Overview of Print Services

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

Print Services in Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 enables you to share printers on a network and centralize print server and network printer management tasks by using the Print Management Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in. Print Management helps you monitor print queues and receive notifications when print queues stop processing print jobs. It also enables you to migrate print servers and deploy printer connections using Group Policy.

The following sections provide more information about Print Services:

  • Tools for managing a print server

  • Print Services role services

Tools for managing a print server

There are two primary tools that you can use to administer a Windows print server: Server Manager and Print Management. On Windows Server 2008, you can use Server Manager to install the Print Services server role, optional role services, and features. Server Manager also displays print-related events from Event Viewer and includes an instance of the Print Management snap-in, which can administer the local server only.

The Print Management snap-in is available in the Administrative Tools folder on computers running Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, Windows Vista Ultimate and Windows Server 2008. You can use it to install, view, and manage all of the printers and Windows print servers in your organization.

Print Management provides current details about the status of printers and print servers on the network. You can use Print Management to install printer connections to a group of client computers simultaneously and to monitor print queues remotely. Print Management can help you find printers that have an error condition by using filters. It can also send e-mail notifications or run scripts when a printer or print server needs attention. On printers that provide a Web-based management interface, Print Management can display more data, such as toner and paper levels.

Note

To manage a remote print server, you must be a member of the Print Operators or Server Operators groups, or the local Administrators group on the remote print server. You do not need these credentials to monitor remote print servers, though some functionality will be disabled.

The Print Services role in Windows Server 2008 includes three role services:

  • Print Server

  • LPD Service

  • Internet Printing

Together, these role services provide all of the functionality of a Windows print server. You can add these role services while you are installing the Print Services role using the Add Roles Wizard of Server Manager. Or you can install them at a later time by using the Add Role Services Wizard of Server Manager.

Note

Because Windows Vista is a client operating system, it does not include role services. Instead, it includes the Print Management snap-in by default in Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, and Windows Vista Ultimate. Windows Vista also includes LPD Print Service as an optional Windows feature. You can install LPD Print Service from Control Panel by using the Programs and Features item. Windows Vista does not include the Internet Printing feature.

Print Server is a required role service of the Print Services role. It adds the Print Services role to Server Manager, and it installs the Print Management snap-in. Print Management is used for managing multiple printers or print servers and migrating printers to and from other Windows print servers. After you share a printer, Windows enables the File and Printer sharing exception in Windows Firewall with Advanced Security.

LPD Service

The Line Printer Daemon (LPD) Service installs and starts the TCP/IP Print Server (LPDSVC) service, which enables UNIX-based computers or other computers that are using the Line Printer Remote (LPR) service to print to shared printers on this server. It also creates an inbound exception for port 515 in Windows Firewall with Advanced Security.

No configuration is necessary for this service. However, if you stop or restart the Print Spooler service, the TCP/IP Print Server service is also stopped, and it is not automatically restarted.

To use a computer that is running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008 to print to a printer or print server that uses the LPD protocol, you can use the Network Printer Installation wizard and a Standard TCP/IP printer port. However you must install the Line Printer Remote (LPR) Port Monitor feature to print to a UNIX print server. To do so, use one of the following methods:

  • In Windows Vista: in Control Panel, click Programs and Features, click Turn Windows features on or off, expand Print Services, select the LPR Port Monitor check box, and then click OK.

  • In Windows Server 2008: in Server Manager, click Add Features, select the LPR Port Monitor check box, and then click OK.

Internet Printing

The Internet Printing role service in Windows Server 2008 creates a Web site hosted by Internet Information Services (IIS). This Web site enables users to:

  • Manage print jobs on the server.

  • Use a Web browser to connect and print to shared printers on this server by using the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP). (Users must have Internet Printing Client installed.)

To manage a server by using the Web site created by Internet Printing, open a Web browser and navigate to https://servername/printers, where servername is the UNC path of the print server.

To install the Internet Printing Client, use one of the following methods:

  • In Windows Vista: in Control Panel, click Programs and Features, click Turn Windows features on or off, expand Print Services,select the Internet Printing Client check box, and then click OK.

  • In Windows Server 2008: in Server Manager, click Add Features, select the Internet Printing Client check box, and then click OK.

Additional references