? about NT Print Servers

Russel,
I think that buying a server for print services is a good idea.
25 printers, you must have quite a few users, and the need to access so many printers must to be unreal. So, why would you sacrifice a balanced evironment that you have now with your other computers, if you can have a machine dedicated for this overhead. Plus, I am sure that you can find other uses for the extra machine, load-balacing of file services, etc...

Good luck on the upgrade!

Russell -

If you have the budget to do so, I would definitely go with a dedicated print server. Having the ability to restart the server after installing/upgrading print drivers AND not affect your DCs is a positive. Being able to restart as needed to troubleshoot troublesome print drivers is also a plus. Also, as Calves mentioned above, you can also find other uses for the hardware...DNS, Secondary WINS, DHCP, whatever...

Good luck :-)

If those 25 printers are expected to have any kind of work load, one dedicated print server will be kept very busy. You might even distribute part of the work load to one or more of the controllers.

I'm going to oppose the other answers and not recommend a single print server. I don't like putting all of my eggs in one basket. If all of your printers are connected through a server and the server goes down for a length of time, nobody can print anything. I prefer to use multiple print servers, then if one server goes down my users can simply choose to print to a different printer.

Your print servers do not have to be million dollar machines either. You can buy several reasonably priced PCs and use them as print servers.

Don

I'm going to oppose the other answers and not recommend a single print server. I don't like putting all of my eggs in one basket. If all of your printers are connected through a server and the server goes down for a length of time, nobody can print anything. I prefer to use multiple print servers, then if one server goes down my users can simply choose to print to a different printer.

Your print servers do not have to be million dollar machines either. You can buy several reasonably priced PCs and use them as print servers.

Don

Hi Russell,

I am also going to disagree with all the other answers and suggest you simply use the TCP/IP printing service included with Windows NT. On each of your clients, add the TCP/IP printing service. Then, when creating the printers, add them to My Computer instead of connecting to Network Printers. Click the Add Port button, then create a port with the IP address of the printer. Then create a printer by loading the printer driver and connecting to that port. Your printers are now communicating directly with the clients and are not adding any overhead to your server structure at all (although of course they are creating LAN traffic).

PS. You can also do this with Windows 9x, although it's been a long time since I've done it anddon't remember the details. However, we are doing this NOW with NT, and it's a much better solution than Windows printing.

HTH,

Steve

Hi Russell:

Go with Steve's answer, #6. We have over 1,000 printers here and the ones that go through a print server are a lot more trouble than the ones using TCP/IP and direct printing. The only reason I can see for a print server is if you want to control the print jobs, job priority, job tracking or printer pooling.

It works much better for us w/o the print server as the middle man.

Good luck.

Network printers have a built in NIC and hook directly to the network. Users access the printers as if they were connected directly to their machine. After you establish the proper permissions you should be able to control the printers from any computer by using your logon. That's how my network is set up and its been flawlees.

Best, Glenn

I too would opt not to have a "print server" , you have at least 3 server's right now, I would spread all these out between them for the basic belief of redundancy. You can spread out the workload and actually increase the productivity of the sysetm. Now, if the question is the impact on your systems, I suggest you load NT Server on a Reg 450 or 500 , this is more than enough (or even a 300) to handle just printing..and can pull some of the workload off of the others. You may even have a systemor two in your IS area that can be used for this reason. I would say if you had 100 or more then I would still just use a Multiple workstaion with server loaded on it to do this, it's just more cost effective price of a server just for printing..vs cost of a 300 (more than enough processer pwr if that's all your using it for) that you've already been looking at upgrading for the end-user anyway. Also, I too agree, most printers have the Nic on them or you can add them...for Unix should NOT be aproblem connecting t

....for Unix should NOT be a problem connecting to a NT printer. , if your printer does not have a NIC then use a jet direct , this should fix the issue if the sysetm didn't have a built in NIC. Good Luck -AL

Depending on the number os users you have on your network, I would have to appose answer 6. The main purpose of a Domain is centralized administration and effeciency. Creating logical network ports on each client to print directly to a printer is tedious and creates a lot of work. Having two print servers for redundancy and load balancing is the best solution. Once you set up all your printers and share them, all users have to do is locate the print server in network neighbourhood and right click on the printer they want to use. The driver is downloaded to the client and its done. Troubleshooting can all take place at the server, all printer manufacturers provide ustilities which enable you to maintain all your printers..eg Lexmark's Mark Vision...hope this helps.

I agree with Glenn (#8), Network printers have a built in NIC, so you can connect it directly to the network. And you'd better to install at least 1 print server. The function of print server are to control the print jobs queuing, to schedule of printing.
I'm sure with that numbers of printers, you have the big amount of data to print. It's good idea for controlling the print jobs so it won't slowing down your network. Besides, it's a bad idea to let your users waiting just for printing.
Withprint server you can have users put their print jobs into queue while in the working hour, and let the print server print it at night. So no waiting time for printing.

PS: It's time to consider the Netware Print Server while it can handle up to 255 printers in 1 server with less requrement needed.

good luck

Install Microsoft simple tcp printing on both servers and reboot. This will give you the option of using a lpr port. You will need to use a lpr port for all your printers if you want to make them accessable from the unix box also. The lpr port isaccually a unix port. This enables you to put your ip address and print command in for the port. Installing printers on both servers allows redundacy incase one server fails, Install half of your printers on one server and half on the other. Seehow performace vary's on you servers after the printers are installed. If there is a great performance decrease you may want to by a dedicated print server. I would suggest a server with full redundancy though. Make sure it has a raid controller and hot swap drives, nic teaming capability and multiple powersupply's for power back up in case one powersupply goes bad.

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