Sharing a network printer, which method is preferable?

Question

Computer networks

There are two options, register it locally on the computer, that is, create a port like IP_192.168.1.101, and install the drivers on the user's computer, or share it using the wshNetwork.AddWindowsPrinterConnection "\\PrintServer\HrLaser" type option.

Initial environment: win2008-domain, group policies, print server as part of a cluster.

Answer 1

It all depends on which machine will manage the print queue, in the first option - the machine on which the port was created, in the second, the PrintServer machine (i.e. the printer itself). I'm not sure that in the first option, the printer will be available to several users at the same time, and in the second - as many as you like.

Answer 2

Because the domain is already 2008 (I hope that this is not a server, but the forest / domain level) - I will suggest using Group Policy Preferences for this in general. In group policies, in the "User - Settings" branch, right in the GUI, you can very conveniently add printers of all stripes. The only caveat is that XP|Vista-NoSP|2003 clients will need to install Group Policy Preferences Client Extensions (GPP CSE). Although, in general, on the infrastructure of the 2003 level, option No. 2 worked fine, with a vbs script. Especially since you have a print server and everything is enterprise-like.