The Phaser project is already in tech preview and its official name is Citrix Universal Print Server, this new Citrix product will allow us in a scenario where we have a printer server, not having to perform the tedious task of having to install all printer drivers on all our XenApp servers or XenDesktop computers!!!

The Citrix universal driver is based on the use of the EMF format (Windows Enhanced MetaFile), Citrix uses this format for automatic printer assignment, Now with this technology we will not need to install any type of additional driver on our application servers or virtual desktops, since they will use the universal driver. Eye, in this tech Preview only the x86 print server is supported, in the version 1.0 Coming out soon, the x64 architecture will be supported.

Installing Citrix Universal Print Server,

We will install Citrix Universal Print Server on the server that will be the print server, This wizard will install all the necessary requirements,

We accept the agreement & “Next”,

We check the installation requirements, Microsoft Visual C++ will install us 2008 SP1, Microsoft Visual C++2005 SP1 x64, Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 x64 SP1 and the Print Server Role, “Next”,

We check that it will also install the extensions for the Citrix Management Console and Citrix Universal Print Server (UPS), “Install”,

…

“Finish”, We will now be able to install the printers with their drivers and share them.

Installing the Citrix Universal Print Client,

We will install Citrix Universal Print Client on XenApp servers 6.5 or XenDesktop computers 5.5,

First we execute “InstallServicePatchOnXAServer.bat” on XenApp servers or “InstallServicePatchOnVDA.bat” on XenDesktop computers,

Press a key & We restart the team.

Once restarted, install Citrix Universal Print Client, We accept the license & “Next”,

“Install”,

…

“Finish”,

And now we install the policy extensions with “InstallGroupPolicyPatchOnGPMC.bat”

List!

New directives:

We will be able to check the new UPS policies, both team and user:

Universal Print Server stream input bandwidth limit (kbps)

Applies to Universal Print Server for XenApp and XenDesktop

Specifies a upper bound in kilobits-per-second for the transfer rate of print data delivered from a XenApp or XenDeskop host session to a Universal Print Server via the CGP protocol. Default value is unlimited (0).

Universal Print Server enable

Applies to Universal Print Server for XenApp and XenDesktop

Enables (disables) use of Universal Print Server on a XenApp or XenDesktop host. Also controls Universal Print Server ineractions with Windows’ native remote printing. By default, Universal Print Server is Disabled.

ìDisabledî System does not attempt to connect with with Universal Print Server when connecting to a network printer with a UNC name. Connections to remote printers continue to use Windows’ native remote printing facility.

ìEnabled with fallback to Windows’ native remote printing” Network printer connections are be serviced by Universal Print Server if possible. If the Universal Printer Server is unavailable, then the system falls back to Windows native remote printing facility.

ìEnabled with no fallback to Windows’ native remote printing” Network printer connections are serviced by Universal Print Server exclusively. If the Universal Printer Server is unavailable, then the network printer connection fails.

Universal Print Server print data stream (CGP) port

Default: 7229. Applies to Universal Print Server for XenApp and XenDesktop

Specifies TCP port number used by Universal Print Server’s print data stream (CGP) listener

The Universal Print Server is an optional component that enables the use of Citrix’ universal print drivers for network printing scenarios. When Universal Print Server is used, printing commands are sent from XenApp and XenDesktop hosts to the Universal Print Server via SOAP over HTTP. However bulk print data streams are delivered to the print server on separate TCP connections using Common Gateway Protocol (CGP). This setting modifies the default TCP port on which the Universal Print Server listens for incoming CGP conections (e.g. inbound print jobs).

This policy must be need only be applied to OU’s housing the Universal Print Server computers.

Universal Print Server web service (HTTP/SOAP) port

Default: 8080. Applies to Universal Print Server for XenApp and XenDesktop

Specifies TCP port number used by Universal Print Server’s web service (HTTP/SOAP) listener

The Universal Print Server is an optional component that enables the use of Citrix’ universal print drivers for network printing scenarios. When Universal Print Server is used, printing commands are sent from XenApp and XenDesktop hosts to the Universal Print Server via SOAP over HTTP. This setting modifies the default TCP port on which the Universal Print Server listens for incoming HTTP/SOAP requests. The default value is 8080.

If active, this policy must be applied to both the OU’s housing the Universal Print Server computers and the OU’s holding the XenApp and XenDesktop host computers. Failure to configure both host and print server HTTP port identically will result in the failure of host software to connect to the Universal Print Server.