Enterprise deployment overview

When a single deployment of the PriApps Application Server is not appropriate, PriApps offers a number of multi-server Enterprise Deployment options.

An Enterprise Deployment is recommended when:

The environment is larger than a single PriApps Application Server can cope with — typically in excess of 100 MFPs
Users and devices are widely distributed geographically
The network infrastructure is unable to support a centralized deployment

Sizing is not just about numbers. Deciding how many PriApps Application Servers are required is not as simple as counting users and print devices. The volume and profile of print and copy jobs is more important, and few customers can provide this data before deploying a solution like PriApps. Peak loads matter — for example, teachers printing and copying documents before the start of the school day. A large volume of mobile print jobs may require a dedicated application server, as these jobs are submitted in their native format and must be rendered into a print-ready format before release. The make and model of printers and MFPs is also a factor: some OEM brands are less efficient than others in processing user authentication and print release requests.

What an Enterprise Deployment provides

A PriApps Enterprise Deployment adds the following capabilities over a single, standalone Application Server installation:

Central configuration — manage all servers from one location
Central reporting — consolidated usage and cost data across all servers
Server synchronization — settings and user data kept in sync across servers
Server backup and standby — failover capability for high availability

Architecture: Primary / Secondary

Servers are arranged in a Primary / Secondary configuration.

The Primary Server provides central configuration and reporting functions. It is installed at a central location. There is always exactly one Primary Server in a deployment.

The Secondary Servers handle the actual printing and MFP management at specific locations. There can be multiple Secondary Servers. Each Secondary Server is typically deployed where it can conveniently and efficiently handle the local population of print devices and users — particularly important where network bandwidth between sites is limited.

Hub model

The enterprise deployment described in this guide uses a Hub naming convention:

Hub	Role	Description
Hub0	Primary	Installed at a central location. Provides central configuration and reporting.
Hub1, Hub2, Hub3 …	Secondary	Installed at each remote location that supports printers. Controls all printing at one or more physically close locations.

Each Secondary Server Hub controls all printing at one or more actual locations that are physically close to it.

Deployment sequence

The recommended deployment sequence is:

Install and license PriApps on all servers (Primary and all Secondaries) before configuring any of them
Configure the Primary Server — this will automatically configure the initial Secondary Servers
Add further Secondary Servers as required

See Configuring the Primary Server and Configuring Secondary Servers for step-by-step procedures.