Print server limitations?

[Dave]

Are there any practical limitations on print servers that
would prevent 60 printers with moderate usage from
running on a dual 933mhz box with 1 GB of RAM used
exclusively as a print server? The person in charge of
our printers keeps claiming that she needs 3 servers to
run 60 printers, but I think that's ridiculous. She
claims the queues hang when you have more than 20 on a
box. I HAVE seen the printers hang, but I don't believe
it's the OS - I think it's the print management software
that's installed on the server. Any ideas?

 

[Tony Edgecombe]

I've setup a server with 460 queues with no problems so I think your quite
right.

 

[Guest]

Dear Dave,
I concur with Steve.
If your firm is interested in switching to a fully client
based print management solution - you should try Print
Audit 4. Print Audit 4 captures the information from the
windows drivers before the job reaches the server, it
will not crash or slow your print server(s) down.
Check us out at www.printaudit.com or call toll free:
877-41AUDIT (2-8348)

 

[LBM Systems]

Dave,

We have customers running literally thousands of printers and other
output objects with our software on a single, non-clustered server
(UNIX, Linux and yes, Windows). Your sysadmin just needs more spares!
As most simple installations have clients convert their application
data to printer ready format at the client, a modern print server does
mostly I/O. To prove this point, at one of LBM's labs I intentionally
use a P100 with 64mb RAM as a print server, and it barely breaks a
sweat when transfering hundreds of jobs simultaneously.

If your printers are hanging, it is certainly for different reasons
beyond CPU capacity and bus speed. If you are considering buying 3
more servers, perhaps a more frugal approach might be to upgrade the
stock windows server with an advanced print queue which can handle the
errors better, and issue notifications/emails to admins when there are
problems. Ours is at: http://www.lbmsys.com

Let me know if you need help with benchmark testing or anything else.

Are there any practical limitations on print servers that
would prevent 60 printers with moderate usage from
running on a dual 933mhz box with 1 GB of RAM used
exclusively as a print server? The person in charge of
our printers keeps claiming that she needs 3 servers to
run 60 printers, but I think that's ridiculous. She
claims the queues hang when you have more than 20 on a
box. I HAVE seen the printers hang, but I don't believe
it's the OS - I think it's the print management software
that's installed on the server. Any ideas?

Pat


LBM Systems
http://www.lbmsys.com
Business Critical Output Management
Format, Deliver, Cluster, Retrieve and More!
(800) 898.6434 (203) 966.0661