Short version: I'm looking for a way to access a USB device from a Linux system over IP (preferrably) or raw Ethernet. Has anyone here tried this?

I've looked briefly at the USB/IP project and USB Redirector, but the former hasn't seen active development in a while and the latter is non-free. Both require a Linux (or Windows) computer acting as a USB server.

Long version: The scenario is this: I have a number of UPS units servicing switches and other network equipment at various locations, and these are physically located inside wiring closets.

The UPS units all have USB connections (not serial or Ethernet). I'd like to be able to log power outages and monitor battery status, but there are no computers in the immediate vincinity, and I can't put one inside the wiring closets due to lack of space and/or cooling.

I see three possibilities:

1. Find Linux software capable of communicating with an existing USB network server, like the Action Star IU-P1A0-A or IU-P4A1-A (pretty much the ideal solution)
2. Put a Raspberry PI in the wiring closets and find suitable Linux software to run at both ends
3. Replace a bunch of otherwise good UPS units with ones that have an Ethernet or serial connection (I'd really like to avoid this)

This article looks promising, but it depends on non-free and non-open software, which I'd also like to avoid. I don't mind paying for it, though.

Would NUT running on the Raspberry PIs do what you need?
http://www.networkupstools.org

Almost, but not quite.

NUT doesn't (yet) support battery maintenance for all UPS models, and I'd like to avoid setting up and maintaining multiple remote software installations if at all possible.

Besides, a generic USB network server could also be used to share other devices, such as temperature probes and management ports on routers and switches.

This is something like what might work. SIIG USB over IP 1-Port

Might be a powerline usb gizmo.

You really need more like a usb to serial gizmo then serial to ip gizmo I'd think.

If you read the original post, you'll see that is not at all what I want.

"UPS units all have USB connections"

"over IP"

Yes, I did understand it. The output of the usb needs some way to convert a usb female connection to an IP then back to usb. I am not sure you can easily use a usb device on a nic in linux.

Guess you could look at this. http://usbip.sourceforge.net/