If your serial-based machines or devices have been running for decades and helped your business grow, you might worry about how long you can still hold on to these assets. Computers are no longer equipped with serial ports, and operating systems are getting updated more frequently and becoming more diversified. Also, more and more companies are managing assets online to get information immediately, thus minimising response time and generating more data for business insights so that operators can run businesses more efficiently. All of this relates to the ability to get connected. Regarding your connectivity journey, two questions arise. How can your serial devices connect to modern systems if serial ports are no longer the standard interface on computers anymore? How can your devices be managed remotely if they cannot connect to Ethernet interfaces?
To get data more effectively, production machines and monitoring sensors have been modernised with Ethernet interfaces so that connectivity and data collection are easier. It also means large sums of money need to be invested in connectivity to reap the benefits. However, it does not have to cost you a lot of money. Keeping your serial devices alive not only be for sentimental reasons, but also to protect your valuable investment by enhancing your devices’ capabilities. A variety of serial connectivity solutions allows for simple and affordable upgrades to bridge your serial device into future networking. In this article, we highlight three major challenges you will face when enabling serial connectivity between your legacy devices and modern systems. We also provide expert tips to make your upgrade easy.
Challenge 1: Fewer serial interfaces in today’s computer
Expert advice: Use serial connectivity solutions such as multiport serial boards and USB-to-serial converters to help you easily connect existing serial devices into modern systems.
Challenge 2: Difficult to achieve remote monitoring through serial communications
Expert advice: Choose converters that can easily enable serial-to-Ethernet communication, support the OS you use, and regularly update the latest OS version for future implementation.
Challenge 3: Uncertain availability of your serial connectivity components
Expert advice: When choosing your serial connectivity solutions, check if the supplier can commit to continuously providing you with the serial connectivity solution you need.
Your trusted partner in serial connectivity solutions
To overcome these serial communication challenges, Moxa’s serial connectivity solutions enable your serial device to connect effortlessly. The company’s serial connectivity product portfolio includes multiport serial boards, USB-to-serial converters, serial device servers, and serial-to-Ethernet protocol gateways that fulfill your different demands in connecting your serial devices into modern systems. Moxa’s serial connectivity solutions support a variety of operating systems with our latest versions, including Windows, macOS and Linux, making it easy to connect your serial devices into a wide range of operating systems.
Moxa has been providing serial connectivity solutions for over 30 years, and is committed to provide serial connectivity solutions that can meet your future networking requirements for the next decades. Get in touch to learn more about our commitment and investment in serial connectivity solutions.
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