Our print server needs replacing, I'm torn between a new Windows print server or Universal Print.
Universal Print (Microsoft 365) is cloud-native printing without a print server, with Entra auth and M365 E3/E5 integration. For most SMBs better than building another local print server.
support/servers-on-premise/print-server-uitfaseren-universal-printsteps: 5
Try this first
- Check licensing: Universal Print is included in M365 E3/E5, A3/A5 and standalone. Includes a number of jobs per user per month, check it fits your volume.
- Inventory printers: does the device support Universal Print natively (HP, Canon, Konica, Lexmark often do), or do you need a Universal Print Connector on a Windows machine as a bridge?
- Pilot with one department: register the printer in Universal Print, share with an Entra group, push install via Intune or let users add it themselves.
- Check workflow: scan-to-folder or scan-to-mail keeps working through the device itself, not via Universal Print. UP is print-out only.
- Phase out over a few months, keep the old print server until all drivers and queues have migrated.
When to bring us in
With large print volumes (>1000 jobs/user/month) or special workflows (badge release, follow-me), PaperCut or Equitrac (cloud edition) sometimes still beats plain Universal Print.
See also
- One DC or two DCs for an SMB office?Two is almost always the right answer; one DC is a single point of failure for logon, DNS and GPOs.
- Should I split FSMO roles across two DCs?For a small domain all on one DC is fine; with two DCs splitting is tidier but not required.
- How do I know my AD replication is healthy?Replication errors creep in silently; they only surface when logins or GPOs misbehave.
None of the above fits?
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