This may be the wrong forum for this, but network management was the closest fit i could find...
(First off, I agree that console connections are not preferred, SSH, HTTPS, SNMP all have their advantages, but when something goes down or stops responding to normal methods the amount of time and frustration that can be saved by not having to search for "that one laptop that has a serial port" or "my specific laptop that has the USB-Serial driver installed" is invaluable.)
With the proliferation of tablet devices (ipad, cius, samsung's proposed, etc.), add to it a serious lack of serial ports on most laptops/netbooks/etc being released. It's getting harder and harder to connect to console ports on cisco devices. USB to serial adapters fit the bill for now, provided you had the right drivers to run the adapter on your device (read: doesn't address tablets and smartphones).
I understand that the cisco console connection is considered "legacy" and that USB connections are becoming more popular with newer Cisco devices, but in the meantime it would be nice to manage my slice of the millions of "legacy" devices out there.
Bluetooth serial seems to hold promise, though the serial features of bluetooth aren't typically incorporated into most devices right now. What i guess I'm looking for is a way to manage my router and switch console ports from a smart phone or tablet device.
Has anyone seen anything like this out there right now?
I would think that Cisco would be interested in marketing such a feature with their new Cius, or an iPod or Android app. Even if it cost a couple of bucks for the adapter or the software, it would be well worth it to be able manage these devices in a pinch.
Thanks to anyone that can help!
JM
