PMP Mail Archive: Re[2]: PMP> Re: IPP> MIME-types and alignment

Re[2]: PMP> Re: IPP> MIME-types and alignment

Bill Wagner (bwagner@digprod.com)
Wed, 20 Aug 1997 14:21:35 -0400


Without getting in to the question of whether it is a misuse of SNMP
or not, yes, there definitely are products that do printer discovery
using the response to SNMP (over IP and/or IPX) MIB queries.

Directory systems, at this point, are inconsistent, often not present,
and sometimes not under the control of those concerned with getting
printers up and running. Printer companies attempt to address the
needs and desires of their customers, perhaps at the expense of
architectural purity or even good engineering practice. That is how
they stay in business (those that do).

Bill Wagner, Osicom/DPI

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: PMP> Re: IPP> MIME-types and alignment
Author: JK Martin <jkm@underscore.com> at Internet
Date: 8/20/97 1:38 PM

Larry,

> > Printer discovery may be coupled with programmatic use of the
> > Interpreter table to facilitate selection of the correct driver
> in a printing system.
>
> I understand clearly how it could be used, what I'm asking is whether
> it *is* used. Isn't it a misuse of SNMP to use it for discovery. Are
> there systems that actually use the Printer MIB, rather than some kind
> of directory service, for device discovery?

I think you may have misunderstood what Harry meant by "Printer discovery".

In this context, "discovery" implies finding out what the specifically
targeted device is capable of supporting, rather than which devices are
available on the network, etc.

...jay