Server-less Print Release via Active Directory
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional print release environments rely on centralized print servers, which can lead to single points of failure, high network traffic bottlenecks, and increased costs, making it difficult for organizations to track and enforce printing policies, especially in open computing concepts and smaller setups without the infrastructure for servers.
Innovation Solution
A server-less print release environment utilizing client computing devices and imaging devices connected through an active directory, where imaging jobs are stored locally on clients and retrieved upon user authentication, minimizing the need for centralized servers and enhancing security through encryption and authentication methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If centralized print servers are used to hold and manage print jobs, then policy enforcement and user tracking are improved, but system reliability deteriorates due to single point of failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the print job storage function from centralized servers and relocates it to individual client computers. Each client maintains a local spooler that stores print jobs locally, eliminating the single point of failure while preserving policy enforcement capabilities through the active directory's user profile tracking mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having a single centralized copy of print jobs on a server, the system creates multiple copies distributed across different client computers. Each user's print jobs are stored locally on their respective clients, allowing the system to tolerate failures of individual clients while maintaining overall system functionality.
2Productivity
If print servers cache multiple user jobs at the same location, then centralized control is improved, but network traffic increases causing bottlenecks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts print job caching from the centralized server and distributes it to individual client computers. Each client maintains its own local spooler that caches jobs for its users, eliminating the need for servers to handle all job data and significantly reducing network traffic between clients and imaging devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the print job storage function across multiple distributed locations (individual client computers) rather than concentrating it at a single server. This segmentation allows each client to independently manage its own print jobs locally, reducing the network burden on centralized infrastructure.
3Reliability
If print servers are deployed to enforce printing policies, then policy control is improved, but costs increase due to hardware and maintenance requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the policy enforcement function from dedicated print servers and integrates it into existing client computers and imaging devices. The active directory stores user profile information locally on clients, and imaging devices enforce policies directly when users claim jobs, eliminating the need for expensive centralized policy enforcement hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service policy enforcement where imaging devices autonomously verify user credentials and enforce printing policies based on data stored in the active directory. Users can claim their jobs at any imaging device without requiring centralized server intervention, reducing infrastructure costs while maintaining control.
Data Source
AI summary
A print release environment includes a client computing device, an imaging device and an active directory. The client stores an imaging job on a local hard disk. The client registers itself with the active directory indicating an existence of the job. Upon a user logging in to the imaging device to retrieve an imaged media corresponding to the imaging job, the imaging device queries the active directory for possible clients. The imaging device contacts client(s) and retrieves a list of jobs available to the user. The user selects their job and the client releases it direct to the imaging device. The client deletes the imaging job upon successful imaging of the media and undoes its registration with the active directory, unless further imaging jobs exist for the user. Encryption techniques are contemplated to secure the data of the imaging job end-to-end from the client to the imaging device.