Print management server issues

[opethdisciple]

Guys seeking some advise if anyone has had similar issues.

I've inherited a rather messy network in my new job.

At the moment the printers are displaying errors and spooling problems almost daily.

I think it's the print management service on server 2008 we have here in the office.

I can clean the print queues etc and it'll work inconstantly.

I need a permanent fix.

How easy is it to delete the current print management role from the DC ad add it again? I mean deleting and re-adding the role should cause too much issue but then adding the print drivers and getting the PC's to connect and download the drivers form the server.

Is this something that will happen fairly easily?

 

[Quartz]

If you need a permanent fix, do it properly. Set up a cluster so that the printing system can survive the failure of one server. You don't need powerful hardware to do it. Or set up a separate server instance on your ESXi host that will fail over to another host.

 

[Little_Crow]

If you need a permanent fix, do it properly. Set up a cluster so that the printing system can survive the failure of one server. You don't need powerful hardware to do it. Or set up a separate server instance on your ESXi host that will fail over to another host.

This is the ideal fix, and having printing on a DC is probably not best practice any way - of course, it isn't necessarily as easy as 'just' spooling up a new server, it'll depend on licensing etc.
We run ~600 printers on a 2008R2 print server cluster with no issues, so it isn't an inherently flaky service.

If you can't do the above as a start I'd recommend doing an audit of your printers/queues and delete any that don't exist any more.

Also check that all the printers are using the appropriate drivers. We've mostly standardised on HP printers, and the Universal driver they provide has been fine.

Steer clear of 'Host Based Printers', which of course are generally the cheapest so an attractive option. However, they are nothing but a nightmare when used with print queues - and I suspect might be at least part of your problem.

Also, (Unless they're host based) make sure everyone is printing through the print queues. If someone is printing direct to IP and causing a problem you'll be unable centrally manage that.