title: Virtual Machine, Emulate a USB through networked USB hub
body: <p>I am trying to automate the below process:</p>
  <ul>
  <li>Operator executes operation on field device and generates local data that is stored on the field device. (NOT a PC)</li>
  <li>Operator inserts USB into field device and executes a local export function.</li>
  <li>Operator takes USB to network machine and transfer files to secure file location.</li>
  </ul>
  <p>The USB connection is the ONLY method of data transfer.</p>
  <p>I would like to have a direct USB to USB connection, which I believe can be done if you can trick the field device into thinking a USB connection to the network machine (over VLAN/IP USB Hub/some sort of networked hardware) is a flash drive. The field device is commercial off the shelf so it cannot be modified, which drives the need for an emulated flash drive.  The new process would look like:</p>
  <ul>
  <li>Operator executes operation on field device and generates local data that is stored on the field device.</li>
  <li>Operator executes a local export function.</li>
  <li>File is transferred over USB connection to emulated flash drive on virtual network machine.</li>
  </ul>
  <p>So in summary, the question is how do I configure a virtual machine to have an emulated flash drive that can be hooked into a physical USB port?</p>