*BSD News Article 34929


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From: sherwood@fenris.space.ualberta.ca (System Administrator)
Newsgroups: comp.os.vms,comp.sys.cdc,comp.sys.sun.admin,comp.unix.admin,comp.unix.bsd,comp.unix.sys5.r4
Subject: Re: Enterprise-Wide Network Printing Administration Solution
Followup-To: comp.os.vms,comp.sys.cdc,comp.sys.sun.admin,comp.unix.admin,comp.unix.bsd,comp.unix.sys5.r4
Date: 25 Aug 1994 21:38:08 GMT
Organization: Computer and Network Services, U of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
Lines: 57
Distribution: inet
Message-ID: <33j300$ar5@quartz.ucs.ualberta.ca>
References: <towen.94.01363A1F@relay.nswc.navy.mil>
NNTP-Posting-Host: fenris.space.ualberta.ca
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL1]


I was going to followup, but thought that you might miss it.  I'm not
about to post to that many gorups.


Anyway, look at plp.  It allows for default printcaps, printcaps that
apply to a group of hosts, NIS distributed printcaps.  It also allows
NFS mounted spool directories.  Current release is 3.something, but it's
currently undergoing a rapid set of revisions as the author is merging
two specs.  There's a mailing list  plp@iona.ie 
and I think that the current release is available there.  

Thomas Owen - K104 (towen@relay.nswc.navy.mil) wrote:
: We are developing an Enterprise-Wide Network Printing
: Strategy/Solution that will allow the users on any platform to
: access any printer to which they are authorized.  This solution
: will most likely rely upon numerous networked multi-protocol
: print servers that are accessed by various platforms including
: Novell clients, Unix (BSD and System V) clients, UNIX (BSD and
: System V) application servers, and standalone desktop
: workstations (e.g., IBM PC or MacIntosh).  This system is
: envisioned to encompass at least 1500 printers and a similar
: number of clients and application servers.

: One of the major problems will be in the administration of the
: printcaps, queues, etc., in the UNIX environment and desktop
: workstation environment.  Novell servers will allow the user to
: select any printer from a single menu tree that includes all
: resources from all servers.  Adding or deleting a printer can be
: accomplished by a single administrative action (at a single
: location or on each server as appropriate) with the results
: automatically distributed to the participating servers as
: required.

: However, there does not appear to be a similar capability in the
: UNIX environment.  It is not feasible to have 1500 printcap
: entries on every client or application server especially if all
: need to be updated via a non-automatic means.  Has anyone
: attempted to solve this problem or have any information that may
: be helpful?  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

: In addition, there are several hosts that are VMS based and are
: running Wollongong TCPIP software.  Again, any help here would be
: greatly appreciated.

: Thanks in advance,
: Tom Owen
: ===================================================================
: Thomas F. Owen                        Naval Surface Warfare Center
:   towen@relay.nswc.navy.mil           Dahlgren Division
: Work: (703) 663-7614                  17320 Dahlgren Road
: Fax:  (703) 663-7999                  Dahlgren, VA 22448-5100

--
=> Sherwood Botsford                   sherwood@space.ualberta.ca <= 
=> University of Alberta         Lab Manager, Space Physics Group <=         
=> tel:403 492-3713                             fax: 403 492-4256 <=