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.

Printing at CERN

MacMac

PCPCIPXIPX

AppletalkAppletalkTCPIPTCPIP

NovellNovell

UNIXUNIX

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

MacMac PCPC

IPXIPX

TCP/IPTCP/IP

AppletalkAppletalkTCP/IPTCP/IP

IPXIPXAppletalkAppletalk

AppletalkAppletalk

TCP/IPTCP/IP

SpringerSpringer

NovellNovell

CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 3

Major problems

Reliability poor due to some users being disconnected from the print server.

Multiple servers accessing the same printer creates conflicts. (Novell, UNIX, Mac)

Multiple queues for the same printer (UNIX, PC) makes for unpredictable time estimation.

Complex job paths make problem determination difficult and therefore user support complexity.

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Single architecture withintermediate NT servers

CERN PC Printing Architecture Ivan DELOOSE - HEPNT 04/12/98 5

Single architectureDirect LPR

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Why direct LPR from PC clients ?

Single server type environment (UNIX) maintenance issues no intermediate NT servers required

Single printer queues better job visibility for the user no simultaneous printer access

No permanent attachments required

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Printing Architecture Components

NICE 95/NT Printer Wizard- Printer object, driver and port install- Same program on 95 and NT

Available Network printers :- W95 & WNT driver name + default settings- Port name : Netware, NT or UNIX queue serverAvailable Printer Drivers

Queue creation or deletion in NDS

LPQ, LPRM

DNS Host nameresolution

LPR

Print to Local Port

Backgound task, triggered byjobs sent to local port

Remote printcap management, nyi

CERN network printers

IPX only

IPX printers only

TCP/IP, Appletalk

Novell Printer Servers- SRVx_PRINT

Linux Queue Servers

Printer management (printer support) Novell Printing

UNIX Printing

NICE95/NT Client PCs (users)

Printer Database

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Printing architecture blocks

Printer DatabasePrinter ManagerPC Client Utilities

Printer Wizard LPR Service

Print Server Environment

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Printer Database

MSAccess : availability & easinessTable of available printer models (drivers)

Standard MS W95/NT drivers (NTPRINT.INF for NT)

Third party added with the Printer Manager (OEM…)

Automatically generated from the .inf files

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Printer Database

Defines all CERN supported network printers Printer name = Queue name Win95 & NT Driver name + default settings (bin

file) Printer & Queue Server name

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Printer Database

Server table system supports following server types :

NETWARE (phasing out)• Queue server only, Printer object on client

NT (not used at CERN)• Queue & Printer object servers

UNIX• Queue server only, Printer object on client• Queue server name resolved via DNS

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DNS host resolution

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Printer Database

PrinterTypes table Used for client filtering facilities

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Printer Manager

Add third party printer drivers Automated procedure

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Printer Manager (add driver)

Result & driver repository

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Printer Manager

Printer object & queue management Database entryDatabase entry

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Printer Manager

Printer object & queue management (cont’d) Automated queue management

Netware• Queue creation or deletion in NDS

NT• ‘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

UNIX (not yet implemented)• Remote printcap & filter configuration from MSAccess

database

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NICE Printer Wizard

Standard W95 & WNT application for client printer installation, configuration and monitoring

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NICE Printer Wizard

User interface developed under Visual BasicPrinter & queue access written in C++ (DLL)

Polling mechanism replaced by multi threaded printer data enumeration & job information

Overwrites printer ACL (NT only) to public using the Impersonate mechanism

Supports ports redirected to Novell, UNIX & NT printer servers

Dynamic driver & port update from database at startup

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NICE Printer Wizard

LPQ & LPRM integrated in JobInfo window

Common W95 & NT version (VB EXE & DLL)

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PC Client Utilities

LPRSERV (LPR client Service) Gateway between local jobs and UNIX print servers

Apps jobs to local filefilename = queuenameJob detected & renamedqueuename -> hostname

using DNSJob sent to UNIX server

using LPR protocol

Started at logon Common W95 & NT

version

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UNIX Printer Servers

Current status 600/1100 queues on PRINT1 (120/month) Pbms with old printers to find UNIX filters PRINT2 spare server, identical to PRINT1

Planning for 1999 All queues spread on 2 servers (PRINT 1-2), except

IPX only printers 1 new spare machine Automated server setup procedure from data stored

in the Access Printer Database ? All servers identical -> clustering via DNS

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Future Client Plans ?

Standard Printer Wizard package for non-NICE users (e.g. visitors)

Improve Printer Wizard performances LPRSERVice merged with PW DLL

Unique service (PWSERV) for all printing interactions PW just simple front end

Separated JobInfo applications (VB or Java ?) LPQ via data subscription in UNIX server

Driver update of installed printers at logon New service (PWSERV) will include a server module

for remote printer control (diagonistics, installation) -> Remote Printer Wizard

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Printer Manager & Wizard Demo