13. Print services

Univention Corporate Server includes a print system, which can also be used to realize complex environments. Printers and printer groups can be created and configured conveniently in the UMC module Printers.

The print services are based on CUPS (Common Unix Printing System). CUPS manages print jobs in print queues and converts print jobs into the native formats of the connected printers. The print queues are administrated via the UMC module Print jobs, see Administration of print jobs and print queues.

All printers set up in CUPS can be directly used by UCS systems and are automatically also provided for Windows computers when Samba is used.

The technical capacities of a printer are specified in so-called PPD files. These files include for example whether a printer can print in color, whether duplex printing is possible, whether there are several paper trays, which resolutions are supported and which printer control languages are supported (e.g., PCL or PostScript).

Print jobs are transformed by CUPS with the help of filters into a format that the respective printer can interpret, for example into PostScript for a PostScript-compatible printer.

UCS already includes a wide variety of filters and PPD files. Consequently, most printers can be employed without the need to install additional drivers. The setting up of additional PPD files is described in Integrating additional PPD files.

A printer can either be connected directly to the print server locally (e.g., via the USB port or a parallel port) or communicate with a printer via remote protocols (e.g., TCP/IP compatible printers, which are connected via IPP or LPD).

Network printers with their own IP address should be registered in the UMC module Computers as an IP client (see UCS system roles).

CUPS offers the possibility of defining printer groups. The included printers are used employed alternating, which allows automatic load distribution between neighboring printers.

Print shares from Windows systems can also be integrated in the CUPS print server, see Creating a printer share.

Chapter contents:

• 13.1. Installing a print server
• 13.2. Setting the local configuration properties of a print server
• 13.3. Creating a printer share
  • 13.3.1. Printers UMC module - General tab
  • 13.3.2. Printers UMC module - Access control tab
• 13.4. Creating a printer group
• 13.5. Administration of print jobs and print queues
• 13.6. Generating PDF documents from print jobs
• 13.7. Mounting of print shares in Windows clients
• 13.8. Integrating additional PPD files