Archives for June 2022

Happy Monday! We hope you had a wonderful weekend and are geared up for week. We hope this week brings success and lots of checked off items on your to-do list.

In This Issue: Beating the Heat! | Cisco 4-Port FXO Voice Interface Card | Importance of Fiber Optic Cleaning | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Beating the Heat!

Happy Monday!

I hope everyone had a great weekend! Well… I had the opportunity to experience Top Gun: Maverick on the big IMAX screen and it did not disappoint! What an amazing film. I would even go as far to say that it is better than the original. Everything from the story, the music, and the intense action scenes were amazing. I would highly recommend watching this film on the big screen if you can!

Other than that, this week we are preparing for our summer camping trip. We had a very successful camping trip in the Spring of this year (our very first one), and now we’ve decided to take another short one in the summer. This one I’m a little bit more cautiously optimistic about, because of the heat and bugs, but I’m sure things will work out.

Do you all have any tips to beat the heat when camping? I hope you have a wonderful week!

Cris

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Product Spotlights & Updates

The Cisco Foreign Exchange Office (FXO) interface is an RJ-11 connector that allows an analog connection to be directed at the public switched telephone network’s (PSTN’s) central office or to a station interface on a private branch exchange (PBX). The FXO sits on the switch end of the connection. It plugs directly into the line side of the switch so the switch thinks the FXO interface is a telephone.

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Learning Center Article – Importance of Fiber Optic Cleaning

Installing fiber optic systems is not easy. It requires multiple levels of expertise in design and application, and it’s why fiber optics experts are always in high demand. While installations will vary heavily depending on the components and applications at play, there is one thing that is necessary for every installation, and it’s easy to overlook. Every system needs fiber optic cleaning to ensure that it will work properly.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Elon Musk accused Twitter of “resisting and thwarting” his right to information about fake accounts on the platform, calling it a “clear material breach” of the terms of their merger agreement in a letter to the company. “Mr. Musk reserves all rights resulting therefrom, including his right not to consummate the transaction and his right to terminate the merger agreement,” the letter, signed by Skadden attorney Mike Ringler
• Apple’s WWDC22 is today! Are you watching?
• Last week, a man who seems to have been disguised as an old woman in a wheelchair threw a piece of cake at the Mona Lisa in Paris.
• Are you getting ready to head back into the office? Read this widely spreading article that shares how to help you pet adjust back to your back to the office life.

It’s one of the best days of the year – it’s National Donut Day! Time to swing by every donut shop in the area, snag your favorite, and indulge. What donut shop do you think makes the best donuts?

In This Issue: Summertime is here! | Surge Protector Power Strip | What are the Top Cities for IT Grads? | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Summertime is here!

Happy Friday, folks! It’s officially summertime at our house! 😎 School is out for the summer, and my kids are enjoying the break from the school routine!

We took our summer vacation early this year as our kids got out of school about a week earlier than usual. We decided to visit San Antonio, TX. It was an incredible city to visit! We ate some great food, experienced new things, and learned a lot about the city’s history. I was most impressed with how much effort the city puts into keeping history intact, as it seems that most buildings have a story!

Now it’s time to plan a trip for next summer! Any suggestions for cities to explore?

Have a great weekend!

Chris

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Protecting your electronics from power surges is a crucial step to keeping them alive and functioning for years to come. Power strips are not only a way to keep them safe, they are a convenient way to add additional outlets where plugs are at a premium.

This six-outlet, surge-protected power strip is perfect for both guarding electronic surges by adding additional NEMA 5-15R outlets near home entertainment systems or behind the family computer. With its LED power-on indicator, you will never have to guess if it’s on or off. The strip also houses a 15Amp circuit breaker. This device not only serves to protect and add convenience, it comes equipped with a 6 foot, heavy-duty extension cord bringing the outlets closer to the devices needing power.”

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Learning Center Article – What are the Top Cities for IT Grads?

It’s graduation season! There are over 200,000 open jobs across the U.S. when you search for computer and information technology positions.

For those who would like to be in close proximity to their employer, we’ve analyzed 50 metros to find out which cities would be best for graduates looking for a job in computer and informational technology.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Meta is rolling out a new ‘Calls’ tab globally in its Messenger app for iOS and Android users. The new tab will keep track of each call you make or receive in the app in one place and make it easier to connect calls with one tap
• President Joe Biden is expected to visit Saudi Arabia this month as his administration tries to repair strained relations with a longtime U.S. ally and bring more oil onto the global market.
• Frontier Airlines’ parent company said it would pay a $250 million reverse breakup fee to Spirit Airlines if regulators don’t approve the planned combination of the two discount carriers for antitrust reasons.
• Walmart is building four new warehouses with a high-tech spin in hopes of delivering items to customers more quickly and growing its online business.

Happy Thursday! The weekend is just around the corner – who’s ready? In the meantime, enjoy celebrating National Rocky Road Day and National Rotisserie Chicken Day! I guess this calls for rotisserie chicken for dinner followed by some rocky road ice cream. YUM 😋

In This Issue: Close to the Finish Line | Dell N743D 10G, SR, SFP+ Transceiver | Meraki Network Products – Simplify Your Network | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Close to the Finish Line

Happy Thursday!

I wanted to share an update on the Iceland Ring Road Virtual Race that I am participating in. We are so close to finishing it! We have 48.5 miles left as of this morning (out of the 828 miles)! I had mentioned a while back that two other neighbors and myself were running it as a team due to injuries, travel, etc. I am pretty proud of my 348.5 miles of that total number so far. I should be able to add about 20 more before we finish it. This virtual race has been a blast! Not only have I been able to increase my running miles, but I am also in better health (probably the best I have been in about 20 years), and when we hit certain milestones of the race they plant a tree – we have helped plant 5 trees through reforestation projects with the Eden Project. That is all pretty cool in itself! We should wrap up the race this weekend or the first of next week and then we wait for the medals. I will post a pic of the medal when it arrives.

This has been a super challenging but rewarding race. I have been able to push myself harder than I ever have before through it. Once we finish this one we will be starting up the virtual race through Lord of The Rings (Huge Lord of The Rings fan here!) There will be 5 different races that we will work through in sequential order – The Shire (145mi), The Fellowship (98mi), Mines of Moria (40mi), The Eye of Sauron (95 mi), and Mordor (282 mi). That will be a lot of fun!

Just curious, if you have watched the Lord of The Rings trilogy, who’s your favorite character? Mine is Samwise. He is loyal, determined, and probably the type of person we all would want as our best friend. Let me know who yours is.

Have a great rest of the week and weekend!

Jason

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Product Spotlights & Updates

The Dell N743D is a 10 Gigabit SFP+ transceiver module that provides 10GBase-SR connectivity using multi-mode fiber. This transceiver module features duplex LC connectors and operates on an 850nm wavelength. This module is also hot-swappable so it can be switched out with ease.

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Learning Center Article – Meraki Network Products – Simplify Your Network

When it comes to industrial and enterprise networking, hardware solutions often create as many new problems as they solve. Networks get so complicated that scalable designs often devolve into a jumbled mess. Cisco Meraki offers an incredible solution to this problem. Through the use of powerful automation features and a suite of devices that are designed to work well together, these products might prove to be the best way to manage many business networks.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Walmart is increasingly relying on its vast network of stores to build out its e-commerce business. They are using its stores as launch pads for delivery drones and departure locations for direct-to-fridge drop-offs, and it will soon start packing and shipping third-party sellers’ goods from stores.
• Ford is adding 6,200 hourly union jobs at three midwestern U.S. plants. Another 3,000 temp workers will become full-time union employees immediately. The moves will support increased production of the electric F-150 Lightning, the Transit van, and all-new versions of the Mustang and Ranger pickup.
• United Airlines plans to break ground Wednesday on an expansion of its training center in Denver, an initiative aimed at getting thousands of pilots ready to fly passengers as the carrier goes on a hiring spree. The project will cost about $100 million. The new four-story building at its training campus will allow United to add six new flight simulators.
• NASA awarded contracts to Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace to provide spacesuits for International Space Station spacewalks and Artemis moonwalks

Happy Wednesday and Happy June 1st! Can you believe it’s already June? Where has the time gone?!

In This Issue: A Simple Reminder of Hope | Cisco 3560/2960 Compact Switch Rack Mount Kit | LACP vs. PAGP | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – A Simple Reminder of Hope

Good morning and Happy June!

For the next few weeks, I’m soaking up some time in the Florida Keys! I grew up always visiting my great-grandma here and now we get the joy of visiting and cherishing all of the sweet memories we have with her.

One of my favorite things about being here is being able to look in the water and see straight to the bottom. The water is always so clear! Every day we spend hours looking into the water, waiting on our next big find. Something I always hope to see is a manatee. My great-grandma would share so many stories about the manatee here coming in the boat basin and hanging around for a while. She even shared that they used to feed them lettuce and give them fresh water – and said they always loved it! Anyways, last night my husband and I were out sitting by the water, and we saw a manatee!

I can’t help but sometimes think signs from God come at the right times. This year has been so tough for our family. We’ve mourned the loss of two incredible people in our family and something as simple as seeing a manatee is such a simple reminder that there is hope.

Ashley

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Perfect for mounting that pesky compact switch into your lovely 19″ rack, this Cisco 3560/2960 Compact Switch rack mount kit will close any unnecessary gaps and will allow your unit to sit flush with the rest of your equipment. Heavy duty and backed by our lifetime warranty, these brackets won’t fail you. Be sure to check for compatibility below and feel free to contact us with any questions.

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Learning Center Article – LACP vs PAGP

When it comes to network design, there are usually multiple avenues to arrive at the same result. Any number of arrays can ultimately provide the network coverage you need, and there are always different protocols for managing and controlling networks.

A common technique that is used to increase throughput for Ethernet systems is link aggregation. This technique can increase effective transmission speeds while making a network more robust. There are a few ways to aggregate links, and two of the leading protocols are LACP and PAGP.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Facebook’s transformation to Meta will be complete with a new ticker symbol by June 9th.
• The Supreme Court has voted 5-4 to block Texas’ social media censorship law, a major boon for tech companies who have been fighting against content moderation laws that would fundamentally change how they do business.
• Scientists have discovered the “biggest plant on earth.” The Posidonia australis, also known as fiber-ball weed or ribbon weed – is commonly found along the southern coastlines of Australia.
• The multinational monkeypox outbreak continues to pose a low risk to the general public, and, for now, it seems unlikely that cases will mushroom into a global pandemic, according to the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But, experts are concerned that the virus could continue to spread and that transmission may escape containment without an urgent and thorough public health response.