[cups.general] CUPS Configuration Help

[Dracula]

Hello
History:  We have a Windows print server that works great for our
Windows users, serving over 150 printers.  It also provides an
acceptable BSD print service.  (We also have a Solaris BSD print server
that provides special features to Unix and Linux clients, when
required.)  We have a script that we run on Unix and Linux clients to
define all the BSD queues.  This works great on Solaris and Red Hat 9
(with LPRng).  Users never need root privileges to do anything about
printing - we do it all for them. 

When we moved to RHEL-3, we explored CUPS and could not bend it to our
needs.  We downloaded LPRng, and installed that.  Because RHN
maintenance to CUPS result in the removal of LPRng, we removed CUPS
completely from each client.  Once again, this worked great. 

Problem:  CUPS is so tightly woven through RHEL-4, that it appears
unwise (at best) to take it out.  I need help setting things up with
CUPS to meet these requirements: 

1. Users do not need root privileges (or a sysadmin) to be able to print
to any/all printers. 

2. The results of printing a particular file to a particular printer
should, by default, be identical from any system - and as configured by
the sysadmin. 

3. The sysadmin should be able to automatically fulfill the above
requirements at system install time (at least for current printers). 

4. It is desirable to have one or more print servers (preferably the
existing ones), where default specifications are defined, to apply to
all clients. 

I have a data base of printers, and am willing to automate things with
scripts. I just can't see a design that will work, short of explicitly
configuring all settings for all printers on all systems, with JetDirect
& no print server. 

For example: I set up a test server on RHEL-4 using JetDirect, and
customized the margins for a 7.5x10 print area, 13.6 cpi, 8 lpi.  It
worked fine from the CUPS client on this system.  I shared the printer.
A remote RHEL-4 CUPS client on the same subnet would print

Thanks

Regards,

Komal