Setting Up a Windows Server 2008 Print Server
Windows Server 2008 Print Services allow printers to be shared over a network and provide a centralized printer management infrastructure allowing multiple print servers and printers to be managed from within the Print Management tool.
The objective of this chapter of Windows Server 2008 Essentials is to cover the configuration of a Windows Server 2008 system as a print server and the subsequent installation of both network based and local printer on that server.
Installing the Print Server
The first step in setting up a Windows Server 2008 print server is to install the Print Server role. This is achieved by launching the Server Manager, selecting Roles item from the tree in the left pane and clicking on Add Roles. In the Add Roles Wizard click next on the Welcome screen if one appears and then select the Print Services' option. Click Next and read the information displayed before clicking Next once again to proceed to the Select Role Services screen. On this screen a number of different service options are available for selection and installation as outlined in the following table:
|
Option |
Description |
| Print Server | Installs the print server and Print Management console. This is a prerequisite for configuring print services on Windows Server 2008. |
| LDP Service | Installs the TCP/IP Line Printer Daemon Service (LPDSV) allowing UNIX, Linux and other Line Printer Remote (LPR0 based computers to print via the print server. This setting also opens port in the Windows Firewall. |
| Internet Printing | Creates an Internet Informaiton Service (IIS) hosted web site where users can manage printers and and connect and print to shared printers hosted in the server using the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP). The default URL for the web site is http://servername/Printers, where servername is the name of the server running the print services. |
With the required options selected, click Next. Note that if Internet Printing was selected and the IIS role is not currently installed in the server, the wizard will prompt to add additional roles. If prompted, click on the Add Required Role Services button to proceed. Click Next on any information pages that may be displayed until the Confirmation screen appears. After reviewing the summary information provided, click Install to initiate the installation process.
Print Services Management Tools
Once print services are installed a number of print management tools are now available on the system. First and foremost is the Print Management snap-in which may be accessed via Start -> All Programs -> Administrative Tools -> Print Management. A useful command-line tool in the form of the Print Backup Recovery Migration tool. The executable is named Printbrm.exe and is located in %SystemRoot%\System32\Spool\Tools.
A number of useful VBscript tools are also available in %SystemRoot%\System32\Printing_Admin_Scripts\en-US (note that if you use a language other than en-US the path will need to be change accordingly). Scripts are available for configuring printer settings (prncfg.vbs), listing and manging printer drivers (prndrvr.vbs), managing print jobs (prnjobs.vbs), managing print queues (prnQctl.vbs), publishing printers to active directory (pubprn.vbs), installing and managing printers (prnmngr.vbs) and for managing TCP/IP printer ports (prnport.vbs).
The scripts are executed using the cscript.exe command and when run without any command-line options will display a list of supported options. For example: