Print Spooling Services FAQS

How is this product implemented?

Two different spooling related processes are provided to accomplish inbound and outbound spooling.

For inbound spooling, a server implementation of the Berkeley Line Printer Protocol (i.e., an LPD process) is supplied. The LPD process accepts jobs across the network and places them into the Tandem Spooler.

For outbound spooling, a specialized print process is supplied. This same print process supports both the Berkeley Line Printer Protocol and TCP/IP TELNET modes of outbound spooling. The choice of which to use for a specific device is determined by user provided configuration information.

How is the inbound spooling part of your product typically employed?

It can be used in any application where network users generate printer output destined for printers not directly connected to the same TCP/IP network.

For example, network users may share a single high speed printer connected to the Tandem system.

Another example is network users or another host spooling printed reports to printers located on a wide are network that is in turn connected to the Tandem system.

Does the outbound spooling component support font jobs?

Yes it does. Spooler font jobs are downloaded to the device, and then all other queued jobs are sent.

Is there a performance advantage to using this product?

One user benchmarked the outbound spooling against a competing product and determined that the TCP/Link print process CPU consumption was HALF the CPU consumption of the other product.

Note that this analysis did not take into account further advantages of using a FEP architecture. It was confined solely to measuring print process against print process.

Are HP laser printers using the JetDirect card supported?

Yes, they are supported using the TCP/IP TELNET mode.

How about serial printers?

Serial printers require connect to the TCP/IP network. This is normally accomplished using a TCP/IP terminal server.

Once connected in this fashion, jobs can be sent to these printers using this product.

Are TCP/IP sessions always maintained for each and every printer device?

No. A session is established and held open only as long as there is print traffic to send to that specific device. Once all queued jobs have been sent, the session is terminated.

We have an LPD implementation on our PC's; can we use this product with them?

Yes. Jobs may be spooled to each PC connected printer. The outbound spooling print process would employ Berkeley Line Printer Protocol to spool jobs to the LPD running on the PC. The PC LPD would then send the data to the PC printer.

What kind of operator interface is used to control print jobs?

Both the inbound and outbound spooling software components are interfaced to the Tandem Spooler. As a result, the SPOOLCOM interface is used to control network print jobs identically to the manner in which jobs destined for directly connected printers are controlled.

How are devices configured for outbound spooling?

To configure a network device for outbound spooling you simply configure the Spooler with a new location and corresponding device. Then a single entry is added to a configuration file (a simple edit type file) that provides the network addressing information required to make TCP/IP connections to this device.

What about configuration of devices for inbound spooling?

You do not need to perform any specific device configuration for inbound spooling. The sending system specifies a printer name which is interpreted as a Spooler location name by the LPD process.

Normal Spooler configuration will cause jobs destined for this location to either be held in the Spooler or printed to a specific device.

Are application changes required to use this product?

No application changes are required to use this product.

Can we actually try out this product at our site?

A product demonstration at your site can be easily arranged.