Bambu Lab Authorization Control System: Difference between revisions

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=== Impact on Professional Users and Print Farms ===

The restrictions imposed by the new authorization system create significant operational challenges for professional users:

The restrictions imposed by the new authorization system create significant operational challenges for professional users who kept their printers signed into the cloud:

* Print farms can no longer use custom automation systems to manage multiple printers

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* Integration with existing business systems & workflows becomes more difficult or impossible

* Professional users with more than 20 printers report the new workflow as "an absolute nightmare"<ref>https://forum.bambulab.com/t/this-new-auth-system-will-make-me-sell-my-printers/135400/4</ref>

The solution to the above is not to sign the printer into the cloud. Keeping the printer signed in would be a security oversight in this use case on the part of the print farm.

=== Privacy & Data Collection Concerns ===

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* All printer operations must now pass through Bambu's cloud infrastructure when using cloud mode

* User print data, including file names and print settings, becomes visible to Bambu

* User print data, including file names and print settings, becomes visible to Bambu when cloud is used

* Camera feeds and operational data are processed through Bambu's servers

* Camera feeds and operational data are processed through Bambu's servers while on a different network

* Users have limited visibility into how their data is collected, stored, and used

* Users have limited visibility into how their data is collected, stored, and used in the cloud

* The system creates dependence on Bambu's cloud services for basic printer functionality<ref>https://forum.bambulab.com/t/full-non-cloud-based-network-option-needed/3643/9</ref>

* The system creates dependence on Bambu's cloud services availability for basic printer functionality<ref>https://forum.bambulab.com/t/full-non-cloud-based-network-option-needed/3643/9</ref>

While Bambu Lab maintains that cloud processing is necessary for security and functionality, community members argue this represents unnecessary data collection that could be handled locally<ref>https://forum.bambulab.com/t/bambu-studio-1-10-2-public-beta/134549/12</ref>. The company's cloud infrastructure costs are significant, leading some users to speculate that future monetization of the cloud services may be planned<ref>https://forum.bambulab.com/t/full-non-cloud-based-network-option-needed/3643/5</ref>.

While Bambu Lab maintains that cloud processing is necessary for security and functionality, community members argue this represents unnecessary data collection that could be handled locally<ref>https://forum.bambulab.com/t/bambu-studio-1-10-2-public-beta/134549/12</ref>. The company's cloud infrastructure costs are significant, leading some users to speculate that future monetization of the cloud services may be planned<ref>https://forum.bambulab.com/t/full-non-cloud-based-network-option-needed/3643/5</ref>. Therefore, people should assess if their use case mandates the use of the cloud service and disable it when it doesn't.

This shift from local control to cloud-dependent operation is part of a broader trend in consumer devices, where manufacturers use security concerns to justify increased data collection & reduced customer control over devices they bought & paid for. ~~The change is devastating to privacy~~-conscious users ~~who specifically chose to~~ operate their printers in LAN-only mode to avoid cloud connectivity.

This shift from local control to cloud-dependent operation is part of a broader trend in consumer devices, where manufacturers use security concerns to justify increased data collection & reduced customer control over devices they bought & paid for. Privacy-conscious users should operate their printers in LAN-only mode to avoid cloud connectivity.

== Customer Reactions ==

@@ Line 152: / Line 152: @@
 === Impact on Professional Users and Print Farms ===
-The restrictions imposed by the new authorization system create significant operational challenges for professional users:
+The restrictions imposed by the new authorization system create significant operational challenges for professional users who kept their printers signed into the cloud:
 * Print farms can no longer use custom automation systems to manage multiple printers
@@ Line 159: / Line 159: @@
 * Integration with existing business systems & workflows becomes more difficult or impossible
 * Professional users with more than 20 printers report the new workflow as "an absolute nightmare"<ref>https://forum.bambulab.com/t/this-new-auth-system-will-make-me-sell-my-printers/135400/4</ref>
+The solution to the above is not to sign the printer into the cloud. Keeping the printer signed in would be a security oversight in this use case on the part of the print farm.
 === Privacy & Data Collection Concerns ===
@@ Line 165: / Line 166: @@
 * All printer operations must now pass through Bambu's cloud infrastructure when using cloud mode
-* User print data, including file names and print settings, becomes visible to Bambu
+* User print data, including file names and print settings, becomes visible to Bambu when cloud is used
-* Camera feeds and operational data are processed through Bambu's servers
+* Camera feeds and operational data are processed through Bambu's servers while on a different network
-* Users have limited visibility into how their data is collected, stored, and used
+* Users have limited visibility into how their data is collected, stored, and used in the cloud
-* The system creates dependence on Bambu's cloud services for basic printer functionality<ref>https://forum.bambulab.com/t/full-non-cloud-based-network-option-needed/3643/9</ref>
+* The system creates dependence on Bambu's cloud services availability for basic printer functionality<ref>https://forum.bambulab.com/t/full-non-cloud-based-network-option-needed/3643/9</ref>
-While Bambu Lab maintains that cloud processing is necessary for security and functionality, community members argue this represents unnecessary data collection that could be handled locally<ref>https://forum.bambulab.com/t/bambu-studio-1-10-2-public-beta/134549/12</ref>. The company's cloud infrastructure costs are significant, leading some users to speculate that future monetization of the cloud services may be planned<ref>https://forum.bambulab.com/t/full-non-cloud-based-network-option-needed/3643/5</ref>.
+While Bambu Lab maintains that cloud processing is necessary for security and functionality, community members argue this represents unnecessary data collection that could be handled locally<ref>https://forum.bambulab.com/t/bambu-studio-1-10-2-public-beta/134549/12</ref>. The company's cloud infrastructure costs are significant, leading some users to speculate that future monetization of the cloud services may be planned<ref>https://forum.bambulab.com/t/full-non-cloud-based-network-option-needed/3643/5</ref>. Therefore, people should assess if their use case mandates the use of the cloud service and disable it when it doesn't.
-This shift from local control to cloud-dependent operation is part of a broader trend in consumer devices, where manufacturers use security concerns to justify increased data collection & reduced customer control over devices they bought & paid for. The change is devastating to privacy-conscious users who specifically chose to operate their printers in LAN-only mode to avoid cloud connectivity.
+This shift from local control to cloud-dependent operation is part of a broader trend in consumer devices, where manufacturers use security concerns to justify increased data collection & reduced customer control over devices they bought & paid for. Privacy-conscious users should operate their printers in LAN-only mode to avoid cloud connectivity.
 == Customer Reactions ==