How to move iPrint services from OES 1 to OES 2

  • Document ID:7002644
  • Creation Date:12-Feb-2009
  • Modified Date:01-Jul-2013
    • Micro Focus Products:
      iPrint

Environment

Novell iPrint for Linux

Situation

The steps documented here will move the following iPrint Services from an OES 1 server to an OES 2 server:

  • Driver Store
  • Print Manager
  • Printer Agents
  • Printer Driver Profiles
  • Printer Banners
These steps are an alternative to the iPrint Migration tool and can be used to also move iPrint services from OES 2 to OES 2 or OES 1 to OES 1.  This same process can be used to move iPrint services from OES 1 or OES 2 to OES 11.

If the Print Manager is bound to a CNAME, workstations with iPrint printers installed will not need to re-install their iPrint printers after the move is completed.  The iPrint printers installed to workstations will automatically point to the new server.  Do not proceed with the steps below if the Print Manager is bound to an IP address or a server DNS name.  To understand what is meant by a CNAME, refer to the Additional Information section of this TID.

Resolution

1.  Shutdown the Driver Store and  Print Manager on the OES 1 server
rcnovell-ipsmd stop
rcnovell-idsd stop

2.  DNS update
a.  Change DNS Print Manager CNAME entry within the network DNS configuration to resolve the IP address of the OES 2 server.
b.  Change the /etc/hosts file on both the OES 1 and OES 2 servers to resolve the Print Manager service name to the OES 2 server IP address.

3.  Copy the Driver Store resdir from OES 1 to OES 2
On the OES 1 server, type:

           On the OES 2 server, type:
           chown -R iprint.iprint /var/opt/novell/iprint/resdir

4.  Create a new Driver Store object that targets the OES 2 server

5.  Validate that the drivers show within the newly created Driver Store object
iManager -> iPrint -> Manage Driver Store -> Drivers -> review list of drivers

6.  Copy the Print Manager directory to the OES 2 server
a.  At the OES 1 server, type:
ll  /var/opt/novell/iprint
b.  Make note of the directory name that includes the print manager's name.  This name will be referred to as <PrintManagerDirName> in the following few commands.
c.  At the OES 2 server, type:

cd /var/opt/novell/iprint
chown -R iprint.iprint <PrintManagerDirName>
chmod 775 <PrintManagerDirName>


7.  Copy the Print Manager ipsmd.conf from OES 1 to OES 2
At the OES 1 server, type:
ll /etc/opt/novell/iprint/conf
make note of the .conf file that contains the name of the Print Manager
This name will be later referenced as <ConfFileName>
 
 

8.  Create ipsmd.conf symbolic link on the OES 2 server
At the OES 2 server, type:
cd /etc/opt/novell/iprint/conf
ln -s <ConfFileName> ipsmd.conf

9.  Modify the ipsmd.conf's DSServer1 value
vi /etc/opt/novell/iprint/conf/ipsmd.conf
Modify the DSServer1 server address to a server which holds a replica. 
NOTE:  This value must be changed only if the current value is the OES 1 server.  This is assuming that the OES 1 server will eventually be decommissioned.

10. Update the Print Manager's eDir attribute
a.  Go to iManager -> iPrint -> Manage Print Manager -> Configuration -> Driver Store name -> select the newly created Driver Store object.

11.  Run the Print Manager on the OES 2 server
At the OES 2 server, type:
rcnovell-ipsmd start

12.  Test Printing

Additional Information

Determine if the Novell CNAME recommendation is being followed
A CNAME is a DNS name that is tied to Service and not tied to a Server Name.  Novell recommends the Print Manager be bound to a CNAME and not bound to a server DNS name or a server IP address.  There are two methods to view which address or name the Print Manager is bound to:

Method 1:  View Installed Printer
Look at the name of an iPrint printer installed to a workstation.  The name will look similar to one of the following formats:

printer1 on ipp://servicename.company.com
     or
printer1 on SomeName
     or
printer1 on ipp://servername.company.com
     or
printer1 on ipp://<ipaddress>
    
The first format is the Novell recommended format.  The second format may or may not be evidence that the Novell recommendation has been followed.  See "Method 2" to make that determination. 

If the printer is displayed in a non-recommended format, proceed to the "How to conform to Novell's CNAME recommendation" section of this TID.

Method 2:  ipsmd.conf
View the PSMHostAddress value within the /etc/opt/novell/iprint/conf/ipsmd.conf file.  The only recommended value is a CNAME, for example, servicename.company.com.

How to Conform to Novell's CNAME Recommendation
If it is determined that the Print Manager is not bound to a CNAME, complete the following steps before proceeding with the steps listed in the Resolution section of this TID.

1.  DNS Update
Create a DNS entry for a Print Manager service name (CNAME) within the network's DNS configuration.  The CNAME must resolve to the IP address of the server hosting the Print Manager.  If the Print Manager is hosted on a cluster, the CNAME must resolve to the IP address of the cluster volume.

2.  Update /etc/hosts file
Add the CNAME and server IP address to the server's /etc/hosts file.

3.  Modify ipsmd.conf
Modify the PSMHostAddress value within the /etc/opt/novell/iprint/conf/ipsmd.conf file from the server DNS or IP address to the Print Manager's CNAME. 

4.  Restart the Print Manager
rcnovell-ipsmd restart

5.  Wait
The iPrint clients will detect the name change within the ipsmd.conf, uninstall the iPrint printer, and re-install the iPrint printer to reflect the new name.  The client may wait a up to a day to make this change.  Wait long enough to feel comfortable that all iPrint printers that are installed to the workstations have transitioned to the new name.  To prevent the end user from receiving a pop-up notification of the uninstall and reinstall, change the InformUserOfUpdates value from 1 to 0 in the /var/opt/novell/iprint/htdocs/iprint.ini file.

6.  Perform the move
Proceed with the steps outlined in the Resolution section of this TID to move the iPrint services from one server to another.