Linux print server

[coax]

I am trying to reduce my company's Micro$oft foot print, server CALS getting too expensive, In some of our branch offices I want to replace the Windows DCs and use Linux servers for DNS , DHCP and printing. Is cups as convenient for users as a Windows print server would be? The agents own their own computers and we plan to keep them in workgroup mode and only have staff machines as domain members, we will still have two Windows 2003 DCs for the 45 or so company computers but we will reduce our CAL costs from about 400 CALS to about 45.

 

[RavenD]

Works pretty well in my experience, and it can be managed from webgui.
I have had issues with printing to/adding XP drivers for an HP Officejet 5600, but from what I learned googling, they were tied to the way HP packaged their drivers, and not cupsys, as quite a few people were having the same problems as me running windows only.

 

[Carlosinfl]

CUPS is amazing. I use CUPS as a print server on my LAN and have all Windows XP SP2 users map this print server with no issues.

 

[Eva_Unit_0]

yeah I've always had good experiences with cups. The webgui is very nice for managing print jobs over a large network.

 

[capt.monkey]

Cups is a good replacement for an MS print server, just be careful that you have the ppd files for your printer otherwise some things may not work properly

 

[Azhar]

"Try before you buy" ESPECIALLY in a production environment!

Don't just remove Microsoft products for Linux because Microsoft is too expensive. Linux might turn out to be equally expensive in lost production time if you mess up. Asking us [H] users is great, but try it on an unused computer first before you go and wipe Microsoft servers off your machines.