...
nice
Take from this what you like, to your IT support (whom I pray is _not_ MCSA, or MCSE, as they *should* know better).
Distributing print devices is SO MUCH less work, and more consistent for user, when done using Group Policy.
In Server 2012 R2, simply go to the server with Print Services Role installed, Server Manager, Tools menu, Print Management. In the Print Management dialog, simply go to Print Servers node, <YourPrintServer> node, right click Printers to 'Add' a Printer. Once added, right click the Printer, and select 'Deploy with Group Policy' item.
From here, simply specify the appropriate GPO (Group Policy Object), in order to distribute to the appropriate AD (Active Directory) User Accounts, *or* as much as all Computers in your domain, and IT can then 'push' a GP Update across the entire domain in one go (or users can log out/in/restart [depending on the GPO assigned])... Total process takes +/- 5-10 minutes.
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731292.aspx
Cheers
Yer, I hear what you are saying - I advocated for a print server when the company I work for finally decided a server was something important to their business model. Only when the laptop containing all of the finances, payroll and purchase orders crapped out did they think a server to contain and back up all of this stuff was a good idea. I've been here 3 years and the server was only built just before christmas.
I believe the company who manage our server have installed the latest server thing from windows - apparently this no longer contains all of that really useful stuff like MS Exchange server (we currently use Gmail synced to outlook
) and the print server software. The IT guy said all of this stuff you now have to pay extra for.
As far as I can see the bosses here think they've spent enough money on IT already and are not willing to spend any more, not understanding the benefits some of these things will offer.
I'll run what you said by the IT guys next time I see them, though.
It's funny when I consider that we are an electrical subcontractor who mainly deal with office fitouts, so... lighting, sockets, data, ups, server rooms, you know, all that jazz.
I'd like to say I'm optimistic about further change. But I'm so not.