Enterprise Printer Deployment

[timmw]

I am new to JAMF and until now we were a 100% Windows environment. We are starting to issue Macs to users managed by JAMF and need to deploy about a total of 300 printers in about 60 offices nationwide. They are all different makes and models. All of them are currently shared through Windows print servers. What would be our best option? Thanks in advance.

[bentoms]

@timmw Best? Some follow-me printing system then you might need only 1 queue to be deployed.

2nd best, deploy the printers software & then install the printers via a script you can use as a template with variables for use in jamf policies.

[nomeelnoj]

@timmw I agree with @bentoms , I think the best route for this would be using something like ibeacons to automatically deploy the printers to the users who need them based on location, rather than try to make all 300 available to everyone, that would just get messy

[donmontalvo]

http://www.papercut.com/

[rob_hernandez]

If you plan to leverage JAMF then you have some work to do identifying drivers and developing a script to do the heavy lifting. Everything you plan to automate will revolve around the lpadmin terminal command which is used to map printers. Have a look through the thread below then continue searching the forums for tidbits that are specific to your environment.

https://www.jamf.com/jamf-nation/discussions/23759/secure-printing-and-username-in-url

[a_holley]

Not sure if this is the 'best' way, but this is what we do.

We have about 100 printers in 60 offices around the state. We have a policy for each building, which installs the printer queue (and drivers if it's a new model). The trigger is set to network state change. This means that when we ship an iMac to a site, or a person walks in with a laptop, they automatically get the printer installed.

Like I said, not the prettiest solution, and it may not work for your environment, but for us (an NFP with few resources) it works quite well.

[mrben]

What is your strategy for the Windows machines? As @donmontalvo mentioned, you should look at your overall strategy for printing at the company and given the scale you're at, it makes sense to roll out pull-printing.

[Look]

Once you go beyond a certain number of devices it really helps to try and go single vendor as well. Most macOS printer drivers are a single package for all models from a specific vendor so it makes driver installation way easier.
It's also good to create and enforce a nice logical naming convention if your planning on scripting anything, if you do this you can use the Windows / AD printer directory as an easy method for locating the printers using a script.