multiple printers for NDPS?

[longneck]

i know with traditional netware queues, you could have multiple printers servicing a queue, thereby splitting the load across multiple printers. is there a way to do the same thing with NDPS without having to use traditional queues?

 

[LawnBoy]

I've never tried it so I may be way off base, but I believe you can.

While creating an NDPS printer object you can choose whether to create a new printer agent or use an existing one. I believe that if you chose to use an existing agent then both printers will service the queue.

Marv and Terry will now humiliate me with their superior knowledge...

 

[marvhuffaker]

Longneck, there is a new feature in NDPS call Printer Pooling that should do what you want. Read about it here:

http://www.novell.com/documentation...ation/oes/iprint_nw/data/akexxjc.html#boyrfzf

Note that this is a new feature, I think it was introduced in NW6.5 SP3 and/or OES. It wasn't available in prior versions.
I have not used this feature yet, so I don't know if it works well or not.

Alternatively, if you already have a queue/multiple printer setup, you could just create an NDPS printer and send the jobs to the queue. This is different than spooling FROM a queue... you'd deploy and manage the NDPS printer just like any other NDPS printer. Users would not need the queue based printer installed. only the NDPS one that you could deploy automatically. but instead of printint to an IP address, it shoots the job into the queue and your traditional print server processes it. I've had to use this setup before and it works great when it's the only option.





Marvin Huffaker, MCNE

http://www.redjuju.com

 

[longneck]

This is different than spooling FROM a queue

it's not the spooling from a queue that's a problem. having a queue is actually OK because the app i'm using (FaxPress) can only print to a traditional netware queue. the problem i'm actually trying to get around is that when multiple NDPS printers service a traditional queue, the load isn't shared evenly. it's like the NDPS printers are each checking the queue every few seconds and grabbing ALL of the jobs. so if 5 jobs all queue up in a second or two, one printer will print them all. or if a printer is out of paper, its agent will continue to pull jobs that it can't print right now.

i was hoping to get around this by having NDPS manage the load instead of the interfave to the traditional queue.

 

[longneck]

oh, and we haven't deployed i{rint yet, so i can't use iPrint printer pooling.

 

[marvhuffaker]

Ok, I see what you are saying...

But.. iprint or NDPS, whatever you want to call it - Iprint is just an extension of NDPS and whether you actually use the iprint components or not doesn't matter. They both run pretty much the same on the server.

Based on what you are saying, I think it would still be possible to use the iPrint pooling to do what you want... Theoretically, one printer would pick up the jobs, and if it's busy they will be pooled to the other printers.

In fact, make it so only one NDPS printer services a queue.. Make a Pool of 3-4 printers (or however many you have).. And if it works the way it is supposed to, one printer will suck all the jobs out of the queue and then the jobs should be distributed to the non-busy printers.

Do you at least have Netware 6.5 (I wanna say SP2)? If so, you should be able to make it work. I'd like to see this setup in action. so report back. BTW, you will have to use iManager to setup the printer pool.

Marvin Huffaker, MCNE

http://www.redjuju.com

 

[marvhuffaker]

Sorry longneck, I just realized that we're in the Netware 5 forum, so this will probably not work for you. Correct me if I'm wrong.



Marvin Huffaker, MCNE

http://www.redjuju.com