Dynamic print server generation in a distributed printing environment
Methods, systems, and devices are described for dynamic print server generation in a distributed printing environment. A data store may store multiple operating systems. A central server computer system is in communication with the data store. The central server computer system may receive notification of a print job, select a printer for the print job, map a stored driver to the selected printer, select an operating system associated with the driver from the data store, and dynamically load the operating system associated with the driver to generate a print server for the print job.
1. A distributed printing system, comprising:
a plurality of printers;
a data store comprising a plurality of stored operating systems; and
a central server computer system communicatively coupled to the data store, wherein the central server computer system is configured to:
receive a notification of a print job;
select a printer from the plurality of printers for the print job;
map a driver from a plurality of stored drivers to the selected printer;
select an operating system associated with the driver from the plurality of stored operating systems;
dynamically load the operating system associated with the driver to generate a print server associated with the print job; and
remove the operating system in response to at least one removal condition being satisfied.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the central server computer system is further configured to:
dynamically load the operating system in real time in response to receiving the print job.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one removal condition comprises
a determination that the print job has completed.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one removal condition comprises
a determination that the print server has been inactive for a threshold amount of time.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the central server computer system is further configured to:
select the operating system associated with the driver by determining that the operating system associated with the driver comprises the driver.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the central server computer system is further configured to:
install the driver on the operating system associated with the driver.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the central server computer system is further configured to:
load the operating system associated with the driver onto the central server computer system as a virtual machine.
8. A method of printing in a distributed printing environment, comprising
receiving a notification of a print job;
selecting a printer from a plurality of printers for the print job;
mapping a driver from a plurality of stored drivers to the selected printer;
selecting an operating system associated with the driver from a plurality of stored operating systems;
dynamically loading the operating system associated with the driver to generate a print server associated with the print job; and
removing the operating system in response to at least one removal condition being satisfied.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
dynamically loading the operating system in real time in response to receiving the print job.
10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
dynamically loading the operating system associated with the driver in response to a determination that at least one existing print server is not compatible with the driver.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one removal condition comprises
a determination that the print job has completed.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one removal condition comprises
an expiration of a threshold amount of time.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one removal condition comprises
a determination that the print server has been inactive for a threshold amount of time.
14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
selecting the operating system associated with the driver by determining that the operating system associated with the driver comprises the driver.
15. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
installing the driver on the operating system associated with the driver.
16. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
loading the operating system associated with the driver to a virtual machine.
17. The method of claim 8 , wherein the operating system associated with the driver comprises at least one preinstalled print server application.
18. A central server computer system, comprising:
a processor communicatively coupled with a memory, wherein the memory comprises program code configured to cause the processor to:
receive a notification of a print job;
select a printer for the print job from a plurality of printers;
map a driver from a plurality of stored drivers to the selected printer;
select an operating system associated with the driver from a plurality of stored operating systems;
dynamically load the operating system associated with the driver to generate a print server associated with the print job; and
remove the operating system in response to at least one removal condition being satisfied.
19. The central server computer system of claim 18 , wherein the program code is further configured to cause the processor to:
dynamically generate the operating system in real time in response to receiving the print job.
20. The central server computer system of claim 18 , wherein the program code is further configured to cause the processor to:
dynamically load the operating system associated with the driver in response to a determination that at least one existing print server is not compatible with the driver.