Configure a Linux or Novell iPrint secondary print server
This section describes the process of setting up a secondary print serverA print server is a system responsible for hosting print queues and sharing printer resources to desktops. Users submit print jobs to a print server rather then directly to the printer itself. A print server can be a dedicated server but on many networks this server also performs other tasks, such as file serving on a Linux system. The primary Application ServerAn Application Server is the primary server program responsible for providing the PaperCut user interface, storing data, and providing services to users. PaperCut uses the Application Server to manage user and account information, manage printers, calculate print costs, provide a web browser interface to administrators and end users, and much more. can either be a Windows, Mac, Novell or a Linux based system. PaperCut MF has full support for "mixed" or heterogeneous printing environments.
Step 1 - Ensure primary server is set up correctly
Before installing a secondary serverA PaperCut secondary server is a system that directly hosts a printer, that is, a print server with a Print Provider installed. A secondary server can be a server style system hosting many printers, a desktop style system hosting printer(s) also shared to other network users, or a desktop style system with the printer used only for local users (not shared). you should ensure the Application Server is set up and running correctly. Verify that the Application Server is functioning correctly. For example, verify that:
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Printers on this server are being tracked.
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Users can log in to user pages from their workstations.
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Administrators can access the system.
Step 2 - Ensure firewall software is set to allow access to port 9191
Secondary server needs to communicate (initiate a TCP connection) on port 9191. Make sure any firewall software on the primary Application Server is not set to block any incoming local network traffic on this port. A good way to test is to open a browser on the planned secondary server, then check you can access the administration web interface on port 9191.
Step 3 - Check that the host account exists
On the secondary server, create a user account called papercut. Set the papercut user's home directory to the desired install location. This is normally /home/papercut. The method of creating this account is the same as that used for the primary server setup. For more information, see Installation.
Step 4 - Install the Print Provider
Install the Print ProviderA Print Provider is a monitoring service installed on a secondary print server to allow PaperCut to control and track printers. This monitoring component intercepts the local printing and reports the use back to the primary Application Server. software onto the secondary server by copying all files and directories from the primary Application Server's directory:
[app_path]/providers/print/linux-x64/* (64-bit)
To the equivalent location on the secondary server:
/home/papercut/providers/print/linux-x64/ (64-bit)
on the secondary server. Perform the copy operation as the papercut user so that files are owned by the papercut user. You can use any method to copy the files, including over the network or via a USB key. If the primary server is also Linux, the simplest way would be use Secure Copy (scp) as follows:
shell> su - papercut
shell> mkdir -p providers/print
shell> cd providers/print
shell> scp -r primary.server.name:/home/papercut/providers/print/* .
After the copy operation is performed, execute the setperms and roottasks scripts as root:
64-bit
shell> su - root
shell> sh ~papercut/providers/print/linux-x64/setperms
shell> sh ~papercut/providers/print/linux-x64/roottasks
Step 5 - Configuration
The Print Provider on the secondary server needs to know where the primary server is installed (e.g. Its IP address).
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Open the following file in a text editor:
/home/papercut/providers/print/linux-x64/print-provider.conf (64bit)
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Locate the line starting with ApplicationServer= and change localhost to the name or IP address of the primary server.
You now need to integrate the binaries copied in step 4 into the CUPSCommon User Printing System (CUPS) is a printing system for Unix operating systems that allows a computer to act as a print server. A computer running CUPS is a host that can accept print jobs from client computers, process them, and send them to the appropriate printer., SambaSamba is a Windows interoperability suite of programs for Linux and Unix. It is used to integrate Linux/Unix servers and desktops into Active Directory environments. It can function as both a domain controller or as a regular domain member. or Novell iPrintiPrint is a technology developed by Novell that allows users to install printer-drivers from a web browser and to submit print jobs over the Internet or a local network through the standard Internet Printing Protocol (IPP). Common desktop operating systems such as Windows, Linux, and Mac support iPrint. print queues.
This process is detailed in Linux print queue integration and Step 5 - Printer/iPrint configuration.
Step 6 - Test
The secondary server should now be configured. Perform some test printing on all of this secondary server's printers. Log in to the system as "admin" and verify that the printers are now listed on the Printers List page. Perform a multi-page test print on each printer and verify that print jobs are tracked correctly.