Switch between printservers

From: JohnNews (johncarryl_at_comcast.net)
Date: 07/14/04 

Date: Wed, 14 Jul 2004 11:13:53 -0400

Andre:

Do a quick searh of this newsgroup for a sender called MARCUS. You may get
some helpful hints.
Here is a reply I sent to Marcus way back then.

*******************************************************************
Marcus:

I will attempt to answer your question based on MY OWN (limited) experience
in the Print Server discipline.

Good idea to setup at least TWO print servers - primary (production) &
secondary (backup).

If you set up your print servers as CLUSTERS then maybe switching over will
work automatically if one print server fails.
But I believe the clustering concept works from Windows 2000 Advance Server
and up.

I prefer a MANUAL switch over if one print server fails. In which case just
disconnect primary from network and rename secondary with the name of
primary. I am assuming at this point that both print servers have identical
print drivers installed.

Once you repair your faulty primary, rename it to the original name of the
secondary.

Let us know how things work out for you, Marcus, keep us posted.

******************************************************************

Thanks,
John

"Marcus" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:e7ed01c43cb2$a984bb70$a301280a@phx.gbl...
> Hi,
>
> I intend to connect the printers for my clients using IPP
> and HTTP in future. I want to set up multiple W2K
> printservers, on which the printers are configured exactly
> the same way. (Same driver, same configuration). I want to
> connect the clients with the printers by creating the
> connection using the printers webpage.
> (http://DNSALIAS/printers). If a server has downtime I
> want to change the DNS-Alias and use another printserver.
>
> The problem I have, is that I can connect to the printers
> website when I use the Hostname, but not when I use the
> DNS Alias. When I try to open the webpage using the DNS-
> Alias I receive the following error code.
> "An error occured while processing the request; Error
> code: 80070034; Hint: ADSI-printer determined (Translated
> from German, hope I didn't make to many mistakes.)
> (Ein Fehler ist beim Verarbeiten der Anforderung
> aufgetreten; Fehlercode: 80070034; Hinweis: ADSI-Drucker
> ermittelt.)
>
> Other websites being hosted on this Server can be
> addressed by either the Hostname or the DNS-Alias.
>
> If anybody has an idea how to solve this problem I would
> appreciate his/her help.
>
> Thanks in advance
> Marcus

"JohnNews" <johncarryl@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:%232j9lDbaEHA.556@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> Andre:
>
>
> ANSWERS
> You did not mention how many users you have on your network.
> I have worked on a similar problem before and here are my thoughts.
>
> It is good to have two identical print servers - 1 production (primary), 1
> backup (secondary).
>
> If your production Print Server goes down then users can switch MANUALLY
to
> the backup (secondary) print server and install the desired drivers. One
of
> the Best Practices of network management is that users must be educated to
> do certain basic things; otherwise they put an undue burden on help Desk
or
> Admin. Do not feel badly about forcing users to install printer drivers.
> In the long run this lowers the stress on the network Admin folks and
> educates the users to be more independent. You may want to consider
> preparing an email with the installation instructions demonstrated by
> graphics (ALT + PrTSc). If you ever suffer a production/primary breakdown
> then this email can be sent to your users as a group.
>
> When I worked this printer project I created a web (HTML) interface. I
> pasted all printers into the web interface. To install any printer
drivers
> users just had to click any of the 50 links. I used IPP,
> http://>/printers , and IIS.
> I am not prepared to make life any easier for users. If you want more
> project details I can supply same.
>
> In my opinion, clustering 2 print servers is an expensive option. Also,
the
> added complexity increases the possibility of failure.
>
>
> QUESTIONS
> * How can DNS be used to facilitate the print server switch over ?
>
>
> CONCLUSION
> Lets continue this discussion until both parties have resolved all
> questions. Thanks in advance.
>
>
>
> Thanks,
> John.
>
>
>
> "Andre" <Andre@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:E3EDA64D-A099-429F-AF7F-AD9F1FE97444@microsoft.com...
> > I have two identical printservers. Sames queues on both servers. All
users
> print on one printserver. If a printserver goes down, I want to switch
users
> as fast as possible to the other printserver. I want to do this with the
> least possible user action. Servers are W2K, Clients systems are XP.
> Clustering is no option. I'm thinking towards DNS or scripts. Any ideas?
>
>

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Printers keep disapearing
    ... If you are referring to the connection objects which enable AD Replication ... print server has the printers published in AD, ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.active_directory)
  • Re: Not sure where to post this - Print server functionality
    ... Couldn't y'all use a Unix or VMS box to serve them up via LPR? ... I can define a PC at each site as a print server, define the printers on that print server and deploy the printers via Group Policy, but the down sides are the usual concerning if the PC is turned off, if the PC gets hit by a virus and has to be sent up here to be rebuilt, all the usual. ... Spool its own jobs. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.general)
  • Re: Printer Sharing in FC3
    ... >> Printing is done with cups on FC. ... >> print job over the network to the print server, ... >> I don't know the details in the configuration, ... printers are shared by default and no configuration of a cups ...
    (Fedora)
  • Re: Printers keep disapearing
    ... do with the ADS Connectors in the AD Sites and Services? ... to the other 9 DCs at each of the other sites? ... >Locate the print server in ADU&C and see if the printers ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.active_directory)
  • Re: Website error with DNS Alias, Hostname works
    ... The idea I have is to use any Server I have running. ... the idea of using a DNS Alias for the printserver. ... Printers Website or the IIS. ... >work automatically if one print server fails. ...
    (microsoft.public.win2000.printing)
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