Guidelines


Remote Printing Using TCP/IP

Version: 1.1
Status: Proposed: 12/11/96
Contact: Roney Boyd

PURPOSE

To provide a general description of the process for supporting mainframe print services using TCP/IP as the transport.

SCOPE

This guideline describes the general capabilities of the Network Print Facility (NPF) used by TCP/IP MVS to print data from an IBM Host Mainframe.

APPLICABILITY

This guideline is applicable for data that is generated via a spooled data set (JES2) or mainframe applications (ie, IMS, CICS) that are to be printed from the mainframe to remote printers that are accessible through TCP/IP.

DEFINITION

Network Print Facility is a software feature of the IBM TCP/IP for MVS and is used to spool print data from a mainframe to a remote location. The Network Print Facility supports the printing of data from the following types of output generated on the mainframe:

GUIDELINE

The guideline applies to all types of output that is generated and printed from the Host Mainframe in the current SNA environment. This guideline serves as a reference for colleges planning the campus migration from SNA supported printing to TCP/IP print services.

DESCRIPTION:

TCP/IP printing at the college will require the Line Print Daemon ( LPD ) or an equivalent microcomputer based application. The VCCS will use the Network Print Facility (NPF), a feature of the IBM TCP/IP MVS software, to distribute print data from the mainframe to remote printers located at the colleges. The Network Print Facility transforms mainframe output into a format that can be processed by LPD installed on the remote computer.

NPF will support the following:

Mainframe to remote print server for local distribution.

Output will be transferred from the mainframe to a network file server at the college. Optionally, software can be installed on the server by the college to further distribute the output to a combination of laser and dot-matrix printers that can either be attached directly to the LAN or to individual microcomputers that are attached to the LAN.

Mainframe to user desktop for local printing.

Output will be transferred from the mainframe directly to a microcomputer at the remote site. In the case of a microcomputer running Windows, the print would be spooled to the print manager for release to the locally attached printer.

Application ( CICS and IMS ) to Desktop Printer Output from the application will be transferred from the mainframe to a microcomputer at the remote site. This service would also use any local spooling that was available on the desktop.

REQUIREMENTS:

Mainframe software minimum requirements: (Responsibility - VCCNet)

Microcomputer requirements: (Responsibility - College)

Note: LPD can be installed on each individual microcomputer at the college or on a server that is accessible to all the microcomputers requiring print services.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Printers:

  1. HP LaserJet 5si or equivalent to print the workload currently supported by high speed SNA line printers.
  2. Epson printers (all models) or equivalents to print transcripts, R&I forms, student profiles and similar low volume printing. This class of printer would be used in places like the business office or where a line printer needs to be directly connected to a user workstation.
  3. C.Itoh CI-500 Line Printer or equivalent (any high speed line printer that can be attached to a parallel port) to print grade mailers or similar workloads where multi- part forms are required and other high volume line printing requirements.

Note: The LPD application requires unique customization to support the printing of various reports and special forms. Some of the customization require the coding of escape sequences and other characters to control the printer. NRCC has developed and tested the configurations to support all Epson character printers and will make them available to colleges electing to use that hardware.

Software:

  1. RPM from Brooks Internet Software, Inc.. The System has procured a systemwide license. This license agreement allows each college to freely distribute the software on the campus. Copies of the licensed software is available for download from the System Office FTP Server.
  2. Any commercially available product or combination of products that provides mainframe connectivity via TCP/IP and 3270 terminal and printer emulation.
  3. Any shareware product or combination of shareware products that provides mainframe connectivity via TCP/IP and 3270 terminal and printer emulation.

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