This hard to find item is needed if like me, you have a UPS (or any device needing a serial control port) that needs a control connection using the serial port. Some newer ones use USB, but mine does not. Many new motherboards have all the internal header pins needed, but no connections to the I/O section, as this area tends to be reserved now for the important modern feature connections like ESATA, HDMI, LAN, USB2, USB3 etc to fit in with the standard size for normal cases. This uses the motherboard header-pins, but NOT a motherboard card slot, only a rear slot-plate position. This item was a really good price, and came quickly.