Configuring Print Roaming

Warning

CML cannot participate in ORS print roaming. Job sent to CML will not be available on ORS and vice versa.

All CML cluster nodes (as well as external database servers they use, if any) have to be in the same time zone for correct functionality.

All ORS servers in one YSoft SafeQ system have to be in the same time zone (Java can be set to that time zone). This time zone can differ from CML time zone.

Overview

Print roaming (also known as "Follow-me" printing) is an extension of pull-printing. With pull-printing (also known as secured printing), after you send a print job to a printer, you later "pull" the job to a printer — that is, you go to a printer, log in there, and print the job. If print roaming is properly configured, you can pick-up your documents sent to SafeQ server on every printer across all ORS groups.

Far roaming

1

Log in to the SafeQ Web Interface with sufficient rights to administer printers (for example, "admin")

Go to Devices > Printers selection

 images/download/attachments/21955705/menu_printers_narrow.png

2

Click Items > Add new Group.

images/download/attachments/21955705/device_add_group.png

3

Add new standalone Offline remote spooler .

images/download/attachments/21955705/device_add_ORS.png

4

Add another standalone ORS with same procedure.

5

Far roaming is enabled by default for all standalone ORS.

images/download/attachments/21955705/standalone_ors.png

6

To set replication time interval for far roaming jobs go to System > System settings and change value of refreshRoamingJobCronRule property.

images/s/-3eliqb/8502/404359a7d2ab19c9c7c58d12013124a386b28257/_/images/icons/emoticons/lightbulb_on.svg NOTE:  To turn the Far Roaming off set the refreshRoamingJobCronRule property the following value: * * * * * ? 2099

images/download/attachments/21955705/far_roaming_interval.PNG

Near Roaming

There are two ways how to configure Near Roaming Group. Using UDP or TCP connection.

1

Log in to the SafeQ Web Interface with sufficient rights to administer printers (for example, "admin")

Go to Devices > Printers selection

 images/download/attachments/21955705/menu_printers_narrow.png

2

Click Items > Add new Group.

images/download/attachments/21955705/device_add_group.png

3

Add new standalone Job roaming group . Fill in all field according to TCP or UDP settings in steps 5a or 5b.

images/download/attachments/21955705/device_add_roaming.png

4

TCP unicast vs. UDP multicast configuration

It is strongly recommended to use UDP multicast instead of TCP unicast whenever it's possible. TCP unicast is sensitive to network temporary failures instead of UPD multicast, where reliability of communication is achieved on higher network layers and provides less network load.

Multicast communication in YSoft SafeQ, as well as TCP Unicast, is provided via 3rd party solution, industry standard communication java technology called JGroups. JGroups technology extends reliable unicast (one-to-one) message transmission (like in TCP) to multicast (one-to-many) settings. It provides reliability and group membership on top of IP Multicast. Then it enables us to use reliable multicast.
Since every application has different reliability needs, JGroups provides a flexible protocol stack architecture. It allows to put together custom-tailored stacks ranging from unreliable but fast - to highly reliable but slower stacks.

In unicast communication is where one sender sends a message to one receiver. TCP unicast takes care of message retransmission for missing messages, weeds out duplicates, fragments packets that are too big and presents messages to the application in the order in which they were sent. Then using TCP will cause additional network overhead, caused by nature of TCP. This in turn decreases solution scalability. Each additional member (node) added into TCP cluster, creates significant amount of communication to the network due to point-to-point communication with other nodes in cluster. 

In the multicast case, where one sender sends a message to many receivers, IP Multicast extends UDP: a sender sends messages to a multicast address and the receivers have to join that multicast address to receive them. Like in UDP, message transmission is still unreliable, and there is no notion of membership (who has currently joined the multicast address). UDP Multicast configuration of YSoft SafeQ is already set out-of-the-box to use reliable multicast. Only thing needs to be done: ensure that the infrastructure supports UDP Multicast communication among all near roaming group members (nodes).

5a

Near Roaming using TCP (preferred for small groups)

Set the group as follows:

    Device group name: Any name suitable        
    Multicast address: 0.0.0.0 (mandatory)
    Multicast port: 7800 (mandatory)

Example of first group:
Device group name: NR1
Multicast address: 0.0.0.0
Multicast port: 7800
 
Example of second group:
Device group name: NR2
Multicast address: 0.0.0.0
Multicast port: 7800

Limitation of TCP Near Roaming group: maximum is 10 ORS servers in one group.
 

5b

Near Roaming using UDP Multicast

Make sure, the multicast networking is allowed between all ORS servers in near roaming group.

Setup the group as follows:

    Device group name: any name suitable
    Multicast address: It is recommended to use IPv4 address in the range 239.*.*.* This information shall be provided by the customer and has to reflect current network setup.
    Multicast port: any UDP port in range 1 and 65535. This information shall be provided by the customer and has to reflect current network setup.
    For more information refer to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_multicast

Example of first group:
Device group name: NR1
Multicast address: 239.214.54.87
Multicast port: 9874
 
Example of second group:
Device group name: NR2
Multicast address: 239.214.54.87
Multicast port: 9875

6

Create ORS or use existing ORS and move it to created roaming group.

Select ORS to move and click Actions > Move ORS to another job roaming group .  

images/download/attachments/21955705/roaming_group.png

7

Stop all YSoft SafeQ services on all ORS servers in the Near Roaming Group including the newly added one (so no ORS in the NRG is running). Start one by one using this algorithm:

  1. Start the ORS service

  2. Start the Terminal server service

  3. Start the ORS Web Service.

  4. Wait until ORS is fully operational.

 

images/download/attachments/21955370/warning.png If you remove ORS server from near roaming group so there are only two ORSs left in the group (or there are some non-active ORS servers in the group so there are only two active ORSs left) it is necessary to restart ORS service on remaining ORS servers. Note that services must be restarted consequently - service on second ORS must be restarted after first ORS is fully operational.