Printer software distribution system

A server, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media configured to store computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the server to perform tasks comprising:
• receiving a container image of software configured to be executed on one or more printers, wherein the software comprises one or more micro-services that make up a printer management application, and wherein the container image is associated with one or more container-eligible characteristics associated with executing the software;
• determining a query for printer characteristics, the printer characteristics comprising one or more characteristics related to printer functionality and one or more characteristics related to printer hardware and/or software configuration;
• receiving one or more responses to the query, the one or more responses comprising response information about the printer characteristics;
• determining one or more image-eligible micro-services that are configured to execute on a set of image-eligible printers selected based on a comparison of the response information with the container-eligible characteristics;
• determining that the container image is configured to execute one or more image-eligible micro-services based on the one or more image-eligible micro-services;
• sending the container image to the set of image-eligible printers;
• and
• executing the printer management application of the container image on at least one image-eligible printer of the set of image-eligible printers.

An article of manufacture comprising one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing at least computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a server, cause the server to perform tasks comprising:

• receiving a container image of software configured to be executed on one or more printers, wherein the software comprises one or more micro-services that make up a printer management application, and wherein the container image is associated with one or more container-eligible characteristics associated with executing the software;
• determining a query for printer characteristics, the printer characteristics comprising one or more characteristics related to printer functionality and one or more characteristics related to printer hardware and/or software configuration;
• receiving one or more responses to the query, the one or more responses comprising response information about the printer characteristics;
• determining one or more image-eligible micro-services that are configured to execute on a set of image-eligible printers selected based on a comparison of the response information with the container-eligible characteristics;
• determining that the container image is configured to execute one or more image-eligible micro-services based on the one or more image-eligible micro-services;
• sending the container image to the set of image-eligible printers;
• and
• initiating execution of the printer management application of the container image on at least one image-eligible printer of the set of image-eligible printers.