VPSX - Print Management Connector (Integration)

Introduction

This technical note describes the integration of the Dispatcher Paragon Workflow Solutions Platform with the print spool system in VPSX EnterpriseTM by Levi, Ray & Shoup Inc. (www.lrs.com). VPSX is an example of an Enterprise Output Management system. VPSX is used primarily for high-volume, reliable delivery of jobs to printers. The system’s main purpose is to verify whether a particular job has been printed and, in the case of a document delivery failure, print it again or redirect it to other printers.

Note: VPSX exists in multiple versions and configurations. Therefore, the VPSX integration should be installed and supported by Konica Minolta and LRS. Konica Minolta also strongly recommends compatibility verification in a test environment prior to production deployment. If you have any questions, please contact the Konica Minolta Service Desk.

How It Works

VPSX integration provides administrators with the option to use the Print Roaming® and secure print features in Dispatcher Paragon while keeping the data reception, storage, and delivery up to the VPSX system.

Once VPSX integration is configured, it is possible to display the jobs from VPSX on the Dispatcher Paragon Embedded Terminal. It is required that user accounts in Dispatcher Paragon and VPSX have the same login names (used to pair the information about jobs). Jobs from Dispatcher Paragon and VPSX can be displayed together. Jobs from VPSX can be printed or deleted. Device dependent accounting of jobs printed from VPSX is supported.

Licensing

VPSX integration requires a separate license in addition to the Dispatcher Paragon license. To obtain the VSPX integration license, please contact your Konica Minolta Regional Sales Manager. Note that the license includes the necessary customization required (see the section on Installation).

Installation

Configure the Dispatcher Paragon System Settings (the Dispatcher Paragon Management Interface)

  • Enable VPSX integration in the Dispatcher Paragon system settings

    • externalSpoolerVpsxEnabled = true

  • Set the URL of the VPSX server in configuration option externalSpoolerVpsxUrl. The value should be obtained from the VPSX administrator. (Note: the URL should also contain the port—it is the URL of VPSX API, not VPSX web interface.)

    • Example: externalSpoolerVpsxUrl = http://10.0.0.10:6117/lrs/nlrswc2.exe/CUSTOMER123

  • You can change the default value of the timeouts used for communicating with the external VPSX server. The first timeout is used when connecting to VPSX, the other timeout is used while waiting for a response from the VPSX server. These are default values, both are set in seconds.

    • externalSpoolerVpsxConnectionTimeout = 20

    • externalSpoolerVpsxResponseTimeout = 60

  • You must set the URL prefix that is common for all the personal queues in your VPSX system in the configuration option: externalSpoolerVpsxQueueUrlPrefix

Setting Up Printers in Dispatcher Paragon

  • Create new devices in Dispatcher Paragon in the standard way, except in the definition of their location in Dispatcher Paragon.

    • The location parameter defined for each device in Dispatcher Paragon has to be the same as the name of the device defined in VPSX.

Setting Up VPSX (Ask Your VPSX Administrator to Set This Up in VPSX)

  • Each job printed via VPSX to an MFD/printer with Dispatcher Paragon Embedded Terminal can be accounted, which requires specific headers to be added to each print job. These headers have to be defined in the VPSX configuration. Since the information about headers is a proprietary for Dispatcher Paragon, the information needs to be requested at the time of integration via your Konica Minolta Regional Sales Manager (in order to provide access from the product development organization).

Known Limitations

  • The functionality stated above is not supported with hardware terminals.

  • Online accounting, print job preview on a terminal, and the modification of finishing options for jobs stored in VPSX AREs not supported.