ORS limitations

ORS Offline mode

If an ORS cannot connect to any parent CML server, it automatically goes into Offline mode. Typically this situation occurs if all CML nodes are shut down or if there is no network connection between the ORS and CML servers. The ORS tries to provide users as much functionality as possible in this mode, however there are some limitations. When the ORS is in Offline mode, it periodically tries to connect to all CML servers. At the moment the ORS connects to (at least) one CML, it automatically switches back to Online mode. As soon as it is connected to any CML, it uploads all the information it has collected while in Offline mode (typically accounting information to be available for reports on the CML/CRS).

Limitations of Offline mode

  • Users are not synchronized from the CML to the ORS.

    • The ORS stores user information in its cache for a defined time period (7 days by default). Because the ORS cannot download information from the CML when the ORS is in Offline mode, only users stored in the cache can send new print jobs and log in to terminals while the ORS is in Offline mode.

    • New users (regardless of whether they have been added via the CML Web Interface or via LDAP/CSV replication) are not known on the ORS, therefore they cannot log into terminals. The print jobs they send to the ORS are not matched to any user and cannot be printed.

    • Deleted users are still valid on the ORS, therefore they can send and print new jobs, log in to terminals, and perform any operations they have access rights to.

    • Added, edited, or deleted card numbers or PIN codes are not synchronized to the ORS, therefore such cards/PINs are not changed on the ORS.

    • Changes to access rights are not synchronized to the ORS, so the access rights that were valid before the ORS was switched into Offline mode are used.

    • NOTE: If an ORS is running in High-security mode, it does not store passwords, card numbers, or PINs in any persistant storage. Such information is held only in memory. Therefore if the ORS in Offline mode is restarted, it does not know any password, card number, or PIN and it is unable to download them from the CML. This means no user can log in to a terminal or send any new print job to the ORS (if authorization for sending job is required by YSoft SafeQ Client).

    • All these changes are downloaded from the CML as soon as the ORS switches back into Online mode.

  • Several user management features are not available.

    • Card self-assignment via login/password authentication does not work.

    • If LDAP or Kerberos authentication is used, authentication to terminals via login/password is not available.

  • Job metadata are not uploaded to the CML.

    • Any job accounted on the ORS while in Offline mode is not accounted on the CML, therefore such jobs are not present in statistical reports (neither on the CML nor on the CRS).

    • The CML is not notified about any changes to jobs made on the ORS, so information displayed in the Job List in the YSoft SafeQ Web Interface about jobs on the ORS in Offline mode is NOT up-to-date. (The last known status before the ORS switched into Offline mode is displayed.)

    • When the ORS is in Offline mode, the ORS is not notified about any changes to jobs made on the CML (typically if an owner or title of a job is changed or if a job is re-queued or deleted in the CML Web Interface). Such changes are not transferred to the ORS until it switches back into Online mode.

    • The Job Roaming feature is not available if a user pulls a job on an ORS that is in Offline mode, or if the job has been pushed to an ORS that is in Offline mode.

    • All information is transferred as soon as the ORS switches back to Online mode.

    • When ORS is in offline mode and online-accounted MFP is moved to CML, then jobs that were printed or copied while ORS was in offline mode, could be accounted twice (When ORS is back in online mode and as a counter-difference on CML).

  • Device and terminal management.

    • Device counter data stored in the database cannot be reset if the device is connected to an ORS in Offline mode.

    • A device connected to an ORS in Offline mode can be replaced with another device, but such an operation takes about 5 minutes more and the new state is present only in the CML database. The ORS still uses the original information until it switches back to Online mode.

    • Embedded devices cannot be reinstalled or configured via the CML Web Interface if the CML is connected to an ORS that is in Offline mode.

    • Scheduled updates of firmware cannot be executed for terminals connected to an ORS in Offline mode.

    • Overall, we recommend that administrators not make any changes to devices connected to an ORS that is in Offline mode.

  • Credit with Offline mode

    • In case users are limited by YSoft Payment System (users have price quota or have to pay for services), it is not possible to print in Offline mode because connection to YSoft Payment System is required.

Other ORS limitations

  • Configuration is automatically synchronized with ORS every 15 minutes.

    • When new configuration for Terminal server is retrieved, Terminal server must be restarted manually

  • ORSWeb Service must not be restarted.

    • Restart will cause permanent data loss and leftover jobs on spooler. In case it is required to restart the ORSWeb service (eg. due to the maintenance), please follow this tutorial. In case the ORSWeb Service is restarted, also the main ORS Service has to be restarted in order to prevent the data loss.

  • Job extinction from terminal in near roaming.

    • When user deletes job on one terminal and logins quickly on second terminal on device in same near roaming group, he/she can see this job as not deleted. Afterwhile (defined by far roaming cron rule) the job will be marked as deleted also on this terminal.

  • (VIP) Shared Queues.

    • It is not possible for users to manage list of privileged persons for VIP queue through ORS. To do so, users must either manage the list during printing using SafeQ client connected to CML or through dedicated web application available on http(s)://<safequrl>/client.jsp, where <safequrl> is the address of CML server.

  • ORS on a server with several network interfaces.

  • ORS with KM or Sharp embedded terminals re-installation.

    • It is required to reinstall given embedded terminals after ORS update.