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

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

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

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

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

CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 6 Why direct LPR from PC clients ? zSingle server type environment (UNIX) ymaintenance issues yno intermediate NT servers required zSingle printer queues ybetter job visibility for the user yno simultaneous printer access zNo permanent attachments required

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

CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 8 Printing architecture blocks zPrinter Database zPrinter Manager zPC Client Utilities yPrinter Wizard yLPR Service zPrint Server Environment

CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 9 Printer Database zMSAccess : availability & easiness zTable of available printer models (drivers) yStandard MS W95/NT drivers (NTPRINT.INF for NT) yThird party added with the Printer Manager (OEM…) yAutomatically generated from the.inf files

CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 10 Printer Database zDefines all CERN supported network printers yPrinter name = Queue name yWin95 & NT Driver name + default settings (bin file) yPrinter & Queue Server name

CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 11 Printer Database zServer table ysystem supports following server types : xNETWARE (phasing out) Queue server only, Printer object on client xNT (not used at CERN) Queue & Printer object servers xUNIX Queue server only, Printer object on client Queue server name resolved via DNS

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

CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 13 Printer Database zPrinterTypes table yUsed for client filtering facilities

CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 14 Printer Manager zAdd third party printer drivers yAutomated procedure

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

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

CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 17 Printer Manager zPrinter object & queue management (cont’d) yAutomated queue management xNetware Queue creation or deletion in NDS xNT ‘PrintSync’ 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 xUNIX (not yet implemented) Remote printcap & filter configuration from MSAccess database

CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 18 NICE Printer Wizard zStandard W95 & WNT application for client printer installation, configuration and monitoring

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

CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 20 NICE Printer Wizard zLPQ & LPRM integrated in JobInfo window zCommon W95 & NT version (VB EXE & DLL)

CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 21 PC Client Utilities zLPRSERV (LPR client Service) yGateway between local jobs and UNIX print servers xApps jobs to local file xfilename = queuename xJob detected & renamed xqueuename -> hostname using DNS xJob sent to UNIX server using LPR protocol yStarted at logon yCommon W95 & NT version

CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 22 UNIX Printer Servers zCurrent status y600/1100 queues on PRINT1 (120/month) yPbms with old printers to find UNIX filters yPRINT2 spare server, identical to PRINT1 zPlanning for 1999 yAll queues spread on 2 servers (PRINT 1-2), except IPX only printers y1 new spare machine yAutomated server setup procedure from data stored in the Access Printer Database ? yAll servers identical -> clustering via DNS

CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 23 Future Client Plans ? zStandard Printer Wizard package for non-NICE users (e.g. visitors) zImprove Printer Wizard performances yLPRSERVice merged with PW DLL xUnique service (PWSERV) for all printing interactions xPW just simple front end ySeparated JobInfo applications (VB or Java ?) yLPQ via data subscription in UNIX server zDriver update of installed printers at logon zNew 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 24 Printer Manager & Wizard Demo