Unix and Linux printing services: Understanding SMB printer needs

I know what you're thinking: Unix and Linux printing services a reseller opportunity? Come again?

Say you've already sold a small or medium-sized business (SMB) hardware for its new financial system, which included some PC desktop clients, Unix and Linux servers and several printers. Now they need to make it all work together. Even if they have in-house skills to configure Unix and Linux printers, they may not have the resources (time) to make it happen, or the company may prefer that its IT staff focus on high-level systems architecture planning and design. This is where you come in. As a reseller or systems integrator, you can provide value-added Unix and Linux services to the client, which includes configuring servers and configuring printers.

What challenges will you face when configuring Unix or Linux printing services for your clients? What are your choices? I'll attempt to answer those questions in this tip.

TABLE OF CONTENTS    Part 1: Understanding Unix and Linux printing needs    Part 2: Configuring Linux and Unix printers   Understanding Unix and Linux printing needs  Return to Table of Contents First you'll need to understand exactly what they are looking to accomplish. Don't pick up that manual yet on how to configure Unix services on Linux (or vice-versa) until you have a clear understanding of what the customer wants to do. The worst thing you can do is configure something that makes no sense for their environment just because you are familiar with a certain way of doing things. Let's continue with our scenario. Your customer is relatively small and has a network of about 50 desktop clients, five of which you just sold them. There are four networked printers already supporting these clients (using JetDirect cards) and you've just sold them two new printers. The customer is already satisfied with how the current printers are configured and administered, as it easily allows their network administrator to administer and configure print services for these PC desktop users. You've just installed four Linux clustered servers to support their new financial system. With that system, it also required one Sun T2000 server, which functions as the middleware. How are all your new users going to print from their new financial systems? Now that we clearly understand the environment, we can outline some of the printer configuration options: 1. Directly attaching some (perhaps the ones you just sold them) of the printers to the Unix and/or Linux servers. 2. Configure printing from the servers to the existing network, which includes the network printers. 3. Attach some of the new printers directly to your PC clients and print locally. 4. Configure SAMBA on your Linux and Unix hosts to allow your Windows clients access to native print services on each box. While the first option may be the one that comes to mind, I don't know many people that would advocate for it today. For those of us old enough to remember, we did that way back when dumb terminals and Unix servers ruled the day. Option three sounds inviting, particularly from a sales perspective, and would be the one to provide the most privacy protection, it will also provide you with myriad application headaches (local printing is not as easy as it sounds). Option four sounds like fun, but you wonder why you'd need it if you have printers already configured with JetDirect cards. Option two is definitely the way to go there. Your input would be both in recommending the solution and implementing it. Exactly how would you do this? Click for part two of this tip: Configuring Unix and Linux printers for SMBs. About the author: Ken Milberg is a technology writer and site expert for TechTarget.com, providing Linux technical information and support to SearchSystemsChannel.com and SearchOpenSource.com. Ken writes and technical edits IBM Systems Magazine (Open Edition) and provides content for IBM developerWorks. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer and Information Science, as well as a Master of Science in Technology Management from the University of Maryland University College. He is the founder and group leader of the Long Island POWER-AIX users group. Through the years, he has worked for both large and small organizations and has held diverse positions from CIO to Senior AIX Engineer. Today, he works for Future Tech, a Long Island-based IBM business partner. Ken is a PMI-certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and an IBM Certified Advanced Technical Expert (CATE, IBM System p5 2006). Rate this Tip To rate tips, you must be a member of SearchSystemsChannel.com. Register now to start rating these tips. Log in if you are already a member. Digg This!     StumbleUpon     Del.icio.us    RELATED CONTENT Configuration Management Configuring Unix and Linux printers for SMBs Vista migration tools "unlikely to boost sales" Deploying service support for systems management Elements of service support Service-oriented management in the channel Configuration management Change management Problem management Configure USB devices to Linux: task 2.4 Managing Linux hardware and the kernel: Introduction Linux Server Our top five systems tips -- so far Powerful Linux virtualization software: IBM System p and PowerVM Lx86 What operating systems are being used? Top five Linux Ask the Experts questions Open source applications: More than just Linux Linux distribution and platform choices for system integrators Supporting open source software Integrated Linux software to meet Web, networking needs Windows reseller tips for offering open source managed services Linux systems integrators guide Unix Server Our top five systems tips -- so far Computer information systems for small and midsized businesses (SMBs) Configuring Unix and Linux printers for SMBs Sun invites partners to join its ranks Make a Unix-to-Linux migration for the right reasons Migrate to Linux when old systems become expensive Wrong reasons for Linux migration Sun Solaris push may not benefit VARs, experts warn Linux on IBM POWER (LoP) for consolidation and scalability Virtualization education a VAR must-have RELATED RESOURCES 2020software.com, trial software downloads for accounting software, ERP software, CRM software and business software systems Search Bitpipe.com for the latest white papers and business webcasts Whatis.com, the online computer dictionary DISCLAIMER: Our Tips Exchange is a forum for you to share technical advice and expertise with your peers and to learn from other enterprise IT professionals. TechTarget provides the infrastructure to facilitate this sharing of information. However, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or validity of the material submitted. You agree that your use of the Ask The Expert services and your reliance on any questions, answers, information or other materials received through this Web site is at your own risk.