4033 slow printing
ITEM: RTA000078978
A CALCOMP CCL600 printer connected to a IBM 4033 box takes approx.
6 times longer to print a particular file than when it is connected
directly to the parallel port on the same RISC/6000 (AIX 3.2.5)
that drives the 4033.
The connection to the 4033 box is parallel as well.
The network is 16Mbps token-ring.
Is this "working as designed" ?
If it is we have to connect the printer to the RISC directly.
That downgrades the performance on the RISC (when printing)
severely. Can anything be done about that (apart from using serial
comm.) ?
We are talking minutes, even up to one hour.
The files range in size from a few hundred KB to several thousands.
The network has two RISC/6000 and runs 16MB ring speed.
The netload is almost zero.
I made this test to give something to work with:
a 94 block file takes 15 sec to transmit through the local
parallel port on the RISC, but 60 sec to transmit through the 4033.
The same file sent 3 times after each other 3x60 sec to transmit.
PS. Why does printing through the local port on the RISC slow
the machine down so much ??
ANSWER
In order for me to address your question sufficiently, I would
need to know the following:
1. When you said that it takes 6 times longer to print to a
4033 LAN attached printer versus direct parallel attached,
what kind of time frame are you referring to? Is it in
seconds or minutes? What is the file size of the print
job?
2. If you send more than one job (several jobs at a time),
does it takes less total amount of time to print to the
4033 LAN attached printer comparing when the printer is
attached to the standard parallel port?
3. How big is the Token Ring network? How heavy is the network?
It is normal that it might take a little longer to print a single
print job if the printer is attached to the network (via 4033 LAN)
versus if it is attached to the standard parallel port depending
how heavy the network is. This is because the file that is being
printed has to be transported across the network.
If there are more than one job (multiple jobs) submitted, the
total amount of time that it takes to print all of these jobs
might decrease significantly versus when printing directly to the
standard parallel port.
I tested the 4033 throughput by sending a postscript file to a 4029
laser printer. I made sure the file was 94 blocks. I sent the file
once and timed it. It took ten seconds to begin printing.
I then sent the file 5 times and timed it. It took 10 seconds for
the first file to begin printing. The fifth file was complete in
110 seconds.
I ran an identical test on the same printer directly attached to the
parallel port of an RS/6000. There was no measurable difference in
the times.
It is possible that there are errors on the network and the data
packets are being retransmitted, thus slowing the job throughput.
Please check your network for errors with "netstat -i".
S e a r c h - k e y w o r d s:
4033 PERFORMANCE SLOW PRINTING
WWQA: ITEM: RTA000078978 ITEM: RTA000078978
Dated: 02/1995 Category: ITSAI6000GE
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