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SNMP vs. IPP

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Charles Wilt

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Oct 6, 2004, 1:18:16 PM10/6/04
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If one has a printer that supports both SNMP and IPP, is there a
preferred protocol to choose?

What if PJL is also thrown into the mix. My perference has always been
PJL over SNMP, but should I still take PJL over IPP?

Rodney are you listening??? <grin>


Thanks,
Charles

Rodney Johnson

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Oct 6, 2004, 6:16:44 PM10/6/04
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If only it was so simple...

I would chose PJL last. The reason being no sharing between systems
until there are no RDY files. A single TCP/IP port, so if the printer
stops talking for some reason, you have no way to determine why...just
looks like the writer is hung.

SNMP is better because it allows sharing between files (if you specify
*IBMSHRCNN on the USRDFNOPT attribute of the printer device). SNMP uses
two ports. A data port, and a status port (actual SNMP). This allows
you to know why the printer writer has stopped processing the spooled
file (like out of paper condition, printer offline, etc.).

IPP has the ability to send the data encrypted, thus if security is an
issue, and you are sending to an IBM IPP server or CUPS server, you can
send the data without fear of losing confidential data. IPP also
supports finishing operations. SNMP can support finishing if you use my
latest version of the user data transform TSPRWPR (and modify the source
to match the PJL commands for the printer with the finisher...unless you
have an IBM 1145 or 1130).

IPP might be better if you are sending site to site. IPP can be not as
good if the IPP implementation of the printer is limited. IPP expert
here has run into a number of situations that can be performance
limiting (or even won't work) due to the implementation/interpretation.

SNMP and IPP are both good choices. I use SNMP


Charles Wilt wrote:


--
Rodney A Johnson
Technical Team Lead for AS/400 Spool
Dept GJC
IBM Rochester, Minnesota

The contents of this message express only the sender's opinion.
This message does not necessarily reflect the policy or views of
my employer, IBM. All responsibility for the statements
made in this Usenet posting resides solely and completely with the
sender.

Kaj Julius

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Oct 6, 2004, 7:07:16 PM10/6/04
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> SNMP is better because it allows sharing between files (if you specify
> *IBMSHRCNN on the USRDFNOPT attribute of the printer device). SNMP uses
> two ports. A data port, and a status port (actual SNMP). This allows you
> to know why the printer writer has stopped processing the spooled file
> (like out of paper condition, printer offline, etc.).
>

Rodney,

Just curious, does this also mean that a spool file is deleted only when the
print job (spool file) has completed printing. We use IPDS printers mainly
because we want to be absolutely sure that even if a printer, for whatever
reason, has to be turned off the print job (spool file) can still be
resumed. In other words, (if I remember correctly) in the past when we still
used the PCL/PJL driver, if a printer lost power, sometimes print jobs just
disappeared (cached in printer memory). Does the SNMP driver do the job of
protecting us from this situation as well as IPDS?

TIA,
Kaj

Charles Wilt

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Oct 7, 2004, 8:30:21 AM10/7/04
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Rodney,

Thank you for the excellent information.

One thing I found with SNMP was that I couldn't use it to both printers
on a multiple port server. So I ended up going IPP. Actually, in this
case, I don't believe either printer supported SNMP anyway.

Is this the location of the latest TSPRWPR:
http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?
uid=nas1584a2dee8678698386256624004b527e&rs=110

http://tinyurl.com/46k8m


Also, you suggest using TSPRWPR with SNMP, the document above doesn't
mention this possibility. I assume all that is need is to specify this
program on the USRDTATFM parm of the CRTDEVPRT command.

Thank again,
Charles Wilt


In article <41646...@news3.prserv.net>, rjoh...@rchland.ibm.com
says...

Charles Wilt

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Oct 7, 2004, 9:56:21 AM10/7/04
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Oh yeah, one more thing that I found kind of curious.

On the print server (Axis 5600+) there's an option to view a log of the
jobs processed.

It's interesting that LPD jobs show the user name of the iSeries user
whose spool file it was.

But the IPP jobs show an anonymous.

Is there anyway to change that?

How would SNMP jobs show?

Thanks,
Charles


In article <MPG.1bcf0021a...@news.easynews.com>,
cw...@meaa.mea.com says...

Rodney Johnson

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Oct 7, 2004, 10:31:33 AM10/7/04
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Kaj Julius wrote:

SNMP waits only for acknowledgement from the TCP/IP layer that the last
packet of data was successfully received by the NIC. Thus if the
printer is shut off at the right time, you still could lose the file.

Unfortunately IPP also has the same limitation, and in fact might be
worse, in that once the whole file is there iSeries assumes it is
printed, where as SNMP, it would only be the last few pages or buffers
of data that may not get printed and are lost.

The PJL method waits for confirmation that the last page printed.
Unfortunately, many printer implementations send back an "early" print
complete (that is it says last page printed before the page really has
been printed).

IPDS is probably the only method that make sure the last page is printed
(although I have heard of problems in this area, and don't know if all
those bugs have been fixed...some at software level others were at
printer microcode level).

David Murray

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Oct 7, 2004, 10:54:14 AM10/7/04
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Charles Wilt wrote:

Charles,

I could try to change that. What release of the iSeries are you
currently using?

Thanks,
Dave

Charles Wilt

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Oct 7, 2004, 12:31:02 PM10/7/04
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Dave,

I'm on v5r2 right now.

Charles


In article <41655...@news3.prserv.net>, dbmu...@hotmail.com says...

Rodney Johnson

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Oct 7, 2004, 2:34:37 PM10/7/04
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Inserted comments >>

Charles Wilt wrote:

>Rodney,
>
>Thank you for the excellent information.
>
>One thing I found with SNMP was that I couldn't use it to both printers
>on a multiple port server. So I ended up going IPP. Actually, in this
>case, I don't believe either printer supported SNMP anyway.
>
>

>> Yes there is a limitation on multi-port servers where SNMP will only
work to the printer connected on the first port. For multi-port
servers, IPP would likely be the better option.

>Is this the location of the latest TSPRWPR:
>http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?
>uid=nas1584a2dee8678698386256624004b527e&rs=110
>
>http://tinyurl.com/46k8m
>
>
>

>>The version I am referring to is not available on the web. It is a
newer version that works on V5R2 and up that I completed a few months
back. I send to whoever is interested upon request. The source will be
in the release following V5R3 (in qusrtool).

>Also, you suggest using TSPRWPR with SNMP, the document above doesn't
>mention this possibility. I assume all that is need is to specify this
>program on the USRDTATFM parm of the CRTDEVPRT command.
>
>
>

>>Part of the modification was to make it work with printer device
configurations as well as with the remote writer. When used with a
printer writer, it still allows the printer driver to handle the page
range parts. In that specific case it just prepends and appends the
appropriate PJL commands to start and stop stapling. In theory, TSPRWPR
would then work with the SNMP, telnet 5250 printing, and LPR (remote
writer) to provide stapling and hole punching. Course the version I
send out is written to only work with IBM 1145 and 1130 printers. It is
also coded to supposedly work on the 4332 and 4324 printers, but was not
able to test and confirm. Hopefully the code is written in a manner
that is easy to modify to match other printer finishers.

Charles Wilt

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Oct 8, 2004, 8:14:57 AM10/8/04
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Rodney,

I'd be interested in getting the new version of TSPRWPR.

The email address on for this post is valid.

Thanks again for your help,
Charles


In article <41658...@news3.prserv.net>, rjoh...@rchland.ibm.com
says...

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