Printing Protocol

Print Server for Macintosh uses the Printer Access Protocol, a session-level protocol that provides reliable data transfer between a client and a server. It is a session-level protocol that is responsible for starting, maintaining, and terminating the (possibly multiple) connections between a workstation and a printer server.

A printing request is sent by an application to the Printing Manager. This discussion assumes the existence of a spooler, but the process is the same regardless of the existence of a spooler. A spooler allows the client to continue working without waiting for the print job to complete. However, to the protocol, the printer and the server or spooler look the same.

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