Transcript CERN Windows Printing Package

European Organization for Nuclear Research
Geneva - Switzerland
Large Scale Parallel Print Service
Ivan Deloose – David Foster – Ignacio Reguero
CHEP 2000 – 8 February 2000 – Padova (I) Presented by
Ivan Deloose - CERN IT Division
PC
UNIX
TCPIP
Mac
Appletalk
Novell
Agenda
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Some Figures
The Previous Situation
Problems
Project Requirements and Implementations
Server Backend
DNS & Clustering mechanism
CERN Windows Printing Package
Unix Clients
Conclusions
Ivan Deloose – CERN – CHEP2000 - Padova
Some Figures
 1200 Printers
 HP, Apple, QMS, Tektronix, Xerox…
 Netports, remote, ...
 Protocols
 Appletalk, IPX, TCP…
 5000 PCs running Windows 95 and NT
 2500 Unix boxes
 1700 X-terminals
Ivan Deloose – CERN – CHEP2000 - Padova
Situation before 6/98
Novell
Appletalk
Appletalk
TCP/IP
IPX
Appletalk
TCP/IP
Springer
IPX
TCP/IP
Mac
Ivan Deloose – CERN – CHEP2000 - Padova
PC
Major problems
 Reliability poor for PC users
 connections to the print server lost (mostly IPX)
 Multiple servers accessing the same printer creates
conflicts
 Multiple queues for the same printer (UNIX, PC)
makes for unpredictable time estimation
 Complex job paths make problem determination
difficult
 Single Points of Failure
 Performance issues
Ivan Deloose – CERN – CHEP2000 - Padova
Requirements Implementations
 Support both Windows and Unix clients with single
protocol
 Unique RFC1179 (LPR) protocol chosen
 Unify server back-end for Windows and Unix
 Single server type : Standard commodity PCs running Linux
 No single points of failure
 Array of identical back-end servers
 Scalable
 DNS for dynamic naming resolution
 Automated driver + printer installation on Windows
clients
 CERN Windows Printing Package
Ivan Deloose – CERN – CHEP2000 - Padova
Initial proposal with
intermediate NT servers
Ivan Deloose – CERN – CHEP2000 - Padova
Final implementation:
Single server architecture
Ivan Deloose – CERN – CHEP2000 - Padova
Server back-end
 Array of PC servers
 Each server running the Linux OS
 LPRng spooler
 CAP V198 + DDP Linux module for Appletalk + CERN patches
 Powerful set of filters for UNIX clients: papif, CTI-ifhp, qfilter…
modified for integration and device support
 Accounting, banner programs
 Automated kickstart + SUE server installation
 Configuration management
Ivan Deloose – CERN – CHEP2000 - Padova
Server Clustering and DNS
Ivan Deloose – CERN – CHEP2000 - Padova
Clustering: Recovery
Ivan Deloose – CERN – CHEP2000 - Padova
CERN Windows Printing Package
Windows Client Components
Printer Management Tools
Applications
Printer Wizard
LPR Client Service
Job Information
Printer Database &
Driver Repository
UNIX queue server cluster
Network Printers
Ivan Deloose – CERN – CHEP2000 - Padova
Package Components
 Central Database
 Defines all centrally maintained network printers
 List of available printer drivers, linked to printer driver repository
 Single driver repository
 Single entry point for all
W9x, WNT4 & 2000
printer drivers (no OS
installation CDs needed).
 Printer Manager
 Printer object creation and
configuration
 Add third party drivers
Ivan Deloose – CERN – CHEP2000 - Padova
Package Components
 Printer Wizard : The main application for client
printer installation and configuration.
 Simple drag & drop to install
any centrally supported
network printer
 Unique version (9x,NT4-5)
 Uses local DB copy +
automated version update
 Dynamic driver & port update
from database at startup
 Loads printer drivers from
repository on the server
Ivan Deloose – CERN – CHEP2000 - Padova
Package Components
 Job Info : Printer job information tool.
 Returns status about all network and local queues & jobs
 Scans ports redirected to Novell, NT & UNIX (LPQ) printer
servers
 Printer job handling : job(s) deletion
 Includes printer setup capabilities : document default settings
 Multi-threaded job scanning : UI never blocked
Ivan Deloose – CERN – CHEP2000 - Padova
Package Components
 LPRSERV (LPR client Service)
 Gateway between applications and UNIX print servers
 Apps jobs to local file
 filename = queuename
 Job detected & renamed
 queuename -> hostname
using DNS
 Job sent to UNIX server
using LPR protocol
 Job History
 Appears as single icon
during job transmission
Ivan Deloose – CERN – CHEP2000 - Padova
Installation and Updates
 Installation from
 Distribution folder (network share)
 FTP Server via Web page
 Updates and maintenance
 Program package
 Automated version check and updated
if needed at every logon
 Manual update possible via About dialog
 Local database
 Automated version check and updated
if needed at every startup of the
Printer Wizard.
 Non-availability of database server
 Package runs using current program and database version
 Taskbar icon indication
Ivan Deloose – CERN – CHEP2000 - Padova
Unix print Clients
 From LPRng
 Modified to support DNS resolution for print server
addressing
 -P printername => -P [email protected]
 Lightweight
 no spooling configuration
 Backwards compatibility implemented
 CERN’s XPRINT adapted
Ivan Deloose – CERN – CHEP2000 - Padova
Conclusions
 Server back-end based on cheap commodity hardware and ‘Open
Source’ software (LPRng)
 User benefits
 No specific CERN configuration required, any visitor can run it
 Runs on any Windows PC having TCP/IP installed
 No Netware or NT client required
 Stability : runs from the local hard disc
 Reliability : database server not required to run the package
 Supports other preinstalled printer objects (Novell, NT)
 Maintenance benefits
 Same binary on W9x, NT4 and Windows 2000 (MSI package)
 Centralized management for all Windows platforms
 Complete package can easily deployed at other laboratories
 http://cern.ch/printpackage
 General user satisfaction at CERN.
Ivan Deloose – CERN – CHEP2000 - Padova
Contacts
 [email protected]
 Windows Printing Package
 Download and information:
http://cern.ch/printpackage
 [email protected]
 Print Server backend
and UNIX clients
Ivan Deloose – CERN – CHEP2000 - Padova