Print Migrator backup in live environment?

[XRJoe]

we are switching to a 2003 print server and need to migrate the printers with Print Migrator although we have no downtime to do the backup. I notice when doing the backup it does not stop the spooler, would I be able to do the backup while the print server is in use without disrupting any print jobs? We have roughly 1200 printers on this server. Any thoughts? Opinions? Experiences? Thanks!

 

[lhuegele]

Don't you have a test/development environment in which you can run testing first?

Also, don't you have regular maintainance windows at night with which you can use to do this migration so that you don't disrupt your users?

Good luck,

 

[XRJoe]

We work in Health Care, there is no such thing as regular maintenance windows unfortunately. I have tried the backup on a test print server but this had minimal to no load and only 1/10th the printers installed. However I was able to keep printing while the backup was running.

We have a lighter staff on in the evenings, only patient care areas mostly, however printing is just as critical then as it is during the day (just not as CPU intensive). I was planning on performing the backup then and did not want to schedule any downtime if I could avoid it as any downtime in our facility is not viewed favorably.

 

[Davetoo]

You shouldn't have downtime. When you run the migration tool on the current server it will take a snapshot of everything, then you move that data file to the new server and run it, verify all the printers are there, etc., then point users to the new server (hopefully via login script?).

I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[XRJoe]

We are migrating from a 2000 cluster to a 2003 cluster. I ran the backup remotely with a target of \\CurrentClusterName, the backup said it completed however when I restore it to \\NewClusterName (which also says it completed) I do not see the printers. The .cab file is only 131mb and it should contain nearly 1200 printer configurations. Something is not right obviously.

When I View the \\CurrentClusterName in PrintMigrator it returns with an error of:
2007:12:04 16:06:24 Starting Cluster Spooler Resource...
2007:12:04 16:06:24 Cluster Spooler Resource Started
2007:12:04 16:06:24 Second EnumPrinters failed with 1727
2007:12:04 16:06:24 Remote Tree View Failed.

Any thoughts?

 

[XRJoe]

Think I found a resolution in a google search. I am able to view all the printer configurations when I run printmig from the active node of each cluster. Hope this will work

 

[XRJoe]

I think i have a successful backup of the 2000 print cluster however the restore only restored 1/3 of the printers. Although all of the ports did migrate successfully.

Any ideas why not all printers migrated? The unsigned drivers settings in 2003 is set to silently succeed and I am running out of ideas.

 

[Davetoo]

Is there any commonality among the printers that didn't migrate?

I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[XRJoe]

It seems to be driver related. There are certain models that did not get restored at all it would seem. I made a list of what was successfully restored and what wasn't.

Models that did NOT migrate:
Any (37) Canons regardless of model
hp business inkjet 1100
hp business inkjet 2250
hp business inkjet 2600
Any (21) color laserjets regardless of model
deskjet 930c
deskjet 970
deskjet 9800
laserjet 1200
laserjet 1300
laserjet 1320
laserjet 2100
laserjet 2200
laserjet 2300
laserjet 3015
laserjet 4100
laserjet 4200L PCL 5e
laserjet 4250 (PCL and PS)
laserjet 4350
laserjet 5100
laserjet 8000
laserjet 8100
laserjet 9050
laserjet III
laserjet P2015
All (3) Konica Minolta
All (2) Lanier
Lexmark 2380
Lexmark Optra
Lexmark T630
Lexmark T632
Lexmark T644
Oki ML 320 Elite
Printronix P5000
All (5) Ricohs
All (4) Xerox Phaser 4500DT

Models that DID migrate:
HP 2500C Series
HP Business Inkjet 2230/2280
deskjet 950c
laserjet 1100
laserjet 4
laserjet 4 plus
laserjet 4000 Series PS
laserjet 4050 Series PS
laserjet 4200 PCL 5e
laserjet 4200 PS
laserjet 4Si
laserjet 5
laserjet 5N
laserjet 5Si
laserjet 6L
laserjet 8150 PS
Lexmark Optra Color 1200 PS2
Lexmark Optra T610
Lexmark Optra T612
Okidata ML 590


I'm going to be digging further into these drivers obviously and will post any findings.

 

[Davetoo]

The think I take note of right away is the Lexmark T series...I just migrated a 2000 to 2003 print server and they came across just fine.

I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[XRJoe]

I'm wondering if doing the backup on a live server could be the problem. Possibly if the drivers were being used while the backup was running it could not back those up, which is why the models that did not migrate seem so random.

 

[dmk1138]

Hi XRJoe, were you ever able to figure out the problem with the printers that didnt migrate?

I am experiencing roughly the same problem. i have ~1800 printers that i need to migrate to a new cluster. everything goes without error but it appears that a specific group of printers is not getting backed up, but their ports and drivers are. I execute the restore on the test cluster and everything shows up except the 4200, 4250, 4300,4345 and 4350 'printers'(as i said, their ports and drivers are getting restored).

i am also at a healthcare facility with minimal downtime opportunity. were you able to determine what impact the backup process had on your production performance?