Print Server Failover

[abolduc]

Hi All!
Is anyone aware of a way in which users' printers/print jobs can be
failed over to a hot standby server using DNS as the switching
mechanism?


Here is the situation:

client A-----subnet1-----print server 1
|---------------dns server 1
|---------------ip printer 1
router
|
|
subnet2-----print server 2

1. "client A" is an XP machine that is on the same subnet as the "dns
server 1", "print server 1", and "ip printer 1"

2. "client A" connects to "ip printer 1" using \\printserver1\printer1

3. using Microsoft's printer migration tool, all of the printers on
"print server 1" have been replicated on "print server 2" and "print
server 2" can print to all printers

4. Everything is part of on large AD forest with geo-distant sites

Here is what exactly I need to know:

1. In the event that "print server 1" goes down, is it possible for us
change the A record on "dns server 1" for "print server 1" so that
it's name resolves to "print server 2"'s ip address and expect that
clients will now print through "print server 2"?

2. If not, why and what is the alternative solution (without using
clustering or 3rd party tools)?

Thanks in advance for everyone's help!

-Alex

 

[abolduc]

Additionally, all servers are Win2k but will be upgraded to Win2k3
before the end of the year. Thanks