Overview
This lecture covers the basics of managing printers within an IT infrastructure, emphasizing both traditional and modern approaches for organizations of various sizes.
Printer Management Basics
- IT support specialists must manage printers as they do other devices.
- Home printers often connect directly to computers or over Wi-Fi networks.
- Large organizations require centralized management for multiple printers and high print volumes.
- Commercial printers can provide diagnostic information, such as toner levels.
Printer Servers and Central Management
- Printer servers allow centralized management and deployment of printers and drivers across an organization.
- Most server operating systems include built-in print services to facilitate printer management.
- In Windows Server, the "Print and Document Services" role handles printer setup and management.
- In Linux, CUPS (Common Unix Printing System) is a widely used print server that can be managed via a web interface.
Printer Setup Process
- Add network printers to the print server and install appropriate drivers.
- Client machines connect to the print server to access printers and begin printing.
- Directory services can automate the installation of printers and drivers on client computers.
Cloud-Based Printer Management
- Cloud service providers offer printer management via web browsers.
- Users can print through a web browser without client-side setup.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Print Server — A server that manages printers and print jobs centrally.
- CUPS (Common Unix Printing System) — A Linux-based print server system with web management.
- Printer Driver — Software allowing an operating system to communicate with a printer.
- Directory Services — Systems that help manage network resources and automate tasks like printer installation.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Learn about directory services for automating printer and driver deployment.
- Review how to enable and configure print services on Windows and Linux servers.