Adding printer's in Active Directory

[mark01]

Is there anyway to add printers to just the active directory? I know when you setup a printer on a domain controller, it says it automatically publishes it. But I don't see it in AD Users & Computers. Also if the one the domain controllers goes down, nobody can print. How do I get this in active directory, so that when one DC goes down, the other will fulfill the requests?? I also tried to add the printer in AD Users & Computers, by right clicking an OU, and adding a Printer, but that didn't seem to work.

 

[mkbean]

Hi Mark01,

It is there you just need to make sure that you can see it. Click on View -> Users, Groups, and Computers as containers. Then click on your Domain Controller and you can see the printers attached to it that are published in AD.

Brian

 

[mark01]

Cool, I see it. Thank you very much!!!

Is there anyway to make this fault taulerant? (ex - If my DC setup with the printer goes down, then another will fulfill the requests???)

Thx

 

[OdedShafran]

this is automatically published to all DCs.
if the printer is installed on the dead DC, it will be deleted within a few days... but if its installed in printer server or on a workstation, the workstation is obligated to keep it updated in the AD, which means all DCs stores a copy of its info in thier DBs.


Oded Shafran,
Network Administrator

 

[mkbean]

It's called printer pruning, and if the computer that has a printer published in AD goes offline after 24 hours it will be removed from AD.

This does not make your printers fault taulerant but it does make them easy to find in AD and also gives you the ability to implement Printer locations, which is quite a bit of work to get up and running but once it is it is wonderful for users and admins alike.

Brian