Xerox DPServer Information Guide

DPServer

General Information Guide

720P62712

The cornerstone to your

output management solutions

DPServer

DocuPrintServer

General Information Guide

720P62712

Third Edition (April 1998)

Xerox Corporation Xerox Centre Drive El Segundo, California 90245

Copyright protection claimed includes all forms and matters of copyrightable material and information now allowed by statutory or judicial law or hereinafter granted, including without limitation, material generated from the software programs which are displayed on the screen such as icons, screen displays, looks, etc.

Printed in the United States of America.

Publication number: 720P62712

XEROX®, The Document Company®and all XEROX products mentioned in this publication are trademarks of XEROX CORPORATION.

HP, PCL, and all Hewlett-Packard products mentioned in this publication are trademarks or registered trademarks of HewlettPackard Company.

IBM, RISC System/6000, AIX, AIXwindows, MVS, and all IBM products mentioned in this publication are trademarks or registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation.

NFS®is a registered trademark of SUN Microsystems, Inc.

OSF/Motif® is a registered trademark of Open Software Foundation.

PostScript is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated.

UNIX is a registered trademark in the United States and other countries, licensed exclusively through X/Open Company Limited.

Windows™, Windows 95™, Windows NT™, and MS DOS are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

X-Windows is a trademark of Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

All other product names and trade names used herein are trademarks of their respective owners.

Changes are periodically made to this document. Technical updates will be included in subsequent editions.

Limitation of Liability: While every attempt has been made to prepare this document free from errors and omissions, the authors assume no responsibility for such conditions, or the uses made of this manual, or decisions that arise from such use. For the purposes of illustration, fictitious companies, logos, and names have been created.

Preface

Welcome, and thank you for considering DocuPrintServer (DPServer) as your solution to achieve automated network production printing and improved print window management.

The goal of this document is to explain how DPServer and DPServer options add value and capability to your Xerox printer investment. We hope this information will assist you in evaluating DPServer for integration into your network environment.

Briefly, what is DPServer?

DocuPrintServer (DPServer), formerly named the Xerox Print Services

Manager (XPSM), is a shared, modular, software solution that improves enterprise printing productivity and efficiency in a variety of ways, yet does not require changes to current applications.

Based on a client/server architecture, DPServer simplifies network production printing, prints more jobs in less time, and reduces overall operating costs through intelligent, automated processes. Further, DPServer supports a variety of clients and can deliver output to production, workgroup, and desktop printers and devices in highly diverse network environments.

DPServer's core capabilities include print job management, printer control, network printing, workload balancing, job splitting, and parallel job processing. Options are available that extend DPServer capabilities to include resource management, automated printer instruction packet insertion, data stream transforms, accounting, and enhanced network job support.

DPServer General Information Guide

solutions solutions solutions solutions solutions solutions solutions solutions solutions solutions solutions solutions solutions solutions solutions solutions solutions solutions

WINDOWS UNIX MID RANGE MAINFRAME

PRODUCTION

PRINTING

WORKGROUP

PRINTING

DPServer

FIGURE 1. DPServer opens the door

to remote production and workgroup printing for network-connected hosts throughout your enterprise.

DPServer General Information Guide

Preface

Who should read this guide?

This general information guide addresses the questions and concerns of potential customers who are considering DPServer for their production printing environment. To best meet the needs of potential readers, this guide is tailored to the following audience members.

Data center managers

who want greater flexibility in network production printing, new document delivery alternatives, and reduced operating costs.

Operations managers

who are interested in increasing print windows, improving job management flexibility, and reducing staffing requirements through automated printer workload balancing, remote printer control, and job queue management.

Systems programmers

who are responsible for installing and maintaining software products and need to know how DPServer fits into a network environment.

Purchasing professionals

who need to assess benefits, features, functions, and system requirements to ensure compliance with site prerequisites.

Network administrators

who need to ensure product compatibility

with communications and connectivity solutions already in place.

Application programmers

who want to create applications that access resource control and distribution functions using an application programming interface (API).

Users of applications

who require point-of-need document delivery

capabilities, no matter where they are in a network enterprise.

How should this guide be used?

This guide provides answers to questions most often asked by the intended audience members. These questions are listed at the beginning of each chapter and in the Table of Contents.

While you are encouraged to read the guide thoroughly, readers wanting answers only to specific questions should review the questions first, then skip ahead to the discussions of greatest interest.

This guide also contains a question-and-answer section (Appendix A). The questions in this section were compiled during conversations with customers evaluating DPServer.

iii

DPServer General Information Guide

Preface

For additional information . . .

Readers wanting additional information on DPServer and DPServer options are encouraged to reference the following publications.

DPServer for the IBM RS/6000 Implementation Planning Guide (721P85000)

DPServer for the IBM RS/6000 Communications Configuration Guide (721P85010)

DPServer for the IBM RS/6000 Installation and Management Guide (721P85020)

DPServer for the IBM RS/6000 Accounting Option (721P85040)

DPServer for the IBM RS/6000 Resource Management Option (721P85050)

DPServer for the IBM RS/6000 XPRM Installation and Reference (721P85060)

DPServer for the IBM RS/6000 XPTM Installation and Reference (721P85070)

DPServer for the IBM RS/6000 XPRM for the IBM MVS NFSA Installation and Management Guide

(721P85080)

DPServer for the IBM RS/6000 Application Program Interface (API) Programmer's Guide (721P85040)

DPServer for the IBM RS/6000 Data Stream Transform Application Program Interface (API)

(721P85100)

Xerox Print Readiness Execution Program (X-PREP) for DPServer Installation and User Guide (720P32282)

Xerox Windows to Xerox Meta (XWXM) for DPServer Installation and User Guide (720P32271)

The following publications are provided free of charge.

DPServer Solutions Guide (720P32660) This document describes how DPServer can be implemented to achieve a variety of benefits.

Xerox Customer Documentation Catalog

This publication contains the titles of Xerox product documentation.

You may directly visit the DPServer home page on the world wide web at http://www.xerox.com/print/products/dpserver.

DPServer General Information Guide

Xerox Client/Server Solutions 1

What are client/server solutions?

What client/server solutions does Xerox offer?

Is this Xerox's direction in enterprise printing software solutions?

What future DPServer benefits may I expect?

Product Overview 5

What is DPServer?

What does DPServer do for me?

What are the benefits of DPServer?

How does DPServer impact my existing applications?

What printers and devices are supported by DPServer?

DPServer: Components and Operation 17

How does DPServer fit into my site?

How does DPServer work?

What do my printer operators need to know?

How do I configure my DPServer-controlled resource environment?

How do I manage and control resource distribution?

How do I control security?

Does DPServer support archiving and viewing solutions?

Installation and Maintenance 41

What are the system requirements for installation?

What are the printer and device requirements?

How is DPServer installed?

What support is available?

Appendix A: Questions and Answers 45

Glossary 49

Index 55

DPServer General Information Guide

Xerox Client/Server Solutions

This chapter provides answers to the questions listed below.

What are client/server solutions?

What client/server solutions does Xerox offer?

Is this Xerox's direction in enterprise printing software solutions?

What future DPServer benefits may I expect?

What are client/server solutions?

In the climate of "downsizing" and "rightsizing," the direction in enterprise computing is to reduce the demand on mainframes by offloading applications to platforms that have a lower cost to operate and maintain. Corporations benefit through significantly reduced costs as the number of required mainframes decreases and expensive CPU and disk storage charges are minimized. Users benefit by having greater access to applications and services.

Client/Server software solutions promote these benefits by distributing software functions between computers. Client software resides on one computer, and makes requests to server software running on another computer. Server software processes client software requests and executes the desired functions. This enables mainframes, for example, to transfer processing to low-cost platforms, yet still receive key services.

As related to document delivery and printing, this strategy affords several key benefits. Mainframes running client software can offload print job processing to a low-cost server, share printers and electronic printer resources with other mainframes, and print and deliver documents at the user's point of need. This leads to a significant reduction in document distribution costs, offers print operations control at the server, and decreases overall document delivery time.

However, this migration also introduces several challenges. Mainframe printing has traditionally been highly structured with a limited number of computer platforms, data stream types, and connectivity possibilities. Conversely, network printing can combine a variety of computer platforms, data stream types, and connectivities. The result? A highly-complex document delivery and printing environment that demands solutions to meet a variety of needs.

Xerox is committed to providing solutions that meet these challenges. The direction at Xerox is to enable enterprise-wide document delivery and printing by offering client/server solutions that support a variety of platforms, applications, data streams, and network connectivities.

MAINFRAME

low-cost

PLATFORM

CLIENTCLIENT

software

SERSERVERVER

software

FIGURE 2. Client/Server solutions promote a shared, open environment while reducing costs and increasing flexibility.

DPServer General Information Guide

Xerox Client/Server Solutions

What client/server solutions does Xerox offer?

Xerox currently offers the client/server solutions described briefly below. Readers wanting additional detail on each product are invited to read the expanded discussions contained in the next chapters.

DocuPrintServer (DPServer) is the cornerstone of Xerox client/server software solutions. DPServer is a productivity suite of multiple software components. Each component is designed to add a specific value to your print operation. Globally, the goals of DPServer are to enable automated network production printing in highly-diverse enterprises, and to significantly improve print window management capabilities through automation (e.g., workload balancing) and intelligent data handling (e.g., job splitting).

The Resource Management Option offers a highly-flexible method to store, manage, and use resources in your enterprise. A key component of this option is the Xerox Print Resources Manager for the IBM RS/6000 (XPRM), a resource database manager that can be shared by multiple client platforms and multiple DPServers.

The Accounting Option provides comprehensive statistics of client, server, and select printer activities. The information assembled by this option enables accurate billing, printing performance tuning, capacity planning, and resource tracking.

The Xerox Print Transform Manager (XPTM) promotes enterprise coherence by converting source data streams into device-compatible formats. The current release of XPTM enables customers to print Xerox centralized data streams to PostScript and PCL5 printers.

The Xerox Print Readiness Execution Program (X-PREP) automatically inserts printer instruction packets (DJDE or VIPP) into output data streams to control job formatting and to maximize printer up-time.

Other Xerox software solutions are available to extend DPServer's capabilities and benefits, but are not designed as true client/server products. These options seamlessly integrate into your DPServercontrolled environment and allow you to add capability incrementally, based on business needs. A complete description of all DPServer solutions and options may be found starting on page 19.

DPServer General Information Guide

Xerox Client/Server Solutions

Is this Xerox's direction in enterprise printing software solutions?

Yes.

Xerox client/server solutions provide customers with increased flexibility and capability in operating a production printing environment. Further, these benefits are fully scalable and are provided for both local and network environments.

What future DPServer benefits may I expect?

The current version of DPServer brings added data transform capabilities, resource support, and productivity enhancements (e.g., job splitting). In future releases, you can look forward to the following:

New platforms that will run DPServer so that customers can better utilize existing hardware investments.

New data stream transforms that allow more documents to be used by more types of network devices, regardless of data stream requirements.

Expanded client support to allow more users to access network devices and enterprise printing resources.

Additional management functions that address emerging customer challenges and concerns.

DPServer General Information Guide

Xerox Client/Server Solutions

UNIXUNIX

medical systems

finance

data

processing

network production print center

corporate offices

publications

ARCHIVINGBULL

UNISYS

AS/400

VIEWING WINDOWS WINDOWS

WINDOWS

4517HP

4517

DP 180

DP 4635

DP 180

DPServer

DP 184hc

S390

MVS

Ethernet with TCP/IP

100BaseT Ethernet with TCP/IP

FDDI

SNA

TOKENTOKEN

RINGRING

DP 180 DP 96DPServer

FIGURE 3. DPServer promotes enterprise coherency – extensible, document services to deliver documents as never before.

DPServer General Information Guide

Product Overview

This chapter provides answers to the questions listed below.

What is DPServer?

What does DPServer do for me?

What are the benefits of DPServer?

How does DPServer impact my existing applications?

What printers and devices are supported by DPServer?

What is DPServer?

DPServer is an open, modular software solution that provides datacenter-level control of output and printing devices for network and remote printing environments. Installed on a network server, DPServer supports a variety of clients and data streams to enable true multiplatform production printing and document delivery across an enterprise – all without operator intervention or change to your current applications or operating systems.

As a network print manager, DPServer controls and monitors Xerox production printers attached to the server, as well as Xerox and nonXerox printers directly attached to the network. Printer and job control is performed either at the server or at a remote X-Windows terminal, giving you predictability and full control of a dynamic production print environment.

As a network print server, DPServer processes jobs from multiple clients simultaneously, then schedules and releases jobs according to "local" site requirements and priorities. Additionally, jobs can be distributed to the appropriate printer, or made available to an archiving solution, viewing product, or other network device. This increases user access to enterprise resources and eliminates technology limitations that hinder business objectives.

Options are also available to extend DPServer's features and benefits when your needs expand. These options enable customers to manage resources, track print job accounting statistics, and accept and deliver more types of data streams.

As stated earlier, DPServer is composed of client-, server-, and printerresident software. Each module performs a specific set of functions that enable orchestrated network production printing and document delivery.

DPServer General Information Guide

Product Overview

Client Software

DPServer client software is designed for specific environments and operating systems, including IBM MVS mainframes. The client software is required to take full advantage of all DPServer benefits.

MVS client software is responsible for acquiring print jobs from JES, sending print jobs to DPServer, ensuring communications integrity, and receiving accounting data and job/printer status from DPServer. Optional client software is also available for automated resource management between the host and server.

Windows 3.1 and 95 client software enables Windows users to submit jobs to DPServer. This allows you to print workgroup pages on Xerox production printers at a greatly reduced cost and at significantly faster speeds.

Non-MVS sites can submit jobs using the following options: lpr, lp (HP platforms only), FTP, and BDT. (Please refer to page 18 for complete details.) These options open DPServer benefits and capabilities to virtually any enterprise client. To learn about support for a specific platform other than discussed here, consult the DPServer home page on the world wide web or contact your Xerox representative.

Server Software

DPServer server software, DPServer for the IBM RS/6000, is the heart of the solution. DPServer software carries on intelligent conversations with DPServer client software and server-attached Xerox printers. All DPServer functions can be controlled using a standard UNIX graphical interface, OSF/Motif®. Functions include:

• automated network printing

• job control and queue management

• printer management

• archive management

• resource management (optional)

• accounting (optional)

• automated DJDE and VIPP packet insertion (optional)

• data stream transforms (optional)

These tasks are briefly discussed beginning on page 7 and in detail beginning on page 22.

Sites who require DPServer capabilities but prefer to control and monitor DPServer from a location other than the server can utilize a remote console. A remote console allows you to display the graphical user interface of one or more DPServers on a single terminal (see page 41 for requirements). This provides a flexible solution for consolidating printing operations and management according to your needs.

DPServer General Information Guide

Product Overview

DPServer Printer Software

While DPServer does not provide "printer software" as such, DPServer works in conjunction with Xerox production printers

directly attached

to the server.

The operating system of these printers allows information to be returned to the server such as printer status, accounting information, and more. Xerox and non-Xerox printers

directly attached

to a network

can be controlled by DPServer, but do not support 2-way

communication.

What does DPServer do for me?

DPServer is designed to simplify production printing in a network enterprise and improve print window management. DPServer promotes an open, shared print environment and reduces "bottomline" costs by consolidating job and printer management functions on a low-cost server.

Among the many benefits of DPServer, the key benefit for many customers is productivity enhancement. Through automated management functions and intelligent decision making, DPServer keeps printers up and running while reducing the need for operator intervention. This creates a wider print window and eliminates the need to re-run jobs due to operator error.

The following pages continue to discuss the major features of DPServer. Readers who want expanded detail on DPServer features and operation are invited to read the next chapter, Components and Operation.

Automated Network Printing

DPServer combines the quality and versatility of Xerox production printers with the openness and access of a network environment. You can now print your production jobs at the site that best supports your business objectives and processes. DPServer can intelligently manage, schedule, and print jobs to both Xerox production printers and select non-Xerox printers within your network.

To improve overall network and print operation performance, DPServer supports multiple clients simultaneously over SNA and TCP/IP connections, allowing jobs to be sent and processed in parallel. DPServer also performs transparent data stream transforms to enable you to use the most appropriate printer for the job without regard to data stream compatibility. These processes can be performed automatically and without user or operator intervention.

DPServer General Information Guide

Product Overview

Job Control and Queue Management

DPServer increases your print windows by providing flexible and automated job control and queue management at the server. All jobs sent to DPServer can be managed locally, then directed to serverattached and network-attached printers. You now have the power to manage print operations based on current priorities and accommodate changes in scheduling when needed.

DPServer operators have access to a comprehensive display of jobs queued at the server and can perform many operations. A sample of these operations are listed below:

• hold, release, cancel, and delete jobs

• redirect jobs to other printers

• reprint job (without resending from the host)

• change job attributes (e.g., number of copies)

• reprioritize queues based on job attributes (e.g., stock, color)

• create queues for each physical printer or group of printers

• customize the queue to show only fields of interest

To ensure that Xerox printers produce at their maximum level, DPServer employs workload balancing. Workload balancing is a DPServer feature that minimizes printer idle time by automatically scheduling jobs to printers based on printer availability. For example, if one printer is busy or taken offline, DPServer sends the job to another printer that is suited to the job. This enables you to print jobs on-time, keep your printers up and running, increase printer utilization, and increase overall site throughput. For additional information on workload balancing, please refer to the discussion of logical printers on page 23.

DPServer also offers "job splitting." Job splitting is a productivity enhancement that enables jobs to be divided into smaller segments and printed across multiple printers. Print window management is greatly improved as lengthy applications can now be printed in significantly shorter time frames. To protect your investment in application software, job splitting is performed on the output data stream – no application changes are required.

DPServer General Information Guide

Product Overview

Printer Management

DPServer provides control of all Xerox printers attached to a DPServer. This master printer console feature simplifies day-to-day operation and management of printers by placing control at a centralized location – at the print server.

Managing multiple Xerox production printers has never been easier. Operators can execute commands, obtain printer status, and much more from one location. Operators can view information using the server's graphical user interface or in a separate window containing the printer's command-line user interface. To simplify the task of monitoring printing operations, the DPServer user interface presents information in various colors to convey high-priority events, processing stages, availability, and so on. This productivity enhancement ensures that operators can inspect printing operations simply by glancing at a display.

To further extend these benefits, a remote console is available that allows control of one or more DPServers from any network workstation or PC that supports X-Windows and OSF/Motif. The remote console allows you to establish network printing control at the location that best meets your needs. Specifically, a remote console gives you the ability to display the graphical user interface of one or more DPServers. All controls and displays that can be accessed from DPServer can also be accessed from the remote console. (When using a remote console, you may wish to establish procedures for server and remote console operation to help ensure that conflicting commands are not entered.)

Archive Management

DPServer makes all jobs available for archiving by third-party solutions. Archiving can occur before printing, after printing, or instead of printing if desired. DPServer writes the job data and job ticket information to a server-resident directory where it may be accessed by your archiving solution. For convenience, the archive data is stored in a directory using the same spool name as the original job.

While not part of the archive management solution described above, DPServer also enables jobs to be retained locally at the server for a user-defined period of time. This feature allows you to reprint jobs without having to re-send data from the host or retrieve job files from an archiving product.

DPServer General Information Guide

Product Overview

Resource Management

The Resource Management Option offers improved management, version control, automation, and accessibility of resources required for production print jobs. Resources are electronic versions of forms, logos, and fonts that can be merged with personalized data to create sophisticated, powerful documents.

DPServer simplifies production resource management through intelligent, flexible design, and productive features. When you add the Resource Management Option, you can:

Store, manage, and distribute Xerox, PostScript, and PCL5 resources across multiple printers. Whether you use traditional Xerox DocuPrint

printers, networked DocuPrint NPS printers, third-party PCL and PostScript printers, or any combination, you can store and maintain all production resources in a single database, and download them either manually or automatically to your printers.

Share printer resources among multiple client platforms. Jobs submitted from MVS hosts, midrange systems, workstations, and PCs can all share resources from the same DPServer-resident resource database. This minimizes concerns associated with multiple versions of printer resources. DPServer can also be configured as a "resource client," meaning that jobs submitted to one DPServer can request resource services from another DPServer on which a resource database is installed. This approach allows you to have multiple DPServers at your points of need, yet maintain one (or more, if desired) resource database.

Download resources to the server from the host. DPServer allows you to mount a resource tape on an MVS host, write those resources to PDS, then download the resources to the server-resident database. You may also download resources directly from a PDS or disk file.

Distribute resources from the server to both server-attached and network-attached printers. Printer resources can be downloaded to

multiple printers using a single command.

View a catalog of resources that are resident on each printer, or the resources themselves. DPServer maintains a catalog of all resources that

have been downloaded to the printers. This catalog can be inspected at the server. Additionally, the Xerox Resource Transform utility allows you to view LPS resources (except forms) at a Windows 95/NT workstation, whether stored in a remote DPServer resource database or on the local file system. This utility also transforms Xerox resources into PostScript and PCL5 formats.

Avoid printing interruptions due to missing resources. DPServer determines resource availability at the printer before printing begins by comparing resources required by the job with resources stored at the printer. If a resource is not available at the printer, DPServer acquires and downloads the resources from the server-resident resource database. The resource checking capability extends to resources that are embedded in other resources (recursive resource checking), for example, a logo referenced within a form. Operators can also display required resources for queued jobs and their availability at the printer.

DPServer General Information Guide

Product Overview

Accounting and Performance Management

The Accounting Option increases site productivity and efficiency by recording statistics on a variety of client, server, and printer events. The Accounting Option offers both a "birds-eye" and microscopic view of a network production print operation.

The information collected by the Accounting Option can be used for many different processes:

• identify peak printing times

• obtain accurate print volumes for capacity planning

• identify high-volume users and lengthy applications

• measure job transmission time to tune network performance

• determine resource usage per application or customer

• measure operator and operator shift performance

• ensure that all printed pages and copies are billed

• isolate charges for special features, such as color printing

The Accounting Option also offers report generation capabilities. These reports can be used with your accounting, performance analysis, or asset management tools. Reports may be generated in variable-structured SMF records, or in "raw" format for use by SQL databases, spreadsheets, statistical analysis packages, or other software.

Automated DJDE and VIPP Packet Insertion

The Xerox Print Readiness Execution Program (X-PREP) option controls document formatting and printer operation by inserting printer instruction packets into output data streams – automatically and without change to your applications. X-PREP can be used to condition data streams destined for either Xerox LCDS/metacode or PostScript printers. Xerox Dynamic Job Descriptor Entry (DJDE) packets are created for Xerox LCDS/metacode printers, and Xerox Variable Data Intelligent PostScript PrintWare (VIPP) packets are created for Xerox PostScript printers.

Using X-PREP, you can control document formatting and printing by adding customized banner pages, and by defining page orientation, duplex and multiple-up printing, and more. You can also automate start commands to ensure that your printers do not stop unless absolutely necessary.

X-PREP is designed for simplicity and ease of use. It does not require Xerox printer programming experience.

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