Printer Server requirements: I'm slightly confused...

[Snookered]

We have new MFD's coming in to our school the week before Christmas (great timing). Our current machines are on a Server 2003 print server which I was hoping to get rid off.

We have a decent Server 2012 system with a number of virtual servers running on it and I was expecting the Sharp engineer who is setting the equipment up to create a virtual print server on this (I was told this was not a problem back in the summer when we decided to go with Sharp)

Today though after asking if this was still the case the reply has confused me somewhat: "With regards to migrating to another server, unfortunately the engineers are unable to offer any help. This is basically down to insurance and lack of cover thereof"

 

Is this a big job? What are they worried about?

 

Cheers

[dry]

Can't you just create a 2012 VM for them to install the MFDs on? I imagine they've interpreted your request as moving entire existing print server over to new VM.

 

When we had our MFDs installed I asked for the MAC addresses ahead of time, added reservations in DHCP for the MFDs and installed them myself on our print server. That way all the company had to do was come in, plug them in and away they go.

[Davit2005]

We had similar with our Canon managed print solution setup.

 

They set up all the MFD's but showed us how to set up the non-managed printers in the software so we could do basic accounting. Mind you we did have about 200 network printers at the time.

[Michael]

If you were migrating your existing printers from 2003 Server to 2012 Server, this can be more involved, depending on a number of factors.

 

If the old printers are connecting to 2003 Server (which are being replaced) and your new printers are to be setup/installed on 2012, I don't see what the issue is.

[Snookered]

I have replied to the area manager as I did wonder if I over complicated my question.

My aim is to remove the 2003 server along with the current MFD's (four of them, their lease is up).

I'll have a look at at what "dry" says, my brain however tells me it's not as easy as it sounds and I'll chat to the guys at Sharp to give them a clearer picture.

I appreciate the replies, Cheers!