Printing Infrastructure
Applies To: Windows Server 2008
The printing infrastructure for a print server enables local and remote users to print to the server and to manage printers and all aspects of printing.
Hierarchy of Managed Entities
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Managed Entities
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
A print server is a computer that shares printers on a network. Client computers connect to the print server to print to its shared printers. |
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A print queue is a representation of a print device (physical printer) in Microsoft Windows. Opening a print queue displays active print jobs and their status. |
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Each print server has a single print spooler service, which manages all the print jobs and print queues on that server. |
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A cluster is a group of independent computers that work together to increase the availability of print services or other services. If one of the clustered servers fails, another server begins to provide service, a process known as failover. |
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To print to a physical print device (a printer), each print queue requires a printer driver. |
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Network printer ports are what the printer driver uses to communicate with the physical device across a network. These ports may be standard TCP/IP printer ports, Line Printer Remote (LPR) ports, or other kinds of ports. |
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You can use the Printer Migration Wizard or the Printbrm.exe command-line tool to export print queues, printer settings, printer ports, and language monitors, and then import them on another print server that is running a Windows operating system. This is an efficient way to consolidate multiple print servers or replace an older print server. |