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

I use it to hook up my Atari 8-bit computer

[calagan800xl]

I keep an old laptop with a serial port, so that I can transfer stuff to my good old Atari 800XL with the awesome SIO2PC cable from Nick Kennedy: http://pages.suddenlink.net/wa5bdu/sio2pc.htm