netware 3.1 printer setup

[ryanak]

I know this is the wrong section, but a netware 3 section does not exist, so hopefully someone can help me.
I have a client who has a Netware 3.1 server. They got an older printer that needs to be added to the network (HP Laserjet 4200). All of my Netware training was in 6.5, so I do now know how to setup this kind of printer.
I understand I have to create the Print Queue
Create the printer and link it to the Print Queue
Create a Print server and assign it to the printer.
What Netware 3 applications are needed to accomplish this? All i have ever seen is GUI with Netware, not the command line tools.
If I am incorrect, please tell me what needs to happen to make this work.
I am hoping to update this client to NOWS in the near future, but business needs to operate until then.

Thank you

 

[Provogeek]

Um,

http://www.tek-tips.com/threadminder.cfm?pid=56

will get you to the NetWare 3 forums here.

Syscon is the tool you will want to use (I think, gosh it has been a long time). Novell has nothing as far as manuals, but I did find this:

http://docs.hp.com/cgi-bin/doc3k/B3202090050.16068/1

has some info on printing, hopefully that helps.



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Brent Schmidt Senior Network Engineer
Keep IT Simple[/color red]

http://www.kiscc.com

Novell Platinum Partner Microsoft Gold Partner
VMWare Enterprise Partner Citrix Gold Partner

 

[itsp1965]

Wow a Netware 3 question. That OS was great I tell ya... Anyway I think you should be able to accomplish all that is required using PConsole to create the queue. Is your print server on a jetdirect card or are you building a separate print server? If using the JetDirect card, it should broadcast itself accordingly (assuming correct config)and you can assciate the PConsole queue to the print server.

 

[goombawaho]

I never set one up in 3.x, so I didn't want to comment, but now that you mention PConsole, I seem to remember someone launching it once and showing me what it did. Ah, memories - that's when I made little money and knew very little. Now I make little money and know a lot. 404 Progress not found.

 

[itsp1965]

As a side question can I ask why are you still using a Netware 3 printing environment? You have to remember in Netware 3 the SYS volume is responsbile for maintaining print queues. Size the SYS volume too small and you can essentially crash your server with a large print job (trust me it's happened to me). Best part is.. this print queue cannot be moved to another volume
Are your clients machines only running IPX/SPX or are they running TCP/IP as well? if they run an IP stack, you should either create a Windows based print server or just have them print directly via IP.

 

[goombawaho]

Better question:

"As a side question can I ask why are you still using Netware 3 period?"

That's like 1995 technology.

 

[FredWagner]

Ryanak said his _client_ is running NW3. But this might be a good time to help the client move into the current century, if the licensing costs won't be prohibitive. I do have fond memories of NW3 - I grew an NW3 network into four locations, with ISDN, then T1 links, and ran GroupWise 4.1 with links to three customer Groupwise post offices, numerous customer remote clients, and MCImail, and finally the internet via IPX/IP gateways. I had lots of network printers. One caused huge grief - our firm acquired another smaller one, and I put in a NW3 server, and ISDN to the home office. I cautioned the branch staff to turn off the ISDN router at the end of the day. Got severely chastised by my boss for having the professional staff do 'IT chores', so they left it on. At the end of the month, the bill for the ISDN line was $10,000. It turned out that the network printer, which was not turned off at the end of the day either, was sending out a broadcast message every minute, and every time it did, the ISDN bridge opened the connection to the home office. We got upgraded to T-1 for all circuits very quickly - suddenly it didn't seem so expensive any more!

Fred Wagner

 

[ryanak]

Sadly; after weeks of trying to get this printer to work I am calling it dead, until the migration to a new OS (their old printer still works, it is just slow).
For those who are curious,the reason the client is still on Netware 3.1 is that the company that makes their primary business application (which they have run for more than 20 years) is out of business. Costs of moving to a new software exceed their annual IT budget. The newest I can move them to is Netware 6.5 (which the client is licensed for 4.x 5.x and 6.5, but no one ever set it up). Otherwise I would move them to Novell Open Workgroup Suite or Windows SBS. The software is so old, we cant even load the workstations with anything newer than Windows 98.

 

[goombawaho]

That's really sad. It's like the janitor making decisions instead of the CEO. I'd like to see how that sort of situation evolved over time where nobody ever said, "this is going to be a huge problem and we must address it now".

 

[Provogeek]

Sounds like the customer is prime for virtualization.

Simply virtualize the server the legacy app runs on. Though do look what it really does, some think the OS matters when they run an app from a server. but if all you are using is file services, the OS on the server does not matter. The server OS only matters when there is a direct interaction with the server OS. So you may be able to move to a newer OS if all the customer uses is file services

There are the rare cases when the file system used for the file services pokes it's head in. I have seen some legacy apps that just refuse to run on NSS file systems and I am required to build a server using Traditional Novell File system. not sure if an NCP share would be equivalent to a Traditional File system (never tried).

Once you have the server on newer OS or hardware (virtualized or not), you can then look into virtualizing the application. Using almost anyones virtual application product would work. Novell has ZENworks Virtual App, VMWare has vApp. Both will allow you to create that virtual application with the old OS support you need. You can then move the customer to a newer PC's.




=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Brent Schmidt Senior Network Engineer
Keep IT Simple[/color red]

http://www.kiscc.com

Novell Platinum Partner Microsoft Gold Partner
VMWare Enterprise Partner Citrix Gold Partner