentication command to the client computing device;

decommissioning the printer via the decommissioning command in response to confirmation of the account deletion request receiving confirmation of the account deletion request and receiving the attempt to re-connect to the server, the decommissioning command causing the printer to delete data associated with the account identifier from a local storage of the printer, the decommissioning command terminating a communication connection between the server and the printer and renders the printer inoperable for printing;

de-authenticate the client computing device via the de-authentication command in response to receiving confirmation of the account deletion request, the de-authentication command causing the client computing device to delete locally stored authentication data including the account identifier and prevents the client computing device from re-connecting to the server with the locally stored authentication data; and

delete, from the repository, the account identifier and account data associated with the account identifier.

12 . The server of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured, prior to retrieving the identifier of the printer, to:

in response to receiving the account deletion request, initiate a confirmation timer at the server; and

receive an account deletion confirmation request from the client computing device before expiry of the confirmation timer.

13 . The server of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive, from the client computing device, (i) a re-authentication request, and (ii) the account deletion confirmation request, before expiry of the confirmation timer.

14 . The server of claim 11 , wherein the repository contains (i) historical data corresponding to the printer in association with a primary account identifier, and (ii) an association between the primary account identifier and the account identifier; and

wherein the processor is further configured to delete the account data by deleting the association between the primary account identifier and the account identifier.

15 . The server of claim 14 , wherein the data associated with the account identifier stored in the local storage of the printer includes at least one of:

the account identifier,

the primary account identifier,

wireless network credentials,

an encryption certificate,

saved print data, or

a stored location of the printer.

16 . The server of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured:

generate an encrypted recovery file containing the account identifier and the primary account identifier; and

transmit the encrypted recovery file to the client computing device.

17 . The server of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

retrieve, from the repository, respective identifiers of a plurality of printers associated with the account identifier; and

transmit respective decommissioning commands to each of the plurality of printers.

18 . The server of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured:

retrieve, from the repository, an identifier of a second client computing device associated with the account identifier; and

transmit, to the second client computing device, a de-authentication command.

19 . The server of claim 11 , wherein the decommissioning command includes a secure erase parameter.

20 . The server of claim 11 , wherein a printing operation of the printer is rendered non-functional in response to the decommissioning command.