Have you added a print server to your DRP work sheet? It is absolutely necessary when you have hundreds of printers in your print server/servers. Here is a solution for backup/restore/migrate print server.
Print migration 3.1 has been replaced with printbrm.exe i.e. print management in Vista. It easy to migrate print server whether it is x64 or x86 bit print server. It is very handy tool for system admin to backup print server after adding new printers in print servers or modifying network config in printers. Vista print management will save lots of time if disaster knocks on the door. If you don’t have Windows Server 2003 R2 (inbuilt print management) and you are in catastrophe then you can restore printers in few steps and all in GUI mode if you backed up printer drivers and config.
Backup printer drivers and config
From windows vista machine, open the Administrative Tools , and then click Print Management
Right click on print management, Click Export printer queues and printer drivers to a file, and then click Next
Type name of the print server on the network then click next
You will be presented with all the available printers in print server, click next
Type the location where backup will be saved, click next
Wait until export/backup complete, click finish. Now a complete backup has been performed and saved in preferred location. Make sure you got a backup file name.printerexport
Restore /Import printer drivers and config
to restore print server to different server, open print management from administrative tools in vista machine, right click print management, select import, click next
type source of backup file i.e. name.printerexport file, click next
You will see a list of printer, you backed up, click next
Write destination print server name (netbios name) on the network, click next
Command line help for Printbrm.exe
Open command prompt, go to c:\windows\system32\spool\tools
To backup type
Printbrm.exe –B –S \\SourceServerName –F \\UNCPath\name.printerexport
To restore
Printbrm.exe -R -S \\DestinationServerName –F \\UNCPatch\name.printerExport
Printbrm.exe /?
Note: Vista print migration tool compitable with windows 2003 print server and windows 2008 print server.
Blog by Raihan Al-Beruni 
Hi. If i Import the backup on a Windows 2008 Cluster, (the Drivers are all preinstalled), on which node should i do the Import? i took the Cluster.node, where the Spooler is installed, but i am not sure, if the ports and Printers are installed on all physical cluster-Hosts?
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Both node otherwise it will not work.
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even if the Drivers are preinstalled on both nodes?
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Driver is printing software but that software has to connect to a printer via TCP/IP. If one node failed then other node has to know where to print. Please user configure role option in Failover Clustering Manager to configure Print Server Cluster. You have manage printer server from cluster manager not from individual server. Please follow this user to add printer in cluster. This wizard will add printer in both node http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731964.aspx
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I exported all Printer related Data from old Cluster with printbrm.exe (Windows 2003) and will Import the result into a Windows 2008 Cluster. The Drivers are pre-installed on both nodes. I am still not sure if i has to Import printbrm.exe on both physical nodes or on the Cluster node?
thx
Klaus
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I want to use Printbrm.exe -B in a monthly task to backup the print server. Problem is I can not overwrite the previously created .printerexport file. -O FORCE does not overwrite the file. Any ideas on how this can be achieved?
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Write a bat file to delete previous backup file then add new backup using printbrm
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Thank you.
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