Abstract:
A method disclosed. The method includes attempting to communicate with a printer in a network via a first network communications protocol, determining if the communication with the printer is successful via the first network communications protocol and automatically communicating with the printer via a second network communications protocol if communication via the first network communications protocol the printer is unsuccessful.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to the field of printing systems, and in particular, to network management for printing systems. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Printers are common peripheral devices attached to computers. A printer allows a computer user to make a hard copy of documents that are created in a variety of applications and programs on a computer. To function properly, a channel of communication is established (e.g., via a network connection) between the printer and the computer to enable the printer to receive commands and information from the host computer. 
         [0003]    Currently, printers are included in networking infrastructures that are managed remotely from one or more interconnecting devices (e.g., a server), often at a central location. It is not unusual for large organization to manage in excess of one thousand printers in a networking infrastructure. In many instances, these networking infrastructures are managed using a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) network management protocol. 
         [0004]    The SNMP network management protocol has evolved from its original configuration. In particular, SNMP now has several versions available (e.g., v1, v2, and v3), with more versions expected to follow. Each version may include differences in operation, as well as in a set of parameters that may be selected by an administrator. For example, SNMP v1 and v2 protocols employ community strings for authentication, whereas, SNMP v3 employs a user identifier (e.g., user_id) for authentication and further enables the administrator to specify encryption of data. 
         [0005]    Current networking infrastructures implement SNMP v3 to configure a print server to communicate with printers in the network. Typically such configurations are performed in mass, with most of the printers in the network being configured at the same time. However with a large magnitude of printers in a networking infrastructure, many of the printers may not support SNMP v3. Thus, a network administrator would find it necessary to ascertain which printers do support SNMP v3 in order to properly configure the print server to operate properly with each printer in the network. Those printers that do not support SNMP v3 would subsequently have to be configured separately via a less complex protocol (e.g., SNMP v1 or v2). 
         [0006]    Accordingly, a mechanism to automatically configure a print server using a fallback network management protocol is desired. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    In one embodiment a method is disclosed. The method includes attempting to communicate with a printer in a network via a first network communications protocol, determining if the communication with the printer is successful via the first network communications protocol and automatically communicating with the printer via a second network communications protocol if communication via the first network communications protocol the printer is unsuccessful. 
         [0008]    In another embodiment, a printer server is disclosed. The server includes a communication module configured to communicate with one or more printers in a network via a first network communications protocol and to automatically communicate with a first of the one or more printers via a second network communications protocol upon detecting a failure to communicate with the first printer via the first network communications protocol. 
         [0009]    In yet another embodiment, a network is disclosed. The network includes a first printer configured to communicate via a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) version 3 protocol and a SNMP version 1 protocol, a second printer configured to communicate via the SNMP version 1 protocol and a printer server. The server includes a communication module configured to establish communication via the SNMP version 3 protocol and to automatically establish communication via the SNMP version 1 protocol upon detecting a failure to communicate via the SNMP version 3 protocol. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    A better understanding of the present invention can be obtained from the following detailed description in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a data processing system network; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates one embodiment of a server communicatively coupled to printers in a network; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment for a print server configuration process; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  illustrates one embodiment of a computer system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    An automatic fallback printer configuration mechanism is described. In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without some of these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring the underlying principles of the present invention. 
         [0016]    Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a data processing system network  100 . Network  100  includes a data processing system  102 , which may be either a desktop or a mobile data processing system, coupled via communications link  104  to network  106 . In one embodiment, data processing system  102  is a conventional data processing system including a processor, local memory, nonvolatile storage, and input/output devices such as a keyboard, mouse, trackball, and the like, all in accordance with the known art. In one embodiment, data processing system  102  includes and employs the Windows operating system, or other operating system, and/or network drivers permitting data processing system  102  to communicate with network  106  for the purposes of employing resources within network  106 . 
         [0018]    Network  106  may be a local area network (LAN) or any other network over which print requests may be submitted to a remote printer or print server. Communications link  104  may be in the form of a network adapter, docking station, or the like, and supports communications between data processing system  102  and network  106  employing a network communications protocol such as Ethernet, the AS/400 Network, or the like. 
         [0019]    According to one embodiment, network  106  includes a print server  108  that serves print requests over network  106  received via communications link  110  between print server  108  and network  106 . Print server  108  subsequently transmits the print requests via communications link  110  to one of printers  109  for printing, which are coupled to network  106  via communications links  111 . 
         [0020]    Although described as separate entities, other embodiments may include print server  108  being incorporated in one or more of the printers  109 . However in other embodiments, the print server and printer may be physically separate entities. Therefore, the data processing system network  100  depicted in  FIG. 1  is selected for the purposes of explaining and illustrating the present invention and is not intended to imply architectural limitations. Those skilled in the art will recognize that various additional components may be utilized in conjunction with the present invention. 
         [0021]    According to one embodiment, print server  108  implements a printing software product that manages the printing of documents from data processing system  102  and one or more of printers  109 . In other embodiments, the printing software product manages printing of documents from multiple data processing systems  102  to the one or more printers  109 . 
         [0022]    In a further embodiment, the printing software product may be implemented using either InfoPrint Manager (IPM) or InfoPrint ProcessDirector (IPPD), although other types of printing software may be used instead. In yet a further embodiment, the print application at data processing system  102  interacts with the printing software product to provide for efficient transmission of print jobs. 
         [0023]    In one embodiment, the printing software product communicates with printers  109  via a SNMP network management protocol.  FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of server  108  communicatively coupled to printers  109 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , server  108  includes a communication module  210  that enables the printing software product to configure printers  109 . According to one embodiment, printers  109  are enabled to communicate using both SNMPv1 and SNMPv3. As discussed above, the SNMPv3 protocol offers user authentication and data encryption across network, while the SNMPv1 protocol provides less security. 
         [0024]    In a further embodiment, communication module  210  attempts to communicate with printers  109 , on the more secure protocol (e.g., SNMP v3). However, if the communication fails, communication module  210  will automatically attempt communication on the less secure protocol (e.g., SNMP v1). The SNMP v3 communication may fail, for example, if a printer  109  does not support the protocol. Further, the SNMP v3 communication may fail because a user of the printing software product may set the SNMP v3 with an incorrect authentication credential. 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a process for a printing software product at server  108  establishing communication via communication module  210  to communicate with printers  109 . At processing block  310 , communication module  210  attempts to communicate with a printer via a complex protocol (e.g., SNMP v3). At decision block  320 , it is determined whether the communication is successful. 
         [0026]    If the communication is successful, the printing software product communicates with the printer using the complex protocol, processing block  330 . At processing block  340 , it is determined whether there is another printer in the network in which server  108  is to communicate. If so, control is returned to processing block  310  where communication module  210  attempts to communicate with the next printer via the complex protocol. Otherwise, the communication process has been completed. 
         [0027]    If at decision block  320  it is determined that the communication with the initial printer has failed, a message is forwarded to communication module  210  indicating the failed connection. In one embodiment, the message may indicate the reason for the failed connection (e.g., printer does not support the protocol or incorrect authentication credential received), processing block  350 . At processing block  360 , communication module  210  automatically switches the print server to communicate via a less complex protocol (e.g., SNMP v1). Control is then forwarded to processing block  340  where it is determined whether there is another printer in the network for which the print server is to communicate. 
         [0028]      FIG. 4  illustrates a computer system  400  on which data processing system  102  and/or server  108  may be implemented. Computer system  400  includes a system bus  420  for communicating information, and a processor  410  coupled to bus  420  for processing information. 
         [0029]    Computer system  400  further comprises a random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device  425  (referred to herein as main memory), coupled to bus  420  for storing information and instructions to be executed by processor  410 . Main memory  325  also may be used for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of instructions by processor  410 . Computer system  400  also may include a read only memory (ROM) and or other static storage device  426  coupled to bus  420  for storing static information and instructions used by processor  410 . 
         [0030]    A data storage device  425  such as a magnetic disk or optical disc and its corresponding drive may also be coupled to computer system  400  for storing information and instructions. Computer system  400  can also be coupled to a second I/O bus  450  via an I/O interface  430 . A plurality of I/O devices may be coupled to I/O bus  450 , including a display device  424 , an input device (e.g., an alphanumeric input device  423  and or a cursor control device  422 ). The communication device  421  is for accessing other computers (servers or clients). The communication device  421  may comprise a modem, a network interface card, or other well-known interface device, such as those used for coupling to Ethernet, token ring, or other types of networks. 
         [0031]    The above described mechanism prevent communication failures between a server and network printers by automatically establishing communication using a less complex protocol upon detecting a communication failure between the server and a printer using a complex protocol. 
         [0032]    Embodiments of the invention may include various steps as set forth above. The steps may be embodied in machine-executable instructions. The instructions can be used to cause a general-purpose or special-purpose processor to perform certain steps. Alternatively, these steps may be performed by specific hardware components that contain hardwired logic for performing the steps, or by any combination of programmed computer components and custom hardware components. 
         [0033]    Elements of the present invention may also be provided as a machine-readable medium for storing the machine-executable instructions. The machine-readable medium may include, but is not limited to, floppy diskettes, optical disks, CD-ROMs, and magneto-optical disks, ROMs, RAMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, propagation media or other type of media/machine-readable medium suitable for storing electronic instructions. For example, the present invention may be downloaded as a computer program which may be transferred from a remote computer (e.g., a server) to a requesting computer (e.g., a client) by way of data signals embodied in a carrier wave or other propagation medium via a communication link (e.g., a modem or network connection). 
         [0034]    Whereas many alterations and modifications of the present invention will no doubt become apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art after having read the foregoing description, it is to be understood that any particular embodiment shown and described by way of illustration is in no way intended to be considered limiting. Therefore, references to details of various embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claims, which in themselves recite only those features regarded as essential to the invention.