Print Server Guidelines

  • Thread starter Thread starter Sherry
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Sherry

I am currently exploring migrating from Netware to Windows 2003 server. I
have about 150 networked printers (with JetDirectcards). Is there any
specific rule of thumb as to the number of printers that can/should be
serviced by a print server? Should the servers be a dedicated print
servers? I've read that if you put printing and file services on the same
server printing can be slow. Is that true?

Also, using JetDirect cards what is the best way to configure
printers.....via WebAdmin or via "Add Printer" in the OS?

Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Sherry
 
Sherry:


You are dealing with a topic called "Print Server Scalability & Sizing".
Microsoft deals with this issue extensively at
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/technologies/fileandprint/print/scalability.asp.


The number of printers that a print servers can support depends on a number
of factors:
To enhance print server performance, consider the following factors:

· Number of clients

· Clients' operating system version

· Number, size, and frequency of print jobs

· Type of jobs

· Number of printers

· Type of drivers

· Type of printers


After reading the article above you should be able to decide how many
printers you want your print server to support

Use a dedicated print server if you have the resources. With 150 print
devices I would definitely go the DEDICATED route.
If money is available you should also create a backup/secondary print server
just in case your production/primary print server ever goes down.
If you are tight on financial resources your backup print server can be a
file server already in use for some other purpose.

You may want to check this newsgroup for posts from JohnNews. I have dealth
with this issue many times

If your clients machines are win 2000 or win XP then web admin is
cool/efficient. Add printers can be used but this is slower.
If your clients are windows NT then only Add Printer will work
Good luck and let us know how things work out.



P.S. Why are you migrating from netware to windows?
PS If you had given more details of your NEW network I could have
provided more information ?




Cheers,
John.
 
There is no architectural limit to the number of printers on a single
server. I've heard of servers with over 1,000 printers working just fine,
so 150 on one server should not be a problem.

As to mixing file and print sharing, I'm not aware of any inherent reason
that this would cause a performance problem. For example, we have a very
old PII - 266 with 95 MB RAM running Windows NT 4 that is doing print and
file serving for 100 users (about 40 GB of files) and about 30 printers for
the last 6 years or so and performance is just fine. Whether or not you
have a performance issue would depend on how much data you are serving and
what the demand is. Serving printers is generally a low load activity.

I'm not sure what you mean by "WebAdmin". The HP WebJetAdmin tool I'm
familiar with does not have a way of associating a Windows server printer
object with a print device (or JetDirect) and installing the appropriate
driver. One would normally use the Windows Add Printer Wizard to create the
printer objects on the Windows Print Server, install the driver, share the
printer, set security and install "Additional Drivers" (for clients with a
different OS).

Some of the pages at http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/ might be useful.

If you are into using scripts, you might find
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/WindowsServ/2003/all/techref/en-us/default.asp
useful.

The Windows 2000 (or 2003) Server Resource Kit might be a worthwhile
investment (or see
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/en-us/default.asp).
 
Bruce Sanderson said:
familiar with does not have a way of associating a Windows server printer
object with a print device (or JetDirect) and installing the appropriate
driver. One would normally use the Windows Add Printer Wizard to create
the
printer objects on the Windows Print Server, install the driver, share the
printer, set security and install "Additional Drivers" (for clients with a
different OS).

Some of the pages at http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/ might be useful.
Click to expand...


Bruce--

I'm thinking he's referring to IPP. From what I sort-of-know, IPP is
sort-of-popular in the NetWare world. Windows 2003 does support it
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/techinfo/overview/internetprint.mspx
 
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