Network printing infrastructure

When deciding whether to use peer-to-peer or spool server printing, the most important parameter to consider is the number of users. Peer-to-peer printing is the best choice for few users since it takes less time to install the network printer on each client than it would to set up and maintain the spool server.

Printing peer-to-peer

In the simplest form of network printing, the client PC sends the print data directly to the print server, which in turn forwards the data to the printer via parallel, serial or USB port. The benefit of this system, known as ‘peer-to-peer’ printing, is that no additional infrastructure is needed, and consequently less maintenance. On the other hand, the drawback is that a print driver must be set up and configured on each and every client PC. 

To overcome the complexity of peer-to-peer network printer installation, Axis has developed an application called AXIS AddPrinter. This application helps the user install a printer connected to an Axis print server. 

A print job is sent directly from the client to the print server in peer-to-peer printing.
No additional computer equipment needed.

Printing via spool server

The advantage of using a spool server is the ease of printer installation on Windows systems. When the spool server is in place, the users can install a printer by following a link such as: \\TheSpoolserver\ThePrinterOnMyFloor. All the configuration is done on the spool server which means its complexity is hidden from the users.

The drawback is that a PC server needs to be available 24/7 to handle the print queues. If it goes down, nobody can print to any printer. This is a weakness from which peer-to-peer printing does not suffer since there is no single point of failure that makes all printers fail. 

A print job is always queued by a spool server before sent to a print server in spool server printing.
A server computer must be available on-line 24/7 to accommodate the spool server functionality.