how to move printing off DC to dedicated print server

[mrstrong]

Hi,

 

we have one DC 2012R2 which has the print services role and shared printers deployed via a user GPO

 

I want to move printing to a VM (member server 2016) in the safest way possible.

 

My plan was to add the print service role to the 2016 server, add the existing printers manually, share them out

and deploy via a new GPO to some test users.

 

If all tests ok then apply new GPO to all users and set old GPO to delete the printers shared on the DC.

Then unshare printers on DC and remove print services role.

 

How does that sound ?

 

I seem to remember a thread about exporting printers from "print management" (and import on new server?) but can't find it.

But like I said want to do this in safest way possible so would want to test the any new config first

[TwistedHelixis]

Last time I moved printers to a new server I used the export function. Not at a server now but from memory open Printer manager, right click on your server name and click backup or export.

On new server install print server role, copy backup file from old server to new server, open print server and restore or import file.

 

Then open GPO and change the printer server name for each printer gpo.

 

Something like that

 

EDIT, when you backup or export the printers, it does not stop the original printers from still printing, so a) you can always full back to your old print server if needed. b) remember to disable the printer server service on old print server at some point in the above process.

Edited February 23, 2023 by TwistedHelixis

[jthompson]

Worth considering using a hostname alias on the new server (e.g. "printers"), and using that alias when deploying shared printers ("\\printers\printername"). That way you won't have to redeploy shared printers to users if you migrate the printers again in future.

 

Use netdom computername with the /add parameter.

[mrstrong]

Last time I moved printers to a new server I used the export function. Not at a server now but from memory open Printer manager, right click on your server name and click backup or export.

On new server install print server role, copy backup file from old server to new server, open print server and restore or import file.

 

Then open GPO and change the printer server name for each printer gpo.

 

Something like that

 

EDIT, when you backup or export the printers, it does not stop the original printers from still printing, so a) you can always full back to your old print server if needed. b) remember to disable the printer server service on old print server at some point in the above process.

 

you have a good memory ! it's "export printers to a file"

 

so you think its ok to have two print servers with same printers (which will be the situation after I import the file on new server)?

e.g. as I can see the Port Description is "Standard TCP/IP Port"

and seem to be several for each printer e.g. named

_1

_2

 

note we only have only "Type 3 - User Mode" drivers

 

think these we're added manually by the MFD company's engineer via the old control panel:

Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Devices and Printers

rather than the server's print management tool

[mrstrong]

edit: here is screenshot I see

[TwistedHelixis]

so you think its ok to have two print servers with same printers (which will be the situation after I import the file on new server)?

Yes, provided both old and new server have different IPs and server names.

 

After you import to the new server the GPO will still be sending everyone's printing to the old server, you can keep this in place until you are happy its printing from the new server for you.

 

Screen shot looks like the correct option. Exporting the printers to a file will not change any other settings, it is like doing a backup.

 

Importing that file onto your new printer server, should not cause any big issues, as the users are still getting the old GPO that sends their print jobs via the old server.

 

One issue you might have going forward, is that MS have changed how printer are deployed to users, so when it comes to setting up a new GPO that points to the new printer it might not deploy without some additional steps.

[TwistedHelixis]

Alternatively, you can just install the new drivers on the new print server. I have done this lots of times over the years and it keeps everything nice and clean / up to date.

 

If you are not sure, then probably go this way.

[ICT-Joe]

We recently moved our Papercut server from an old 2008 VM to Server 2022 and used the following link to help with migrating the printer queues and drivers:

 

How to Migrate Print Server from One Server to new Print Server (cloudinfrastructureservices.co.uk)

 

I know it's a different situation but in the end, we renamed our new server to the old name (after renaming the old server) so it wouldn't break GPOs.

[mrstrong]

thanks all,

 

I was just concerned that having two print servers with printers using the same "ports"

e.g. might cause issues but thinking about it I guess thats how TCP/IP works!

ie it can handle multiple clients connecting to on port 9100

 

I noticed we had a lot of ports that didn't seem to be used like _1 _2 _3

etc so I thought I'd tidy up by deleting them. This seemed to cause the printers to disappear from the control panel:

Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Devices and Printers

 

Caused a minor panic last night but luckily they are still showing under the print management tool / snap in and everything still seems to be working