We've recently moved our clients from a Server 2003 terminal server using ThinPrint .print to Windows Server 2008 R2 RDS via a RDS Gateway using Easy Print.
We've got some clients in Indonesia on crappy ISDN links who are saying that printing is now taking a lot, lot longer over RDS than it used to over ThinPrint.
I'm guessing that ThinPrint somehow spools to a buffer, compresses it, transfers it, and then then prints it, where as RDS is doing something different.
Are there any tips and tricks to getting RDS printing sped up? Or do we now have to go and fork out another few grand on more ThinPrint licenses?
Best Answer
I believe the basic operation of Easy Print is such: the client sends information about the printer (options, accessories, etc.) in the form of XML/XPS to the server, which then uses the Easy Print feature to encapsulate the print job in to an XPS spool file and sends that file to the client for rendering. Microsoft claims that this requires less bandwidth and makes the printing process faster for the client, but I'm skeptical. There is a hotfix (for a hotfix) that may apply in your case:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=954743