Glossary

accepting

The state of a printer queue when it allows the submission of new print jobs.

If a queue is in the accepting state, the user will be able to use the lp or lpr command to submit print requests.

AIX

IBM's version of the UNIX operating system.

alias

A part of the BSD printer subsystem, aliases let you create mulitiple names for the same printer queue.

Automatic Printer Language

A printer language option for printers that support both PostScript and PCL printer languages. This option gives users the ability to print PostScript, PCL, and ASCII text files to the same printer queue.

baud rate

The transmission speed of the serial communication. The sending device speed must match the receiving port speed.

BPP device

A designation for Sun's bidirectional parallel port.

Note: This type of destination usually has a device name that looks like /dev/bppxx, replacing xx with the appropriate device number.

community name

See SNMP community name.

disabled

The state of a printer queue when print jobs are held in the printer queue.

DNS

See Domain Name System.

Domain Name System (DNS)

Resolves IP addresses to hostnames.

enabled

The state of a printer queue when print jobs are sent from the printer queue to the printer.

external print server

Hardware used to connect printers to a LAN using either a Token-Ring or Ethernet cable.

The external print server allows network connectivity of a parallel or serial printer.

firmware

Software that resides in the print server; also called microcode.

firmware level

The version of the firmware.

gateway

The connection device between the LAN and other equipment, such as computers.

hostname

Name used to identify a network printer or computer.

internal print server

A card installed inside a printer to connect the printer to the network.

Internet Protocol (IP)

A standard protocol that specifies how packets are passed through networks. It identifies the format of the packet and describes how it should be delivered in a seamless manner. Although it is a separate protocol from TCP, it is often referred to as TCP/IP because both TCP and IP protocols are often used together.

IP Address

The unique physical address of the printer on a network using TCP/IP protocol.

LAN

See local area network.

LAN segment

Any portion of a LAN that operates independently of, but is connected to, the network by bridges or routers.

lines per inch

A function of the driver that lets the user specify the number of lines that will be printed on one inch of the paper. This number works with the lines per page setting to specify how much of the paper will be covered with text.

lines per page

A function of the driver that lets the user specify the number of lines that will print on a page. This number works with the lines per inch setting to increase or decrease the font.

Local Area Network (LAN)

A computer network located on a user's premises within a limited geographical area.

lsqueue_opts

A command line program that lists printer queue property options that are required when printing with command line options.

mkdevice

A command line program that creates a virtual device.

mkqueue

A command line program that creates a printer queue.

My Printers

A subgroup of printers set aside by a user to simplify printing options.

name server

A DNS server that resolves hostnames to addresses.

netmask

A bit mask that specifies the local network portion of an IP address, letting you logically subdivide a network.

network address

The logical location on the LAN where a device such as a printer is located, typically 12 characters long.

Network File System (NFS)

A UNIX networking system that lets administrators export or share file systems for other workstations on the network to mount.

Network Information System (NIS)

A UNIX service that lets administrators configure users, groups, hostnames, and other network information for a group of systems, rather than on each individual system.

network print server

The print server card installed in the printer.

network printer

A printer with either an internal print server or an external print server connecting it to the LAN.

NFS

See Network File System.

NIS

See Network Information System (NIS).

NIS tables

Configuration tables. See Network Information System (NIS).

Packet Internet Groper (PING)

Software that tests whether an IP destination can be reached by sending it an ICMP echo request and waiting for a reply.

parity

A type of error detection method used in serial communications; choices are Even, Odd, None, or Ignore. The sending device must match the receiving port.

PING

See Packet Internet Groper.

pkgadd

The System V software package add utility.

pkginfo

The System V software package list utility.

pkgrm

The System V software package removal utility.

port

The physical connnection on the computer or external print server into which the printer cable connects.

Print and Hold

A function of the driver that lets you store a job in the buffer of the printer and print from the operator panel.

print file

A method of selecting a specific file from within the IBM Print Drivers program to print.

Print Queue Name

The name given by the administrator to the printer queue when it is created. It is used by the lp, lpr, and lexlp commands to direct print jobs.

print server

Hardware or software (or a combination of hardware and software, such as network print servers) that takes information from a printer queue and sends it to a printer. See internal print server and external print server.

print server's Web page

A page stored on the print server that contains information about that server.

print test page

A page that is printed from within IBM Print Drivers to test the communication between the driver and the printer.

printer class

A pool of printers containing similar characteristics and capabilities. When the first printer is busy, the job is then submitted to the next available printer.

printer queue

A "staging area" used to store print jobs, to be fed to a predefined printer or pool of printers.

The place in the server where print jobs are stored for printing.

Printer Type

The model name of the printer connected to that virtual device.

printq group

An AIX group authority. Members typically have authority to perform functions such as setting up printers, making printer queues, and deleting printers.

process_printcmd

A command line program that generates command-line arguments for other transport agents, such as send_network.

process_printjob

A command line program that formats print jobs for printing according to queue settings.

protocol

A set of rules governing the communication and the transfer of data between two or more devices in a communication system.

Range

Specified boundaries of a subnet, used when searching for valid IP addresses.

raw data

ASCII or plain text data that requires no interpretation by the printer queue. Raw data can contain coding that will be interpreted by the printer.

rejecting

The state of a printer queue when the user will not be able to use the lp or lpr command to submit print requests.

Red Hat Package Manager (rpm)

Linux packaging manager, which can be used to install, query, verify, and uninstall software packages.

rmdevice

A command line program that removes virtual devices.

sam

The system administration utility on HP-UX systems.

send_network

A command line program that sends data to a TCP/IP network printer.

send_parallel

A command line program that sends data to a printer connected to a parallel port.

send_serial

A command line program that sends data to a printer connected to a serial port.

send_usb

A command line program that sends data to a printer connected to a USB port.

SMIT

See System Management Interface Tool.

SNMP community name

A SNMP community name is a plain-text password mechanism that is used to weekly authenticate queries to agents of managed network devices. In order to prevent others from using your network printer, change the community name for the printer from the standard word "public." This will break many tools that are used to print and manage the printer and should only be done if absolutely required.

The SNMP community name selected in virtual device must match the community name that is selected in the print server.

subnet

A segment of a network that is connected to a larger network. A local area network is sometimes referred to as a local subnet.

System Management Interface Tool (SMIT)

The administration tool used on the AIX operating system.

tar

A UNIX program used for archiving files together. Often used with a compression program to distribute programs on the Internet.

TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)

A network protocol used to connect workstations and hosts, commonly used in UNIX environments.

virtual device

Virtual devices contain information about the printer the virtual device represents. Queues use the information from the virtual device to transport the data to the printer. Virtual devices, however, are not system devices located in the /dev directory, and other applications cannot send information to a printer using a virtual device.

X client

A program that runs using the X Window System.

X server

A program that handles displaying graphical X client output on a display as well as distributing input from input devices to X clients.

X Window System

The X Window System is a window system capable of displaying programs over a network. X Window System servers run on workstations connected to a monitor. The X server handles transferring input from keyboards and mouse devices to the X Window System program, called an X client. The X server also accepts output from X clients and displays the graphics on the monitor.

XON/XOFF

A type of serial transmission signaling used in serial communications. The sending device must match the receiving port.