Patent ID: 8559033

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving a print job from a user through a workstation, said print job identifying an initial printer from amongst a plurality of available printers; after said receiving of said print job identifying said initial printer, ranking abilities of said available printers to process said print job so as to identify a best printer for completing said print job from said user, said ranking being based on a plurality of printer characteristics associated with each of said available printers, said printer characteristics comprising at least printing cost and printer capability and said ranking further being based on rights of said user to each of said available printers and a print policy restricting at least one of said available printers to any of one of the following: performing only a certain type of printing process and operating only during a certain period of time; determining whether said initial printer as identified in said print job is said best printer according to said ranking; when said initial printer is said best printer, allowing said initial printer to process said print job; and when said initial printer and said best printer are different printers, outputting, to said user through said workstation, a question regarding whether said print job should be immediately redirected to one of said best printer and another alternate printer, information regarding said printer characteristics used, during said ranking, to identify said best printer, and a list of a plurality of alternate printers ranked according to said ranking from said best printer to a worst printer.