A system and method is provided for using a point-on-load ("POL") control unit to program and/or monitor a POL regulator. Specifically, in one embodiment of the present invention, a power supply controller is adapted to provide initial-configuration data to at least one POL regulator. A POL control unit (located within the POL regulator) then stores at least a portion of the initial-configuration data in a storage device and uses at least a portion of the initial-configuration data to produce an output. The POL control unit is further adapted to store fault-monitoring data in the storage device and provide at least a portion of the fault-monitoring data to the controller. If the provided portion violates a known parameter, the controller (or POL control unit) may respond by perform a particular action (e.g., disable the POL regulator, etc.). In another embodiment of the present invention, the POL regulator further includes at least one sensor circuit adapted to produce fault monitoring data, or data that can be used to determine the fault-monitoring data. In another embodiment of the invention, the initial-configuration data and the fault-monitoring data are transmitted over a serial data bus.