backup a print server?

[Red Squirrel]

What is the best way to backup a windows 2003 print server? Like, all the print queues, ports, drivers, etc. At my new job my question about how it gets backed up was basically answered as "we have an image somewhere". I'm sure there must be a better solution. From my understanding all that is in the registry and some files for drivers.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
What is the best way to backup a windows 2003 print server? Like, all the print queues, ports, drivers, etc. At my new job my question about how it gets backed up was basically answered as "we have an image somewhere". I'm sure there must be a better solution. From my understanding all that is in the registry and some files for drivers.

Why is an image not an appropriate solution?

 

[tomt4535]

Printmig.exe

http://www.microsoft.com/windo.../printmigrator3.1.mspx

I wrote a script that runs as a scheduled task that runs this tool every month. I dont change print queues that often, so I figure thats good enough. It saves it to a cab file on the hard drive, then our regular backup software grabs that and it gets sent off site etc. Works awesome. I actually used it to restore all of my print queues when we upgraded our print server to a new box and again when we retired that box and moved it to VMware.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Originally posted by: bsobel

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
What is the best way to backup a windows 2003 print server? Like, all the print queues, ports, drivers, etc. At my new job my question about how it gets backed up was basically answered as "we have an image somewhere". I'm sure there must be a better solution. From my understanding all that is in the registry and some files for drivers.

Why is an image not an appropriate solution?

It's great to have an image, but a nightly solution to backup changes would probably be a good idea too imo. In event of total disaster you restore the image + the backups, or in event of small disaster you can just restore the backup.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Originally posted by: tomt4535
Printmig.exe

http://www.microsoft.com/windo.../printmigrator3.1.mspx

I wrote a script that runs as a scheduled task that runs this tool every month. I dont change print queues that often, so I figure thats good enough. It saves it to a cab file on the hard drive, then our regular backup software grabs that and it gets sent off site etc. Works awesome. I actually used it to restore all of my print queues when we upgraded our print server to a new box and again when we retired that box and moved it to VMware.

Cool I'll have to check that out and consider proposing it to the other techs.

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel

Originally posted by: tomt4535
Printmig.exe

http://www.microsoft.com/windo.../printmigrator3.1.mspx

I wrote a script that runs as a scheduled task that runs this tool every month. I dont change print queues that often, so I figure thats good enough. It saves it to a cab file on the hard drive, then our regular backup software grabs that and it gets sent off site etc. Works awesome. I actually used it to restore all of my print queues when we upgraded our print server to a new box and again when we retired that box and moved it to VMware.

Cool I'll have to check that out and consider proposing it to the other techs.

Print Migrator is a cool utility, but it's long out-of-date and does not support all of the newest printer drivers.

http://blogs.technet.com/askpe...ig-3-1-is-retired.aspx