The key points about Virtual Printer Technology (VPT) are increased reliability and flexibility, multiple protocol management, printer resource accounting and management, and implementation by supplemental device drivers and no host software modification.
Personal printer flexibility
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The printer will automatically configure itself to the configuration requirements of individual users or work groups sharing the printer. It will also save and restore any down loaded fonts, forms, macros, etc. for individual users or work groups.
Multiple concurrent protocols
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VPT will concurrently support multiple network protocols allowing seamless communications with major network operating systems in a heterogeneous enterprise network environment.
Host software
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VPT does not require replacement of any network operating system software. This means no custom code is required for Novell or VMS operating systems. You are not locked into proprietary software from your printer vendor.
Device driver assistance
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VPT provides a means of supplementing device drivers by automatically enabling selected printer capabilities without modifying the device driver. This is particularly important to operating systems with applications specific device drivers such as MS-DOS, UNIX and VMS.
Increased reliability
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VPT can reduce the likelihood of printer hangs by having the imaging controller automatically determine if it has reached an abnormal state and instructing the network interface to discard the current print job and go on to the next.
Resource accounting
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Many installations require printer resource accounting for charge back purposes or to measure printer utilization. VPT can count the total of bytes, page images, and physical pages for each virtual printer.
Remote Console Facility (RCF)
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VPT equipped printers can be managed and configured over the network. Network Administrators can check the status of and configure individual virtual printers and all network configuration parameters for the printer. Printer resource accounting information is also available through the RCF.
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) compliance
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VPT is SNMP compliant, initially with Management Information Block(MIB)╩II, Character MIB, and RS-232 MIB. Future plans call for proprietary MIBs for full printer management through SNMP management stations.