Print Services Manageability | Introducing Microsoft Windows Server(TM) 2003

Key improvements in print server manageability for Windows Server 2003 include

Centralized printer configuration.

By providing print services through a Windows print server, administrators can control the availability of print devices by using appropriate change control management, high-availability practices, and so on. Administrators can set default printing behavior to enable users to use the advanced features of print devices without having to understand printer configurations. Additionally, settings such as duplex by default represent a cost-saving opportunity for businesses of all sizes.
Printer scheduling and access controls.

To manage print device resources, administrators can use printer scheduling and access controls to manage print access, priority, and load distribution. For example, an administrator can create two printers for the same device: configuring one to take print jobs all day and configuring the second printer to accept jobs only during off-peak hours. Large batch print jobs can be set to use the second printer throughout the day (those jobs will simply queue up until they can be printed), with minimal impact on the normal printer requirements of other users.
Managing print drivers.

Windows Server 2003 maintains the same blocking functionality for known-bad drivers that was introduced with Windows 2000 and adds to that the ability to block known-bad user -mode drivers. A new policy introduced with Windows Server 2003 provides an administrator with the ability to control whether kernel-mode printer drivers can be installed. By default, kernel-mode drivers are set to disallowed on Windows Server 2003.
Driver distribution.

Windows point-and-print provides seamless distribution of drivers and settings to a wide range of clients. In addition, Windows 2000 “based and Windows XP “based clients provide rich support for automatic settings updates, driver version updates, and more.
Scripting support.

WMI Print Provider for Windows Server 2003 provides rich scripting support. Printer information can be gathered, manipulated, and used to re-create (or clone) printers and settings on new or existing servers. The Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit contains more information about the Windows Management Instrumentation Command Line (WMIC) console, support, and features. (WMIC is a command-line interface to Windows Management Instrumentation.) Six in-box scripts for command-line/GUI-less management include the following:
- Prnqctl.
  
  Pause, resume, purge, and print test page
- Prnport.
  
  Enumerate, add, and remove tcpmon ports
- Prnmngr.
  
  Add, remove, and list printers and connections
- Prnjobs.
  
  Pause, resume, cancel, and list jobs
- Prndrvr.
  
  Enumerate, add, and remove drivers
- Prncnfg.
  
  Set printer configuration (share, location, name , and so on)
Device support.

Device support is outstanding in Windows Server 2003. In addition to covering the top Windows 95 drivers, Windows Server 2003 includes additional enterprise printer model drivers and introduces PCL XL color functionality in the core printing engine ”Unidrv.
Clustering.

Installing printers on a cluster is much simpler and faster than ever before with Windows Server 2003. In addition to propagating printer port information, Windows Server 2003 delivers automatic distribution of printer drivers from the cluster spooler resource to all member nodes of the cluster. This reduces new deployment effort by approximately 30 percent. The following are new clustering features in Windows Server 2003:
- Up to 8 nodes supported
- Consolidated print driver management (install drivers only once)
- Majority node set quorum
- Reduction in shared disk requirements (no quorum partition needed)
- Terminal Services and printer server clusters now able to coexist on the same nodes
  
  Clustered print servers will still need shared storage for spooler resources. Shared storage is always required for virtual servers. See Chapter 13 , "Clustering Services," for more information about the requirements to use clustering.
Ease of installation.

The standard TCP/IP port monitor (SPM) brings a new level of ease and efficiency to installing network printer ports. SPM provides a detailed status of printer events through a Web-based interface from any Internet-connected client. In addition to detailed status, SPM allows for more accurate error reporting, such as paper out , as compared with the limited print error messages enabled by port monitors such as line printer remote (LPR). The WMI interface in Windows Server 2003 provides powerful capabilities for installing and configuring printers remotely and by means of scripts.
Active Directory integration.

The integration of print services with Active Directory means that users can go to a limited set of print servers and browse for a printer that best meets their needs. Using logical and standard server and printer naming conventions will maximize this benefit. Using well-developed standards for printer names , comments, and location entries will provide for a very accessible and efficient printing environment.
Searching for printers.

Combining printer location tracking ”a feature available in Windows 2000 ”and Windows Server 2003 Active Directory will allow users to search for printers based on a standard identification for buildings , cities, and other specifications. Active Directory will also let users search for print devices by printer features and capabilities, such as duplex, color, and speed. By using these Active Directory and print services integration features, administrators can simplify troubleshooting if a problem with a particular printer or server occurs.

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