Methods and printing system for peer-to-peer output management

A printing system comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory connected to the processor, the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, configures the printing system to
• connect a printing controller of a second printing device to a printing controller of a first printing device to form a peer-to-peer network;
• exchange printing device information for the first printing device and the second printing device between the printing controller of the first printing device and the printing controller of the second printing device, wherein the printing device information includes information about at least one job queue at the first printing device and at least one job queue at the second printing device;
• store the printing device information at the first printing device and the second printing device;
• enable a subscription to automatically be sent between the printing controller of the first printing device to automatically update the information about the at least one job queue at the first printing device upon receipt of the subscription and the printing controller of the second printing device to automatically update the information about the at least one job queue at the second printing device upon receipt of the subscription;
• receive a print job at the printing controller of the first printing device;
• process the print job at the printing controller of the first printing device;
• detect a problem with printing the print job by the printing controller of the first printing device;
• determine that the second printing device can continue the print job based on the information about the at least one job queue as updated by the subscription at the second printing device within the printing device information stored at the first printing device;
• adjust a print instruction for the print job at the printing controller of the first printing device;
• and
• forward the print job to the printing controller of the second printing device, wherein the print job is continued at the second printing device according to the print instruction.

A method for managing printing operations, the method comprising:

• connecting a printing controller of a second printing device having printing device information to a printing controller of a first printing device having printing device information to form a peer-to-peer network;
• merging the printing device information for the first printing device and the printing device information for the second printing device into a printing device information file, wherein the printing device information includes information about at least one job queue at the first printing device and at least one job queue at the second printing device;
• storing the printing device information file at the first printing device and the second printing device;
• enabling a subscription to automatically be sent between the printing controller of the first printing device to automatically update the information about the at least one job queue at the first printing device upon receipt of the subscription and the printing controller of the second printing device to automatically update the information about the at least one job queue at the second printing device upon receipt of the subscription;
• processing a print job at the printing controller of the first printing device;
• detecting a problem with processing the print job by the printing controller of the first printing device;
• determining that the second printing device can continue the print job based on the information about the at least one job queue as updated by the subscription at the second printing device within the printing device information for the second printing device within the printing device information file stored at the first printing device;
• adjusting a print instruction for the print job at the printing controller of the first printing device;
• and
• forwarding the print job to the printing controller of the second printing device, wherein the print job is continued at the second printing device according to the print instruction.