Terminal Services Printing

Managing print jobs in a MS TS environment

Microsoft Terminal Services is a network application enabling users to access Windows-based programs installed on a central server and to remotely access their own Windows desktop. Users can log in from within a corporate network or via the Internet.

When a user runs a program on a terminal server, the program execution occurs on the server. Only keyboard, mouse, and display information is transmitted over the network. The users, wherever they are see exactly what they would see at work, their email, Microsoft Office or any other application. They can also use terminal services printing features to print remotely .

Consolidating application software on centrally hosted servers has many advantages for managing software and conserving network resources. In some cases, however, it separates the users’ printers and plotters from the server that is creating the print job (WTS). Windows print data streams are of two types, EMF and raw . EMF data streams are generated by the application programs and are device independent. These data streams are converted by the Windows printing process to the raw format (print job) which is used by the printer. The EMF and raw data streams can both be very large, hundreds of megabytes. In a network environment where print servers are used, a data stream may need to be transmitted over the network from the workstation to printer. This can result in slow printing or even failure to print. Carefully design of a printing strategy is an important element in successfully implementing WTS in a geographic information system (GIS).

Network printing problems are the primary concern that administrators face when implementing user application environments. Third party print management tools are often used as an effective way of providing a successful remote printing solution, linking the operating system, application and printing device to produce the desired physical output.

An effective printing strategy must provide both the facility for printing to local printers as well as remote printing with dedicated print server support. The Print Management Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in, available on windows Vista Business or above and Windows Server 2008 enables the system administrator to share printers on a network and centralize print server and network printer management tasks. Third-party solutions applicable to a broader range of operating system environments are designed to be an economic, effective and efficient way to manage the printing process for users and administrators alike.