Printing Infrastructure

This is preliminary documentation and subject to change.

The printing infrastructure for a print server enables local and remote users to print to the server and to manage printers and all aspects of printing.

Hierarchy of Managed Entities

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Managed Entities

Name Description

Print Server

A print server is a computer that shares printers on a network. Client computers connect to the print server to print to its shared printers.

Print Queue

A print queue is a representation of a print device (physical printer) in Microsoft Windows. Opening a print queue displays active print jobs and their status.

Print Spooler Service

Each print server has a single print spooler service, which manages all the print jobs and print queues on that server.

Print Server Failover Cluster

A cluster is a group of independent computers that work together to increase the availability of print services or other services. If one of the clustered servers fails, another server begins to provide service, a process known as failover.

Printer Driver

To print to a physical print device (a printer), each print queue requires a printer driver.

Network Printer Ports

Network printer ports are what the printer driver uses to communicate with the physical device across a network. These ports may be standard TCP/IP printer ports, Line Printer Remote (LPR) ports, or other kinds of ports.

Print Migration Tool

You can use the Printer Migration Wizard or the Printbrm.exe command-line tool to export print queues, printer settings, printer ports, and language monitors, and then import them on another print server that is running a Windows operating system. This is an efficient way to consolidate multiple print servers or replace an older print server.