Printer Deployment in Windows only environment 6

[marvhuffaker]

I'm a Novell guy here in this forum asking a sincere question about Windows. I apologize in advance for my ignorance on the topic. I'm not looking to start any arguments about Novell vs. Windows.

Could someone explain in basic concept form how printers are deployed in Windows AD environments? I'm looking mainly for a point in the right direction or perhaps a 5 step high level process. I'm not looking for an indepth technical analysis.

Thanks.

Marvin

Marvin Huffaker, MCNE

http://www.redjuju.com

 

[porkchopexpress]

What version of windows server are you running? If it's 2003 R2 then you can use the print management console.

http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/Managing-Printers-Windows-Server-2003-R2.html

If not then you can use VB script it's very easy to put together a simple script to map a printer and a few drives at logon and personally it's my fave way as all you have to do is place the script in eithe the Netlocon or Sysvol folder and attach it to a GPO.

Take a look here for a few examples

http://www.computerperformance.co.uk/Logon/logon_scripts.htm

and here for a more advanced FAQ

faq329-5798

 

[porkchopexpress]

Here's an example of how easy a VB printer script can be.

On error resume next

Set WSHNetwork = CreateObject("WScript.Network")
 
'Install Printers
WSHNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection "\\Server\HPlaser1"

WSHNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection "\\Server\HPlaser2"
WSHNetwork.SetDefaultPrinter "\\Server\HPlaser2"

'Clean Up Memory We Used
set WSHNetwork = Nothing

'Quit the Script
wscript.quit

 

[SquaredNull]

Addtionally, in Windows environment many special tools are available that are designed to help with desktop management. You of course know Novell ZENWorks (

http://www.novell.com/products/zenworks)

and I personally use another solution from Scriptlogic called Desktop Authority (

http://www.scriptlogic.com/products/desktopauthority

). What's the benefit? From my point of you the main thing is the ease of rapid setting changing and automatic triggering. As an example, you can limit the hassle with overcrowded printer list because you can set a user to have right printer connected automatically.

 

[marvhuffaker]

Thanks for your great replies and links. I wasn't talking about any specific version, but for the sake of argument, lets' say it's Windows 2003 R2.. (I guess you could say that to me, a Windows server is a Windows server).

So printer deployment is mainly a process of scripting that deploys during login script? What happens after the first time the printer is deployed? Does the script run the next time the user logs in or does it see that it's already installed?

I also checked out that link about the Printer Console in W2k3 R2.. It seems to me that it's more of a Printer setup and configuration tool rather than a tool used to Deploy the printers to workstations. Am I correct? So I assume that to build on that, I can then use the scripting method to deploy those printers..Maybe i'm missing how the two pieces are tied together.

Another question that I have -- can someone tell me what it's like to use scripting to deploy printers in a large environment -- say 250+ printers? How do you distinguish what printers go where? Can you do it based on OU or Group? How do you manage the printers when printers are added, removed, or moved around?

[note that again, I am trying to be very sincere here, I'm not trying to make a case or anything like that. I really appreciate your help.]

Thanks.

Marvin

Marvin Huffaker, MCNE

http://www.redjuju.com

 

[porkchopexpress]

Hi

I honestly haven't used the R2 printer management console myself but i believe it adds extra functionality to Active Directory so clients will add appropriate printers. So in effect it can be used for deploying printer connections.

The VB method can be used out of the box with any windows version above 2000. I support allot of roaming users so i use a script that deletes all printers at logon and then maps new printers based on the location of the PC they're sat at. I tend to use this method for my fixed PC's as well as i support a smaller number of these, in this situation the script still deletes the printer connection at logon and then re adds it.
Some people chose to delete printers and mapped drives at logoff as well but this is entirely your decision.

We only support approx 30 printers that serve about 400 PC’s here so I can’t tell you personally how easy it would be but this method should have no reason that it can’t scale to a setup of that size. The only issue will be that it will take longer to create your script as it will contain more info.

You could use a series of smaller scripts that are attached to OU’s and mapped to the computer, this can be achieved using Group Policy Loopback in merge mode.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/231287

Look halfway down the below link for a description.

http://www.computerperformance.co.uk/Logon/logon_printer_computer.htm

As SquaredNull mentioned above there are plenty of third party tools for deploying printers in a Windows environment I’m just sticking to explaining the native Windows options.

 

[pagy]

These may help

http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/Managing-Printers-Windows-Server-2003-R2.html

http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/Deploying-Printers-Group-Policy-Windows-R2.html

All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure.
- Mark Twain

 

[LWComputingMVP]

You can also script printer connections in batch files using con2prt:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/181663

http://www.ss64.com/nt/con2prt.html

 

[58sniper]

We do all of ours via vbscript during deployments. It's very fast. The script that porkchopexpress posted is very similar to what we use.

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP
Want to know how email works? Read for yourself -

http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2821.txt

 

[terry712]

scripting is the way to go marv
i use vbs for any windows bits we have.

it isnt as versatile as iprint and afraid the r2 management one is disapointing as it is really just hiding the scripts but it is a step forward

i have there login scripts for a gpo and control some from these - most people are happy to use find printer and good labelling

i beleive you can link them to iis and get mini iprint but never done it

 

[marvhuffaker]

Thanks again for the great information.

Marvin Huffaker, MCNE

http://www.redjuju.com