Multiple site configurations
Multiple sites, single print server
Not all multi-site installations rely on a print server at each site. This may be because the sites are small
and don't warrant the resources, or because they are quite large and have resources centralized in a data center
or on a private cloud.
Multi-site, single print server deployment
If all printing is centralized through a single Application Server, single print server installation, the
installation is the same as a single site with a single server.
Benefits:
- Central administration
- Simple deployment
- Simple user management
- Simple queue and device management
- Job roaming across sites - Find-Me printing
Considerations:
- Requires robust WAN or
- Spool file management
Including Direct Printing
Using the PaperCut Direct Print Monitor (a small monitoring component) on the desktops in ‘Site B' will allow for the robust WAN consideration
above to be removed. Print jobs are sent directly from the desktops to the printers avoiding a trip back to
head office to be accounted for. The Direct Print Monitor can be installed manually or deployed as part of an
organization's management of these desktops, and adds no additional overhead to the management of the PaperCut
Application at the main site.
Adding resiliency with a Site Server
To ensure continuity of print services, PaperCut Site Server is recommended
during a network outage between a site and Application Server.
Considering Private Cloud?
PaperCut Private Cloud deployments allow multi-site installations to
centralize their Application Server in a data center. No single site is reliant on the other site being
available, rather both sites only require an internet connection to connect to the Application Server.
Multiple sites, multiple print servers
Print servers deployed into remote sites allows for print jobs to be spooled locally. This reduces the need for
jobs to be sent back and forth from a centralized print server to the remote destination printer.
Multi-site, multi-print server deployment
In these cases, multiple print servers are deployed to handle load distribution and minimize bandwidth
requirements.
Requiring a robust WAN, organizations choose this deployment if they have:
- Low bandwidth between sites
- Large print jobs generated on sites (architects, design firms, heavy graphics usage)
- Existing infrastructure that supports this
This design is supported through the deployment of
Secondary Print Providers on each of the print
servers. Allowing print jobs to remain locally spooled, light-weight transactional data and control information
is transmitted between sites.
Benefits:
- Central administration
- Simple user management
- Reduced WAN traffic
- Reflects commonly used architectures
- Job roaming across sites - Find-Me printing
Considerations:
- Requires robust WAN or Site Server
- Requires more servers
- Decentralized queue management
- Multiple Find-Me queues
- More complex setup
High availability with a Site Server
The PaperCut Site Server would add significant continuity in this design,
installed onto one of the existing print servers. Providing local support for Application Server functions
should the link between Primary and Secondary sites be unavailable.
Multiple sites, multiple application servers
PaperCut can be installed into a multiple site organization, as if each site itself were a separate installation
of PaperCut. PaperCut has the ability to link separate Application Servers together for reporting purposes.
Multi-site, multi-application server deployment
Each individual site then has the ability to function and be administered autonomously, relying on the
links between the sites only when there is a need to run a report from the centralised reporting service.
Individual autonomous sites would use one of the previous installation options.
Benefits:
- Doesn't require robust WAN
- Enables decentralised and parallel deployment and setup
- Decentralized administration
- Enables rolling updates
- Consolidated reporting is available
Considerations:
- Each site requires an independent implementation
- Overall setup for all sites requires more time
- No job roaming across sites (Find-Me printing)
Multiple sites, no print server
Where an organization has many sites, the cost of adding a print server to each location just to support
PaperCut can be cost prohibitive. Using the PaperCut Direct Print method of deployment, the requirement for
infrastructure is removed as it tracks jobs from the point of origin (notebook or desktop).The Direct Print
Monitor can be installed from a share to make deployment to each computer simple. Post offices, banks,
construction sites and organizations that have a small number of desktops and printers per site, but a large
number of sites may best suit this method.
Benefits:
- No need for a print server in every site
- Core PaperCut features such as Shared Account billing and Find-Me printing are supported
- No additional PaperCut administration overhead
Considerations:
- Suits Commercial and Professional customers
