Will the Serial Console Ever Die?

simpz writes "Will the serial port as a console connection ever be displaced — especially for devices such as switches, routers, SAN boxes, etc.? In one sense it's a simple connection. But it is the only current port that, in order to use, you need to know about wiring / baud rates / parity, etc. It has non-standard pinouts. And it is becoming too slow to upload firmware to dead devices, as the firmware updates get larger. Also, the serial port is rapidly disappearing from new laptops — which is where you often really need it, in data centers. Centronics, PS/2, and current loop are mostly defunct. Is there any sign on the horizon of a USB console connection?"

Comments

for the leet

[Danzigism]

The bottom line is that serial ports are still leet. I don't see why they should phase them out. I use a crappy Pentium 133mhz Laptop running NetBSD for my console work. when it dies, I will buy another one for $30 on eBay. I always thought it was for security anyway. Being able to only admin certain features of routers and other devices using only the serial console. nothing wrong with that. plus, a lot of the firmwares I've seen can be installed via TFTP server and you don't even need to transfer anything over the serial connection. it's there merely as means to administer the machine. all hail the serial console. and the pinouts are easy as shit. there's only 9 freakin pins for christ's sake and all 9 of them aren't even used half the time.

Re: Will the Serial Console Ever Die?

[newdsfornerds]

Zing!
Where are the usual MSFT ass lickers to shout you down? Oh, they're busy rebuilding their systems after the latest malware disaster. Heh.

No! RS232 can't die!

[bkeahl]

I mean, it's the ultimate standard. Right? 2,3,7 - swap 2&3 if things don't work. Well, there is sometimes that pesky DTR signal, so sometimes you have to hook up 20. Unless you swap 2 and 3, in which case you need to swap pins 20 and 6 too. Then, sometimes you need DSR, so just hook up six. Unless you swapped 2 and 3, then you have to swap 6 and twenty for that. Of course, then there's the device that emulates a MODEM and you have to hook up CD ... Yeah, serial interfacing is just so straight forward and simple, we can't get rid of it! :)