The current UNIX Distributed Printing system will undergo a major facelift in the next fiscal year. CIS is in the early stages of converting to a service based on the Common UNIX Printing System (CUPS). This Linux-based approach will be implemented over the course of the next year on a division-by-division basis.

There are a number of advantages to the new approach, which will allow UNIX users to take full advantage of their printers:

1. Standard lpr can be used to print PDF files using CUPS. This can't be done with the current system. While installation of a new CUPS client will provide users with a list of printers that are available (along with other benefits), it is not required.
   
2. Star Office users will be able to print documents using CUPS. This cannot be done with the current system.
   
3. Certain kinds of complex postscript files that could not be printed using the current system can be printed with CUPS.
   
4. Users will be provided with optional client-side software, which will allow them to locate any printer in the system, and will provide them with filters for a number of different criteria (building, printer model, etc.).
   
5. Jobs appear to print much faster through CUPS than through the current DP system.
   
6. System administrators for locally run UNIX printing environments who join us will no longer have to maintain local spool directories and printer configuration files (since printers added to the CUPS system will automatically be available to clients who use the CUPS software, therefore much less administrative effort will be needed).

This effort will eliminate the use of AppleTalk as the protocol used to send jobs to network-attached printers (the current system is based on the use of Columbia AppleTalk Protocol which takes print jobs and communicates with over 350 printers). CUPS will be a TCP/IP-based system with some significant user interface enhancements. Unfortunately, CIS does not have an alternative for users with printers that only communicate in AppleTalk.

Current Status
At the present time, CIS is working with the Earth Sciences and Information Technologies and Services divisions in a Beta test of the product and early results have been promising. CUPS will also make it possible for the Help Desk to assist users during the transition to the new system and make the CUPS client available to users.

Impact on recharge costs
One of the likely changes will be to the recharge system. Currently, each printer on DP costs the user $20/month and each host that is allowed to print costs users $5/month. In the future, we will eliminate the charges for the host and recover our costs by charging a little bit more for each printer. The cost per printer should be less than $30/month. This charge will pay for the infrastructure support of the servers and CUPS application, and still make the service an attractive and cost-effective alternative for the Linux/UNIX community at the Lab.