Determining how many printer definitions to create

You can create:

• One printer definition to represent each actual printer or email destination.
• One printer definition to represent several actual printers or email destinations.
• Several printer definitions to represent one actual printer or email destination.

One printer definition for one actual printer

This is the most common configuration for all types of printer definitions. In this configuration, you create one printer definition for each print queue or printer and for each email destination. This configuration lets job submitters direct output to a specific printer or email destination.

Note that you can use the same printer definition to process different types of data. For example, you can use the same printer definition for printing data submitted by VTAM® applications, data submitted by workstation applications, and data submitted from TSO.

Each printer definition can be associated with only one NetSpool printer LU name. Therefore, if your installation needs to print on the same actual printer using different printer LU names, you need to create more than one printer definition for the same printer.

To work in this configuration, the JES work-selection criteria for each PSF functional subsystem application (FSA) must be unique. For example, one FSA could be defined to JES with work-selection criterion of destination BLDG5, while the other printer FSA could be defined with work-selection criterion of destination BLDG6. For information about specifying JES work-selection criteria, see z/OS JES2 Initialization and Tuning Guide or z/OS JES3 Initialization and Tuning Guide.

One printer definition for several actual printers

If you want to minimize the number of printer definitions you create in the Printer Inventory, you can create one printer definition for several actual printers or email destinations in these situations:

• If job submitters can specify the address of an IP PrintWay™ printer or the addresses of email recipients on either the OUTPUT JCL statement or in Infoprint Server job attributes, you can create one printer definition for all printers or email destinations that share the same characteristics. This is because job submitters can print to one printer definition, but direct the output data set to a specific printer or email address by using a JCL parameter or job attribute. For more information, see Selecting the LPR protocol, Selecting the direct sockets protocol, and Selecting the email protocol.
• If job submitters use the Print Interface subsystem to submit print requests to PSF printers, you can create one printer definition for printers that share the same characteristics. This is because job submitters can print to one printer definition, but direct the output data set to a specific PSF printer by specifying that printer's work-selection criteria (for example, the printer's CLASS and DEST values) on the OUTPUT JCL statement. For more information, see Using the Print Interface subsystem.
• If your installation has several PSF or JES printers that share the same JES work-selection criteria, you need to create only one printer definition for all the printers. For example, if there are several similar PSF printers in building 5, you could specify the same JES work-selection criterion (for example, destination BLDG5) in the JES FSA definitions for all printers in building 5. This lets JES balance the workload among the printers in building 5. Job submitters can submit all output data sets to the same printer definition and let JES direct the output data set to the printer that becomes available first.

  For information about how to specify JES work-selection criteria, see z/OS JES2 Initialization and Tuning Guide or z/OS JES3 Initialization and Tuning Guide.

Guideline: Create at least one printer definition for each printer so that all job submission methods can be used to print on a printer, including those job submission methods that do not permit the specification of the JES output class, destination name, or IP address. For example, the lp command does not let you specify the JES output class or destination name. And, when the IP PrintWay basic mode resubmit for filtering option is used, the printer's IP address cannot be specified on the OUTPUT JCL statement.

Several printer definitions for one actual printer

You might need to create more than one printer definition for the same actual printer or print queue in these situations:

• To print documents with different requirements on the same actual printer or print queue. For example, to print documents on a PSF printer with different overlays. You would create two printer definitions for the actual printer. In one printer definition, specify the name of one overlay. In the other printer definition, specify the name of the other overlay.

  As an alternative, job submitters who use the lp command or an OUTPUT JCL statement can specify the name of the overlay during job submission. However, not all job-submission methods allow specification of job attributes such as an overlay name.

• To print VTAM application data on the same actual printer with different requirements. For example, to print on the same printer with different NetSpool end-of-file rules, you would create two printer definitions with two different NetSpool printer LU names.
• To print ASCII or formatted data (such as PCL data) and EBCDIC data to the same IP PrintWay print queue from the local z/OS system using an OUTPUT JCL statement to submit the print job. For information, see Printing data without formatting (basic mode).