Do I need to backup my PaperCut Site Server?

No. The Site Server does not maintain its own data and does not need backing up. If a Site Server fails, a new one can be quickly re-established by re-installing. By contrast, the Application Server does maintain important configuration and history data and should be backed up.

Does the Site Server replicate the entire PaperCut database?

No. The Site Server does replicate key tables from the PaperCut database related to configuration. This includes User, Group, Printer, Device and Attribute tables. Importantly, the Site Server does not replicate the Printer Log table from the App Server, as this data is not needed. For many customers, the Printer Log table is by far the largest table in the database.

Is communication between the Site Server and App Server secure?

Yes. The Site Server performs all communication with the App Server over a secure HTTPS connection. A Site Server cannot be connected to the App Server without the approval of a PaperCut administrator with sufficient admin rights.

Do I need to run a Site Server on an external database?

No. The PaperCut Site Server also ships with an internal database in the same way the Application Server does. However if your preference is for an external database, we support these too.

What database replication technology do you use?

PaperCut developed its own database replication strategy to remove the requirement for costly enterprise database licenses.

Is failover automatic, and how quickly does it happen?

The failover from online to offline mode for the site server is an automatic process and happens without the need for intervention from an administrator. The failover time is also instantaneous for the MFDs and configurable for the print provider, so users can continue to function without interruption.

How do I check the status of a Site Server?

The status of a Site Server can be validated through the PaperCut admin interface via the Sitestab as well as via the http://[site-server]:9191/admin URL.

Will features like conversion to greyscale or force duplex work in offline mode?

Yes. Filters and restrictions set at the queue level are supported when the Site Server is offline from the Application Server. However, print scripts and any conversions controlled by script will not run when offline.

Will username and password login methods be supported if the Application Server isn’t available?

Yes. Site Servers are able to be configured in a way that they can validate username and passwords when the Application Server is unavailable, however this is not enabled by default. If a link between a remote site and the main site is unavailable, there is a high likelihood that the directory server is also not available to validate credentials.

Will cross server releasing of print jobs work during an outage?

Cross server releasing of print jobs (where the physical queue and virtual queue are on different print servers) will be supported during an outage when both source and target queues reside on print servers connected to the same Site Server.

Will Site Servers replace the need for clustering?

Customers implementing clustering of the Application Server to maintain high service levels should continue to do so. The Site Server offers additional protection, but many features of the Application Server, such as Web Print, BYOD printing and external payment gateways are not currently available through a Site Server.

Will Site Servers improve scalability of my system?

In the initial release, we are not claiming scalability benefits for the Site Server. However it is true that the Site Server is distributing workload - and as we gather more data and continue to build the solution, we may well see some scalability benefits.

How do I specify the Site Server network address for my Web Services device?

Where a Site Server has multiple IP addresses, devices that look for PaperCut may need to know which IP address is the correct address to connect to. On the Application Server, this is easily set under Options → Advanced → Server Address. On the Site Server, you may specify the address to use on the Sites → Site Server Details. page in the Override Network Address field.

What happens to my existing held print jobs when the Application Server becomes unavailable?

Jobs which were printed to a local print server prior to an outage will reappear in your held jobs list a few minutes after the Application Server becomes unavailable.