It's not uncommon to have one lone remote site, left behind by a system upgrade. It's often still doing important work, like serving as a backup radio link for paging and P25 failover.

However, the visibility you once had at this site is gone. There's no more alarm dashboard or generator fuel status.

That's exactly the situation one of our clients found themselves in.

They had deployed a T/Mon MINI and NetGuardian 240T years ago - back when T1 lines were the norm. But as their network modernized and switched over to a P25-based system, most of those legacy sites were retired - except one.

That single site still had a NetGuardian 240T connected via T1, quietly protecting that one specific location. The catch, though, is that no monitoring data was being collected anymore. The T/Mon MINI was removed during a redesign of their monitoring system. And with no master to report to, that 240T became an island - fully connected but with nowhere to report alarm data.

Legacy Solutions Break Down Over Time

It's a familiar story: A monitoring setup that worked fine ten years ago starts showing its age. Technology standards evolve. Transport methods shift. And even if the hardware's still alive, you can lose visibility just because the back-end system is no longer supported.

Things tends to go wrong when any of the following events happen:

• Your central master station is decommissioned (as in this case).
• Your remotes use outdated transport (like T1) instead of Ethernet/IP.
• Security requirements change (e.g., modern TLS e-mail not supported by older firmware).
• Replacement parts or repairs get too expensive.

You're left with a half-working system that technically "functions," but delivers none of the useful data you once relied on.

The Real Cost of Monitoring Downtime

When monitoring stops, your risk skyrockets. Consider the hidden costs of operating with limited visibility (or none at all) at your remote site:

• Missed fuel level drops during a generator run could mean you're unprepared for the next outage.
• Temperature spikes might not be caught before they damage sensitive equipment.
• Battery bank issues go unnoticed until a power failure hits.

Monitoring isn't just a convenience. It's your early-warning system. Without it, you're gambling on the hope that nothing will go wrong.

But "hope" isn't a strategy.

Restore Visibility Without Reinventing the Wheel

In an ideal scenario, you're be able to reuse your existing equipment and get:

• Clear alerts for mission-critical conditions like generator fuel levels.
• E-mail or SNMP notifications directly from the remote unit.
• Integration with your current monitoring system - without replacing everything.

And if a retrofit isn't possible, you'll still want a modern "drop-in" replacement that:

• Fits your existing infrastructure (like T1 transport).
• Supports new security standards.
• Offers web access, SNMPv3, Modbus, and modern alerting.

That's exactly the kind of path we explored during a recent DPS web demo.

Find Options for Breathing Life Back Into Legacy Sites

This client's NetGuardian 240T may still have some life left - if it can support secure e-mail alerts or be accessed via its web interface. But there's also a smarter long-term option: Upgrade to a new NetGuardian G6.

Upgrading to the G6 platform makes sense because:

• G6 NetGuardians support SNMP traps and polling, so you can interface them directly with different systems.
• Modbus and SNMPv3 support provide secure, standards-based communication with your other devices.
• Modern web interface allows for easy configuration - no special software required.
• If Ethernet isn't available at your site (like here), custom options exist to support non-Ethernet links like T1. That might involve repurposing existing T1-Ethernet converters or deploying a rugged serial-to-IP solution.

Best of all, DPS offers trade-in credit for older units, like the 240T, to bring down your total upgrade cost. That's a minimal investment for restored visibility, modern security, and long-term reliability.

And here's a secret a lot of people don't realize: You don't need a T/Mon (or other master station) to monitor just one site. A single NetGuardian can stand alone - sending alerts via email. T/Mon (or a third-part SNMP manager) only becomes necessary when you want a unified dashboard for many sites.

Can Your Remote Gear Talk to Your Current SNMP Manager?

During the demo, one key question came up: Can a DPS NetGuardian send SNMP traps to a third-party system?

The answer is yes - if the transport works.

Here's the architecture challenge:

• The NetGuardian can send SNMP traps.
• The third-party platform accepts SNMP traps.
• But the site only has T1 transport - no Ethernet.

Originally, this client used a T1-to-Ethernet converter to bridge the gap. That converter, though, is now obsolete. The missing piece isn't the NetGuardian or the third-party gear - it's the transport layer.

If the SNMP trap can get converted back to IP after being encapsulated over T1, this client could build a bridge between their legacy backup site and their current P25 network's centralized alarm view. And with the right combination of gear, that's a viable architecture.

This kind of mediation is what general-purpose RTUs are built to do.

You Might Have More of These Sites Than You Think

While so far our discussion has focused on a single site, it's almost guaranteed that this isn't a one-off.

Organizations with complex telecom footprints often have:

• A few leftover legacy sites that still provide backup paging or voice dispatch.
• Isolated microwave towers with no Ethernet.
• Generator huts that have lost visibility over the years.
• HVAC or battery systems that were once monitored, but now sit in the dark.

Most of these sites aren't retired - they're just forgotten. That's dangerous.

A single NetGuardian, even without a master station, can restore visibility. And when you're ready to add centralized monitoring, it'll be fully compatible with SNMP managers or a T/Mon master.

This lets you fix things incrementally - without a massive overhaul.

What You Should Expect from a Modern RTU in 2025

If you haven't looked at RTUs in the last 10 years, you might be surprised at what they can do now.

Here's a quick checklist of what you should expect from a modern unit like the NetGuardian G6:

• Web-based GUI: You shouldn't have to install software just to configure or view your remote.
• SNMPv3 encryption: Older traps were plaintext. That's not acceptable anymore in most contexts.
• Flexible inputs/outputs: Analog, digital, and control relays should be built-in or expandable.
• Protocol support: SNMP (v1-v3), Modbus, DNP3 if needed.
• E-mail notifications: With support for modern TLS/SSL.
• Expandable architecture: DX expansion shelves or modular options for I/O growth.
• Customization options: You should be able to match the unit's functionality to the unique quirks of your site - not the other way around.

If your existing monitoring gear doesn't offer this, it's time to look at an upgrade - even if just for one site.

Stop Operating Without the Info You Need

You've probably got a few sites like this one.

They still matter and they're still doing real work. But you can't see what's happening out there. That's more than just inconvenient - it's risky.

And it's totally unnecessary.

We specialize in helping people just like you modernize remote monitoring, whether that means retrofitting a single site or upgrading your entire network. We've done this for telcos, utilities, railroads, and government agencies across North America and beyond.

So if you're trying to get more life out of legacy gear - or you're ready to bring your visibility up to 2025 standards - we should talk.

Take the Next Step

If you're reading this, there's probably at least one site you're concerned about. Let's fix it - before it causes downtime.

Call us at 559-454-1600
Or email us at sales@dpstele.com

Tell us:

• What kind of site you have
• What monitoring gear is still installed
• What transport (Ethernet, T1, serial, etc.) is available
• What system you want to report alarms to (SNMP manager, T/Mon, etc.)

We'll walk you through your options. If you have a 240T or another older model, we can even apply trade-in credit toward a G6 upgrade.

Let's get your visibility back - one site at a time.