Print queue management is essential in gaining the most from your network print environment. A queue normally acts simply as a waypoint for print jobs en route to the printer; however, with the use of print server software solutions, operations can be performed on the jobs while in the queue, allowing the jobs to be manipulated in a number of ways before being sent to a printer or to a folder.

The most flexible type of queuing system involves print server software (for example, Brooks Internet Software’s RPM Remote Print Manager® solution). With the use of such software, various print queues can be configured, each with its own set of formatting options. Jobs can be sent to specific queues depending on the desired output format.

Managing Print Jobs in Queues

Print Queues can also be set up to pass print data through untouched to the local or network printer. This type of queue behaves as if the printer were attached locally to the mainframe. Translations can also be performed in this type of queue; for example, EBCDIC can be converted to ASCII or line feeds (LF) can be converted to carriage returns (CR) and line feeds (LF to CR/LF) when printing from UNIX.

One of the more powerful options available with software print servers is the ability to customize processing of print jobs, often by incorporating third-party software in the process. After the print file is saved to disk, other applications are called to perform operations on the data.