With many companies replacing their existing SNA networks with high-speed TCP/IP and Novell networks, some are asking the question: "Where do I send my production print jobs on this new network?" IBM and other vendors are addressing these issues with the release of several new high-speed, highly-reliable LAN attached printers. The scope of this review is to document how the IBM 3130-02D performs with the VPS suite of products, distributed by Levi, Ray and Shoup, Inc. This printer was configured and tested by the Systems Engineers in the Enterprise Document Engineering (EDE) group at LRS.
Company Profile
The
IBM Printing Systems Company, with operations in Boulder, Colo., Southbury, Conn., and Endicott, N.Y., is a vertically integrated organization that specializes in print solutions for the enterprise.
Its worldwide teams of sales and support specialists are dedicated to providing the solutions and support required for mission-critical, department and workgroup printing. For more information about IBM products and services, call (800) 426-3333 or contact the IBM Printing Systems Company via the World Wide Web at http://www.printers.ibm.com.
Printer Highlights
The IBM 3130 was originally announced in April, 1995 and supported only the IPDS™ datastream via TCP/IP and SNA APPC. These protocols are proprietary to IBM. The current model of the IBM 3130 provides native support for both the PCL5e and Postscript Level 2 data streams using standard TCP/IP LPR/LPD and Novell Netware SPX/IPX protocols. The IBM 3130 takes advantage of IBM's proven RISC based technology utilizing their Advanced Function Common Control Unit (AFCCU) software. IBM includes a Windows based 3130 Configuration Tool to simplify the network attachment configuration. The IBM 3130-02D was tested with the VPS extension products VPS/TCPIP, VPS/PCL, and VPS/PC.
VPS/TCPIP Configuration & Testing
The IBM 3130 was installed on the network using the token-ring network attachment option and was configured to support TCP/IP using the LPR/LPD protocol. The PCL and Postscript datastreams were also installed and the LPD was configured for automatic datastream sensing. 
The VPS test system used during this review was VPS Release 6.2 at fix level 282, and was configured to include VPS/TCPIP and VPS/PCL. The IBM 3130 was configured in VPS as a standard LPD supported device using the VPS keyword "DEVTYPE=V.LPD." This printer will not support the VPS direct sockets connection. The LPD queue name for the 3130 must be "afccu2" in lower case and is defined in the VPS printer definition using the keyword "TCPPRTR=afccu2." The VPS printer definition contained no other special options for this device.
The first step in testing consisted of standard line mode reports and line mode reports formatted with VPS user exit 14 to add PCL and Postscript formatting commands. All output and formats were printed correctly. The last step in testing was to modify the VPS printer definition to include support for the VPS/PCL product. The printer definition was changed to include the keyword "DEVTYPE=V.LPD.PCL". This option allows output referencing AFP resources to be converted to PCL prior to being sent to the printer. Reports formatted by VPS/PCL containing multiple fonts, overlays and page segments were printed correctly.
VPS/PC Configuration & Testing
The IBM 3130 was then configured to support Novell networks as a Novell Netware print server. The Netware attachment option provides Netware printing support from Netware 3.x servers and 4.x servers that support bindery emulation. When configuring the printer to support Netware, the Netware print server and print queue must be defined on the Novell server before the protocol is enabled in the printer. The VPS system used for this testing was configured to include VPS/PC for NT. The VPS/PC for NT product was installed on a dedicated Pentium PC using VPS/PC for NT Release 1.0.006.
The first step in testing the Netware support included line mode reports. These reports were sent to the printer with PCL and Postscript formats included at the host using VPS exit 14 and at the PC using VPS/PC printer command sequences. All output and formats were printed correctly. The last step in testing was to modify the VPS printer definition for VPS/PC to include support for VPS/PCL. Reports formatted by VPS/PCL containing multiple fonts, overlays and page segments were printed correctly.
Features & Options: The IBM 3130-02D Printer
| Parameter | Description |
| Print Speed | Up to 30 ipm |
| Resident Memory | 24MB standard, expandable to 56MB |
| Hard Drive | 1GB standard |
| Resident Fonts | 63 Type 1 scalable fonts (PostScript Level 2) |
| 35 scalable Intellifonts (PCL5e) |
| 10 TrueType fonts |
| 230 IPDS™ outlines |
| Resolution (quality) | 240- or 300-pel enhanced |
| Paper Handling | Up to 4 input trays - 250, 500, and 2000 sheets |
| Up to 3 output stackers - 500 and 1500 sheets |
| Duplex | Standard |
| Automatic Data Stream Sensing | Yes |
| NPAP Bi-directional Communications | Yes |
| Language(s) | IPDS standard |
| PostScript Level 2 emulation |
| Enhanced PCL 5 emulation |
| Printer Port(s) | High-speed bi-directional parallel port (IEEE 1284) |
| Connectivity | Ethernet |
| Token Ring |
| Twinaxial |
| SDLC |
| Duty Cycle | Up to 200,000 pages (impressions) per month |
| Warranty | 3-month on-site warranty |
Report Card
IBM 3130
| Installation |  | | | Ratings: | | | = no problems | | - | = problems | | + | = above average | | N/A | = not applicable |
|
| VPS | |
| VPS/PCL | + |
| VPS/IPDS | N/A |
| VPS/TCPIP | |
| VPS/PC | |
