Glossary

accepting

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

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

AIX

IBM's version of the UNIX operating system.

alias

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

Automatic Printer Language

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

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

community name

See SNMP community name.

disabled

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

DNS

See Domain Name System.

Domain Name System (DNS)

Something that resolves IP addresses to hostnames

enabled

The state of a print queue when print jobs are sent from the print 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 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 printer driver that allows the user to specify the number of lines to 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 printer driver that allows the user to specify the number of lines to be printed on a page. This number works with the lines per inch setting to increase or decrease the font size.

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 print 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 print 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 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.

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 opening on the computer or external print server into which the printer cable connects.

Print and Hold

A function of the printer driver that allows you to store a job in the buffer of the printer and print from the control panel.

print file

A method of selecting a specific file from within the printer driver to print.

print 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.

Print Queue Name

print server

Hardware or software (or a combination of hardware and software, such as network print servers) that takes information from a print 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 the printer driver to test the communication between the software and the printer.

printer class

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

Printer Type

The model name of the printer connected to a particular virtual device.

printq group

An AIX group authority. Members typically have authority to perform functions such as setting up printers, making print 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 IP addresses.

raw data

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

Red Hat Package Manager (rpm)

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

rejecting

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

rmdevice

A command line program that removes virtual devices.

sam

The system administration utility on HP-UX.

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 (SMIT).

SNMP community name

A plain-text password mechanism used to authenticate queries to agents of managed network devices on a weekly basis. In order to prevent others from using your network printer, change the community name for the printer from the standard word “public.” This breaks many tools used to print and manage the printer and should be done only if absolutely necessary.

The SNMP community name selected in a virtual device must match the community name 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 computers and hosts. It is 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 computers connected to a monitor. The X server handles transferring input from keyboard 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.