Printer VLAN

[paulnigel]

Hi forum,

Just collecting opinions, Is it good to isolate printer into a single VLANs or isolate the printer into departmental VLANs. If there is only a single printer server/spooler, it is learned that print job will be spool on the server before sending to the respective printers, if the printer is placed in different VLANs, it will be slower. Is that true?

Thanks much,

PN

[glen.grant]

With the speed of network gear today I think it is much less of a concern than it used to be. Really don't think you need to isolate the printers .

[Jon Marshall]

Hi Paul

Agree with Glen in that speed should not be much of an issue. However one reason to isolate printers onto their own vlans is for security purposes.

If you have a number of client vlans, server vlan(s) etc. then if you put printers into the client vlans you cannot filter traffic as easily. If you place the printers in their own vlan then you can apply access-lists/firewall between the client vlans because no traffic should be going from one client vlan to another ie. the clients should only be talking to servers or printers.

This setup can be useful in a virus outbreak and can slow down the virus propogation.

Just something to think about.

Jon

[paulnigel]

Thanks Glen & Jon,

1) I agree with speed shoud not be an issue.

2) I agree with security and control if the printers is isolated.

I wish to check, if I placed all the printers in a single VLAN, how do I build in the redundancy, in case if this VLAN is down?

Thanks much,

paul

[Jon Marshall]

Paul

Redundancy should come from your switch infrastructure ie. dual switches hosting the printer vlan with HSRP etc.

If you do have a dedicated printer vlan then it would not go on the access-layer switches, it would go on the distribution switches which should hopefully be a pair for redundancy.

HTH

Jon

[sundar.palaniappan]

Paul,

I agree with Jon that it would be a better choice to put the printer it's own vlan or on Server farm vlan if it already exists. This way any outages/disruption caused by viruses, STP problems, broadcast storms etc. in the user vlans wouldn't affect the printer service to other vlans. Moreover try to avoid any single point of failure from affecting the printer service.

HTH

Sundar

[paulnigel]

Glen, Jon, Sundar,

Very happy with the answer. I guess I have an idea to go about doing this.

Thanks much!

paul