No more serial port - and now?

[Anonymous user]

Hi,

on our new server there is no more serial port. How can I monitor UPS now? Hope you don't tell me to buy one of these network management cards for more then 300 Euros. My client will kill me.

Thanks for a hint,

Karl

[Anonymous user]

An inexpensive USB to serial adapter could probably be used. There are also inexpensive PCI and PCI Express expansion cards that provide serial and parallel ports.

Unless the UPS is very old, it may have a USB port available for monitoring purposes.

[BillP · Accepted solution]

Cheapo USB to seral port adapters exist.  We use this one and it as yet to let me down on communicating with any APC kit we have:

http://www.netstoredirect.com/tripp-lite-interface-cards-adapters/6303-tripp-lite-usa-19hs-067260300...

Shop around, though, this is "expensive" - I think we paid about £20 for ours.

HTH