Printing at CERN Novell TCPIP UNIX Appletalk Mac

Printing at CERN Novell TCPIP UNIX Appletalk Mac IPX PC Ivan DELOOSE CERN PS Division HEP-NT 4/12/98

Situation before 6/98 Novell Appletalk TCP/IP IPX Appletalk TCP/IP Springer IPX TCP/IP Mac CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 PC 2

Major problems z Reliability poor due to some users being disconnected from the print server. z Multiple servers accessing the same printer creates conflicts. (Novell, UNIX, Mac) z Multiple queues for the same printer (UNIX, PC) makes for unpredictable time estimation. z Complex job paths make problem determination difficult and therefore user support complexity. CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 3

Single architecture with intermediate NT servers CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 4

Single architecture Direct LPR CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 5

Why direct LPR from PC clients ? z Single server type environment (UNIX) ymaintenance issues yno intermediate NT servers required z Single printer queues ybetter job visibility for the user yno simultaneous printer access z No permanent attachments required CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 6

Printing Architecture Components CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 7

Printing architecture blocks z Printer Database z Printer Manager z PC Client Utilities y. Printer Wizard y. LPR Service z Print Server Environment CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 8

Printer Database z MSAccess : availability & easiness z Table of available printer models (drivers) y. Standard MS W 95/NT drivers (NTPRINT. INF for NT) y. Third party added with the Printer Manager (OEM…) y. Automatically generated from the. inf files CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 9

Printer Database z Defines all CERN supported network printers y. Printer name = Queue name y. Win 95 & NT Driver name + default settings (bin file) y. Printer & Queue Server name CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 10

Printer Database z Server table y system supports following server types : x. NETWARE (phasing out) • Queue server only, Printer object on client x. NT (not used at CERN) • Queue & Printer object servers x. UNIX • Queue server only, Printer object on client • Queue server name resolved via DNS CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 11

DNS host resolution CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 12

Printer Database z Printer. Types table y Used for client filtering facilities CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 13

Printer Manager z Add third party printer drivers y. Automated procedure CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 14

Printer Manager (add driver) y. Result & driver repository CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 15

Printer Manager z Printer object & queue management y. Database entry CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 16

Printer Manager z Printer object & queue management (cont’d) y. Automated queue management x. Netware • Queue creation or deletion in NDS x. NT • ‘Print. Sync’ tool running permanently on NT printer server – Checks printer objects with database – Printer object & queue creation – Third party drivers must be beforehand installed with Printer Manager x. UNIX (not yet implemented) • Remote printcap & filter configuration from MSAccess database CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 17

NICE Printer Wizard z Standard W 95 & WNT application for client printer installation, configuration and monitoring CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 18

NICE Printer Wizard z User interface developed under Visual Basic z Printer & queue access written in C++ (DLL) y. Polling mechanism replaced by multi threaded printer data enumeration & job information y. Overwrites printer ACL (NT only) to public using the Impersonate mechanism z Supports redirected to Novell, UNIX & NT printer servers z Dynamic driver & port update from database at startup CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 19

NICE Printer Wizard z LPQ & LPRM integrated in Job. Info window z Common W 95 & NT version (VB EXE & DLL) CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 20

PC Client Utilities z LPRSERV (LPR client Service) y. Gateway between local jobs and UNIX print servers x. Apps jobs to local file xfilename = queuename x. Job detected & renamed xqueuename -> hostname using DNS x. Job sent to UNIX server using LPR protocol y. Started at logon y. Common W 95 & NT version CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 21

UNIX Printer Servers z Current status y 600/1100 queues on PRINT 1 (120/month) y. Pbms with old printers to find UNIX filters y. PRINT 2 spare server, identical to PRINT 1 z Planning for 1999 y. All queues spread on 2 servers (PRINT 1 -2), except IPX only printers y 1 new spare machine y. Automated server setup procedure from data stored in the Access Printer Database ? y. All servers identical -> clustering via DNS CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 22

Future Client Plans ? z Standard Printer Wizard package for non-NICE users (e. g. visitors) z Improve Printer Wizard performances y LPRSERVice merged with PW DLL x. Unique service (PWSERV) for all printing interactions x. PW just simple front end y Separated Job. Info applications (VB or Java ? ) y LPQ via data subscription in UNIX server z Driver update of installed printers at logon z New service (PWSERV) will include a server module for remote printer control (diagonistics, installation) -> Remote Printer Wizard CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 23

Printer Manager & Wizard Demo CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 24