Set up PaperCut Print Deploy to use an external PostgreSQL DB

Consider using an external DB to maintain efficient printer driver deployment if you have a large Print Deploy environment.

Requirements

• The latest version of PaperCut NG/MF (see Upgrading PaperCut MF and NG).
• The latest version of Print Deploy (via Auto Updates or the manual update method).
• PostgreSQL on a separate server requires a minimum of a 4 Core CPU, 8 GB of RAM& 512 MB of disk space.
• Running Windows Server 2016 or higher or Linux (Ubuntu, Red Hat).

Steps

1. Download PostgreSQL from here.

2. Install PostgreSQL on your host Operating System using the default values for now and register the Postgres Server. 

3. Go to the \PostgreSQL\12\data folder and edit the pg_hba.conf file to add a host record for the subnet your PaperCut MF Server is on. 
   
   Example: Where the Print Deploy Server address is 192.168.10.12, add the subnet address shown in bold below.

4. Launch PostGreSql Admin (pgAdmin) and create a Login/Group Role. 

5. Assign all privileges to user pd.

   
   

6. In pgAdmin, create a new database called pd. Grant user pd all privileges to database pd.
   
   

7. If needed, adjust the value for PostgreSQL’s max_connections. The default installation of PostgreSQL establishes a default of 100 connections.
   
   Example: If any other applications use the same PostGreSqlServer, you must adjust the max_connections entry in the PostGreSql.conf file. Print Deploy uses a fixed 50 connections. So if, for example, you want to configure the PaperCut Application Server, which uses 420 connections, and use the same PostgreSQL instance, you’d set max_connections to 500. 

8. On the host server where Print Deploy is installed, stop the PaperCut Print Deploy Server service.

9. In the PaperCut MF\providers\print-deploy\%os%\data\config folder, find the client.conf.toml file and add the following line:
   
   PostgresConnection = "host=<PostgreSQL Hostname or IP> port=<port, usually 5432> sslmode=<enable/disable> dbname=<database name> user=<database username> password=<database password>"
   
   Example: PostgresConnection = “host=192.168.10.10 port=5432 sslmode=disable dbname=pd user=pd password=dbpass”

   The default connection pool size is 50. In high-load environments, this can be increased with pool_max_conns.
   
   Example: PostgresConnection = "host=192.168.10.10 port=5432 sslmode=disable dbname=pd user=pd password=db pass pool_max_conns=100"

10. Start the Print Deploy Server service.

11. Validate the Print Deploy Admin screens loads with a default menu and Everyone zone.

12. Clone printer queue details into Print Deploy, create zones, and test as per your test planning.