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FPServer: THE Fast Novell NetWare Print Server
Version 3.2
What's New File (WHATSNEW.DOC)
==================================================
Richard L. Hartman (RLH)
Novell Registered Professional Developer
5205 North Mulvaney Court, Spokane, WA 99212-1611
509-924-6576 (voice) 509-926-4626 (fax) CompuServe 76350,2275
===========================================================================
WHAT'S NEW IN VERSION 3.2?
===========================================================================
PLENTY! Version 3.2 includes many, many new features which were not
present in the last publicly available version (2.5).
Over the past several years I have researched network printing at hundreds
of sites and received comments from hundreds more. The results of this
research become new features in FPServer - those which are truly important
to network printing. In many cases, these are features which no other
print server (PC-based nor "black box" nor in-the-printer) has ever
offered. They may become commonplace in the future, but FPServer continues
to define the state of the art in network printing technology.
This file provides a brief overview of FPServer's new features. More
detailed information is available from the FPSERVER.DOC file, which has
also been updated to support version 3.2. Be sure to consult FPSERVER.DOC
for complete details.
===========================================================================
NEW FEATURES
===========================================================================
Even Faster
----------------------------------------
THROUGHPUT is the number-one priority for network print servers - period.
And FPServer is faster than ever before. Throughput has been increased
50-100% over previous versions, and this bandwidth is still dynamically
allocated across all active ports in real time. Data rates exceeding
100,000 BYTES PER SECOND are common on 386-class machines driving parallel
printers (assuming the printer can handle data that rapidly).
Direct Support for FIFO'd Printers
----------------------------------------
A recent development in high-speed printers (especially laser printers) is
the use of a small FIFO as the front end of the parallel port. These
buffers generally accept 8-32 bytes at extremely high data rates, store
them internally, then interrupt the printer's microprocessor only when the
FIFO is full. This dramatically improves the efficiency of the printer's
microprocessor by only requiring its attention when the FIFO is full rather
than for every individual byte.
To get maximum performance from these new printers, FPServer analyzes the
data-reception behavior of parallel printers and optimizes its output
algorithm for FIFO-based operation if detected.
Multiple File Servers
----------------------------------------
More installations are moving to multi-server environments as networks
become more common. In support of this, FPServer now services up to seven
separate file servers simultaneously. Each port may be service jobs from a
separate print queue on a separate file server - you do not need to
consolidate all of your print jobs on a single file server.
You can also have multiple ports service a common print queue to reduce
print job dwell time. If you have duplicate printers, you can multiply the
bandwidth of print job servicing by specifying the same print queue for
multiple ports.
Seven Simultaneous Print Devices
----------------------------------------
You may now drive up to SEVEN printers from a single FPServer host! Three
parallel and four serial print devices can be active simultaneously, each
serving print jobs from different print queues on different file servers.
All ports operate autonomously - and FPServer's real-time optimization
divides available bandwidth between active ports to maximize throughput
under all conditions.
Banners
----------------------------------------
In direct response to client requests, FPServer now provides support for
print job banners. Unlike the banners provided by other print servers,
however, FPServer always displays the ACTUAL job owner's name and up to
twenty characters of job description - regardless of the NPRINT or CAPTURE
settings used to generate the print job. The banner is also date and time
stamped in international format for ease of reference.
Form Feeds
----------------------------------------
In further response to customer requests, FPServer now provides support for
formfeeds at the end of print jobs. If the FormFeed flag is set by the
print job's owner, FPServer emits a formfeed at the end of every copy.
Programmable Port Addresses
----------------------------------------
FPServer allows you to explicitly specify the I/O addresses for each active
port. In addition to providing support for hardware which uses
non-standard I/O, this allows you to logically rename ports regardless of
their physical addresses.
Programming port addresses is an option, not a requirement. If you do not
specify an address for a port, FPServer will automatically derive the
address from the BIOS data area in low memory.
Regardless of where the address originated (your command or BIOS), FPServer
always confirms the presence of physical hardware before enabling it for
use. This prevents "artificial" ports which are generated by some programs
from causing print server or network problems.
Robust Video System
----------------------------------------
This release incorporates a vastly improved video system that has proven
compatible with ALL video interfaces available for testing (even those
non-standard AT&T 6300's!). The new system automatically detects the type
of interface and modifies its behavior accordingly. All standard video
systems are supported: MDA, MGA, CGA, EGA, VGA, and SVGA, on any type of
monitor compatible with the video interface.
Full Color Screen Display
----------------------------------------
The new video system includes FULL COLOR support for machines equipped with
color interfaces and monitors. Colors are used to highlight information
and warning messages; blinking is used to highlight errors and
time-sensitive conditions.
Of course, monochrome-equipped systems are detected and accommodated as
well. Brightness and blinking are used in place of the color system's
color displays.
Zoom Views of Individual Ports
----------------------------------------
Any of FPServer's seven ports may be "zoomed" for closer examination. A
full-screen view of the selected port is presented, including a deep
display of pending print jobs. Like all FPServer screens, zoomed port
displays are kept current in real time; jobs advance on screen as they move
in the print queue and the Current/Former lines show present and past port
activity.
Delete Print Jobs - Gracefully
----------------------------------------
If you've ever experienced a runaway print job, you know how inconvenient
such a situation can be. Once you realize things are not going right, you
have to stop the printer, stop the print server, rush back to your PC, run
PCONSOLE, delete the job from the print queue, restart the print server,
and restart the printer. What's worse, other print jobs being serviced by
the print server are also interrupted (this can make you VERY unpopular!).
FPServer eliminates this "runaway runaround" by allowing you to delete
print jobs right from the print server console. When "zoomed" on a single
port, you may delete any print job (including the current one) by
highlighting it and selecting delete from a menu. ALL traces of the job
are deleted: The printer (if parallel) is reset, FPServer's buffer is
emptied, and the job is deleted from the print queue. A message reminding
you to reset the printer (if necessary) is displayed on-screen and the port
is held idle for a programmable period of time so you may reset the printer
or manually flush its input buffer.
Restart Print Jobs - Conveniently
----------------------------------------
FPServer's ability to delete print jobs is nice when you want to completely
discard a runaway print job. But what if you still need a copy of that
print job? You probably sent it because you needed it - and the fact that
something went wrong doesn't mean you don't need it anymore.
For this reason, FPServer also allows you to RESTART print jobs. When you
restart a print job, FPServer holds the port idle for a programmable length
of time - long enough for you to reset the printer, reposition the paper,
or whatever - and then restarts the job from the very first byte. The
printer reset message is also included during the reset pause as a
reminder.
Prioritize Print Jobs - Immediately
----------------------------------------
For those occasions when there's a large number of jobs ahead of yours -
but YOU'RE the only person willing to stand by the printer and wait -
FPServer allows you to prioritize your job to the top of the queue. The
current print job will be finished as usual (FPServer will not interrupt a
job in progress) but the NEXT job to be serviced will be the newly
prioritized one.
Programmable Printer Reset Delay
----------------------------------------
When you delete or restart a print job, it may take you a few seconds to
reset the printer, reposition the paper, and otherwise prepare to continue
servicing print jobs. Since every printer is different, FPServer allows
the duration of the "job delete" and "job restart" delays to be programmed.
Any value from 1-999 seconds may be specified, and during the delay the
affected port will display a special message reminding you of the reason
for the pause in job servicing.
Programmable Query Delay
----------------------------------------
FPServer must query the file server(s) periodically for new print jobs
which require servicing. While the amount of network cable traffic
generated by such queries is small, a separate query is generated for each
active port - and with up to seven ports per FPServer, it can add up.
FPServer now allows you to specify the delay between subsequent queries.
The default is one-half second; you may increase this to any value from
1-999 seconds. A separate value for each port allows you to tune the
delays based upon the type of printer and its frequency of use. More
active printers may benefit from shorter delays (more frequent querying),
while less-active printers may do just fine with only an occasional query.
Note that setting a port's query delay only affects the potential delay
until a print job is started. Once a job has been initiated, it runs at
full speed regardless of the query delay setting.
Programmable Post-Job Delay
----------------------------------------
More and more printers are providing support for multiple emulations (PCL,
PostScript, Epson, etc.) by "analyzing" the first few bytes of print data
to determine which emulation is being used. Once the decision is made, the
printer switches to that emulation and completes the print job.
When the printer is connected to a single PC with a single user, the pause
at the end of each print job helps the printer decide when it must resume
analyzing the data and choosing an emulation. But in a shared (networked)
environment, multiple print jobs can be sent to the printer back-to-back -
making it impossible for the printer to distinguish between jobs even
though they are very likely to be in different emulations.
To provide better support for these "auto-switching" printers, FPServer
allows you to specify a post-job delay of 1-999 seconds. This delay is
inserted by FPServer immediately after each print job's last byte of data
is sent to the printer. A separate delay value is maintained for each port
so that you may add the delay to those printers which require it without
imposing it on those which do not. By default, this delay is zero; but it
is easy to add if your printer requires it.
Auto-Reboot on Missing Shell
----------------------------------------
Network resources should operate autonomously, even when problems arise.
File servers are a shared resource upon which a not one, but many people
depend. For this reason, they are often equipped with uninterruptable
power supplies (UPS's) so that, if the power fails, they can shut down and
then restart gracefully without operator involvement.
Print servers are also a shared resource, and they should also operate
autonomously when problems arise. When power is lost and then restored,
PC-based print servers will automatically reboot into DOS, often faster
than the file server itself reboots. Since the PC is now "ahead of" the
file server in its boot sequence, the PC's network shell will fail to find
a file server and the print server software will fail to start. A manual
reboot of the print server - AFTER the file server is running - is then
required.
FPServer solves this problem by confirming the presence of the network
shell - and a valid connection to a file server - before initializing. If
no connection exists, or if the shell is not loaded, FPServer will display
a message, wait 30 seconds, and automatically reboot the PC. For debugging
convenience, you may abort the reboot process and return directly to DOS
during the 30 second pause by simply pressing any key.
FPServer will continue to scan, delay, and reboot until it finds an active
file server, no matter how long the file server takes to reboot itself. In
this manner FPServer becomes a completely autonomous resource; if power is
momentarily interrupted during the night, chances are your users will never
know about it.
Programmable Auto-Reboot on Lost Network
----------------------------------------
Another problem which has traditionally plagued print servers is the "lost
network". This can be caused by anything from a file server going down to
a temporary break in the network cable. The result is the same: the shell
loses contact with the file server, sometimes resulting in the message
"Network Error: Abort, retry" appearing on the screen. Such situations are
confusing to users and have always required human intervention - until now.
FPServer now detects "lost network" and other lockup conditions. Whether
the shell reports it or not - with or without a "Network Error" message -
FPServer will automatically cold-boot the PC after a programmable delay as
long as the basic operation of the PC is not impaired.
This feature, in combination with Auto-Reboot on Missing Shell above, makes
FPServer immune to almost all forms of network lockup and reboot failures.
Simply stated, FPServer does not passively hope that everything goes well;
it aggressively works to make SURE print services are available to all
network users 24 hours a day.
Larger Data Buffers
----------------------------------------
With its growth to seven simultaneous print devices, FPServer now
incorporates a memory management system which takes advantage of larger
amounts of traditional DOS memory. However, even with all ports active,
fully optimized operation is available with only 400K free DOS memory (as
reported by the DOS utilities CHKDSK or MEM). This small memory
requirement means that DOS, the network interface drivers, and the network
shell itself can still be loaded into traditional DOS ("low") memory -
exactly as they should be for maximum performance.
Entire FPSERVER.CFG File In Memory
----------------------------------------
FPServer now reads its entire configuration file into memory before
beginning its self-configuration. Prior versions read and processed
commands one at a time, an approach which could lead to problems if the
configuration file resided on a network volume.
Deleted Job Notify Message
----------------------------------------
FPServer has long supported the "Notify" option, which places a message on
the workstation when a user's print job is complete. This latest release
goes one step further: FPServer will now inform you if your print job is
interrupted due to deletion from the print queue.
This notification will occur whether the job was deleted by PCONSOLE,
FPServer (by a user at its console), or another NetWare utility. If the
user has enabled the Notify option and the job is deleted during printing,
a message stating that fact will be transmitted to the originating PC.
38400 Baud
----------------------------------------
FPServer now supports baud rates up to 38400 on those serial ports which
can handle that speed.
Smaller Executable File
----------------------------------------
Despite all the above new features, the executable file - FPSERVER.EXE -
has actually DECREASED in size by nearly 30%!
===============================================================================
FPSERVER: THE PRODUCT
===============================================================================
With this release, FPServer makes the transition from AdWare to product.
Interest in FPServer has been growing so quickly that I can no longer
provide an acceptable level of support for a product which generates zero
revenue. Charging a modest amount for FPServer allows me to continue its
support and enhancement.
So that you may review FPServer risk-free in your own environment, it will
run full-featured for 20 minutes and then terminate. At the LaserJet 4's
input rate of 40,000 bytes per second, for example, 20 minutes provides
sufficient time to print 48 MEGABYTES of data. And you may run as many 20
minute test sessions as you wish.
If, after running your own tests - on your own network, in your own
environment, completely under your control - you decide not to use
FPServer, you can simply stop using it. There are no up-front expenses, no
"restocking fees", no refund delays... simply stop using it.
Registration and SoftKeys
----------------------------------------
If you decide that FPServer DOES improve your network printing, you may
register and obtain a "SoftKey" which allows unlimited copies of FPServer
to run uninterrupted on one file server. SoftKeys are derived from the
serial number of the copy of NetWare running on the file server and are
thus server-specific. If you wish to let FPServer service queues on
multiple file servers, a separate SoftKey is required for each.
Registration and SoftKeys are available online, 24 hours a day, using a
Visa or MasterCard. They may also be obtained via Purchase Order or
prepaid check. Complete instructions appear on the exit screen whenever
you run FPServer without a valid SoftKey.
The SoftKey registration system gives you the opportunity to thoroughly
evaluate FPServer with zero risk. It also allows you to legally give
copies of FPServer to your associates who might also benefit from its
features and capabilities.
===============================================================================
QRIGHTS.EXE
===============================================================================
FPServer's delete and reprioritize features require it to have "operator"
rights to the print queues it services. Strange as it may seem, NetWare
does not automatically grant operator rights to the print queues which a
print server object is authorized to service. Furthermore, you cannot use
Novell's PCONSOLE to grant such rights - it simply does not present the
option.
QRights (QRIGHTS.EXE), included with FPServer, is a program which grants
print queue operator rights to print server objects. To run QRights, you
must be logged in as Supervisor to the file server on which the print
server and print queue reside. Then type:
QRIGHTS printserver printqueue <enter>
...and the print server object will be granted operator rights. Repeat the
process for each print queue to be serviced by the print server.
===============================================================================
NWSERIAL.EXE
===============================================================================
Also included with FPServer is the program NWSerial (NWSERIAL.EXE).
NWSerial produces a list of the serial numbers for all file servers on your
network. You may redirect NWSerial's output to a file or printer by using
standard DOS redirection flags on the command line (see your DOS manual for
details).
Any logged-in user may run NWSerial. Just type:
NWSERIAL <enter>
...and a list of NetWare serial numbers for all accessible file servers
will be displayed.
For maximum convenience during online registration, redirect NWSerial's
output to a printer with:
NWSERIAL >LPT1 <enter>
...and have the resulting printout handy when you connect to the online
registration system.
===============================================================================
REPLACING OLDER VERSIONS OF FPSERVER
===============================================================================
Most of the configuration commands supported by previous versions of
FPServer - whether in the FPSERVER.CFG file or on the command line - are
still supported and will require no modification. The portQUEUE command is
an exception; please review the changes to this command before running
version 3.2.
The only command which has been deleted is the PRINTSERVER command. Its
functionality has been incorporated into the portQUEUE command, so separate
specification of print server names is no longer required.
The only command which has been altered is the serial port portBAUDRATE
command. In previous versions, serial ports would default to 9600 baud.
This version has no default baud rates - a portBAUDRATE command must be
included for all active serial ports. If you will be using an existing
FPSERVER.CFG file, be sure to insert portBAUDRATE commands for all serial
ports if such commands are not already present.
In addition to these changes, there are many new commands which support the
new features in this release. These are thoroughly covered in
FPSERVER.DOC.