Archives for August 2022

Happy National Trail Mix Day! Filled with nuts, dried fruit, and grains – trail mix is the snack we all know best! Perfect for a stroll on a trail, camping, in the car, or just because – it always hits the spot! What are your favorite things to add to your trail mix?

In This Issue: Outgrowing the Pot You Are In | Cisco 10GBase-SR SFP+ Module | Layer 2 vs Layer 3 Switches: Which is best for your network? | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Outgrowing the Pot You Are In

Happy Wednesday!

This weekend I spent quite a bit of time repotting several of my house plants. My love for plants really began a few years ago, when my husband and I moved into our first apartment together and had the perfect window to put them in. I have carried several of these plants with me through the numerous moves I’ve taken in the last several years.

Many of my plants were at a point where they were outgrowing the pots they were in, needed some new fresh soil and fertilizer, and just some general tender love and care. As I was doing this, I was reminded that we also have to do this for ourselves. Day in and day out we are all working, caring for family, working to maintain relationships, and much more. But do we take the time to give ourselves the TLC that we need? It’s so crucial to make sure you spend time reflecting on where you are. If your roots are outgrowing the pot you’re in, you need a new pot. If your leaves are starting to feel droopy or are starting to dry up, you need water! All this to say – take care of yourself!

How do you take time for yourself? When you start feeling like you’re outgrowing your pot or your leaves are drying out, how do you navigate?

Have a great week!

Ashley

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Product Spotlights & Updates

The Cisco SFP-10G-SR module gives you a wide variety of 10 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity options for your data center, enterprise wiring closet, and service provider transport applications. This module boasts a variety of features and benefits, including being the industry’s smallest form factor, which results in the greatest density per chassis.

The SFP-10G-SR is hot-swappable and can be switched out with ease, making upgrades and maintenance easy. Cisco 10GBASE-SR SFP+ modules also feature Digital Optical Monitoring (DOM) functionality, which allows you to monitor the signal strength, the temperature of the SFP, and the transceiver voltage.

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Learning Center Article – Layer 2 vs Layer 3 Switches: Which is best for your network?

When it comes to network switches, you have a lot of options. Finding the perfect switch for every occasion can be a monstrous task. Sometimes, the easiest way to find a good choice is to take a step back and learn more about the primary differences that exist between switches.

One major difference that you will see is the OSI connection layer. Most of the switches you will see will be labeled as either Layer 2 or Layer 3. When you take a deeper look at the key aspects of each layer, you can make an informed decision that ensures you have the right equipment for the job at hand.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Bed Bath & Beyond said Wednesday that it secured more than $500 million in new financing and that it is closing stores and laying off staff as it seeks to fix its struggling business.
• The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($647,200 or less) increased to 5.80% last week from 5.65% the previous week. Mortgage applications to purchase a home dropped 2% for the week and were 23% lower than the same week one year ago.
• NASA announced it will make another attempt to launch the Artemis I lunar mission on Saturday.
• Starting Oct. 28, Facebook Gaming will no longer be available on iOS and Android.

Today we celebrate America’s favorite fire-roasted treats – marshmallows! Grab a long stick and some marshmallows and enjoy a night around the fire!

In This Issue: It’s Game Week! | Cisco Original UCS 1TB 6G SAS 7200 RPM SFF HDD | DHCP vs Static IP | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – It’s Game Week!

Good Morning & Happy Tuesday! Not to sound overly excited or anything, but…. IT’S GAME WEEK!!!!

The countdown is almost over to the first UGA game of the season and it’s a big one! I think that has made the anticipation even stronger (and made time seem to move even slower these past couple of weeks!). I have a feeling this week may move at a snail’s pace, but thankfully today I’m getting a nice distraction with the opportunity to play for CK in a charity golf tournament supporting iServe Ministries. They’re an awesome local organization with a vision to end generational poverty in the communities they serve through meeting practical needs and teaching life skills.

I love the focus on serving the local community through giving, while also teaching life skills to help lift others up so that they can grow, learn new habits, and elevate their lives. It’s a great mission and I’m really excited to play in the tournament…. Even if I am terrible at golf! 😉

Rebecca

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Product Spotlights & Updates

CablesAndkits.com is proud to offer the best of both worlds, Cisco, HP and Dell hard drives. These hard drives are HP and Dell original. The SAS hard drives operate in a state of the art performance for hosting high transaction applications. The SAS hard drives are available in 2.5-inch small form factor (SFF) and comes in a wide selection of storage capacity. Each hard drive is wiped of previous information and is fully tested.

When you purchase a hard drive from CablesAndkits, you are backed by our industry-leading advanced replacement lifetime warranty. – Yes, we do mean FREE hard drive replacement.

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Learning Center Article – DHCP vs Static IP

When it comes to managing a network, one of the pivotal aspects is controlling IP addresses. Every device on a network needs an IP address, so how do you assign them?

For the most part, you can choose between DHCP and static IP. Which is right for your network? Keep reading to learn more about the differences and learn for yourself.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• In early August, a team of Portuguese and Spanish researchers exhumed parts of what they believe is a fossilized brachiosaurid sauropod skeleton in Monte Agudo, Pombal, in Portugal.
• Chipotle Mexican Grill is testing chicken al pastor in the Denver and Indianapolis regions. It’s the second time in less than a year that the burrito chain has tried out a new chicken option. Chipotle aims to announce additions to its menu two to three times a year.
• Uber is rolling out new safety features that will allow users to talk to a live safety agent and text 911 operators in the case of an emergency.
• A Chinese puzzle enthusiast broke a Guinness World Record by solving three Rubik’s cubes in 3 minutes and 29.29 seconds while juggling the puzzles.

Happy Monday! We hope you had a fun and relaxing weekend with family and friends. Here’s to a great week!

In This Issue: Landing on the Moon | Cisco Meraki MX64 Security Appliance | How to Repair Cut Fiber | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Landing on the Moon

Greetings and Happy Monday!

Hopefully this week NASA’s Artemis 1 should be launching and headed toward the moon. This will be the first moon mission that will have occurred in my lifetime (the last one I believe was Apollo 17 in 1972). Back in elementary school, the teachers showed clips of the moon landing and also John F. Kennedy’s “Address at Rice University on the Nation’s Space effort from 1962“. I keep ruminating on a phrase in that address “We choose to go to the Moon”. The whole speech is inspiring, but the ending was very impactful –

“We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one we intend to win, and the others, too.”

This first unmanned Artemis mission is essentially a test run for the other Artemis. Artemis 2 will send people around the moon similar to today’s launch and in 2024 and hopefully, if all goes well Artemis 3 will have people (including the first woman) landing on the lunar surface in 2025.

I think I’m more excited for my children in the prospect of landing on the moon. I want my daughters to see that with enough energy and effort the seemingly insurmountable can be overcome. I look at my daughters and hope that they will be inspired by the launches (whether that inspiration leads them to science or art, or whatever endeavor they choose) – and that they are inspired by the possibilities.

Cris

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Product Spotlights & Updates

The Meraki MX64-HW security device is an excellent solution for small branch locations with support for up to 50 users, 250 Mbps of stateful firewall throughput, and 200 Mbps of advanced security throughput. The MX is 100% cloud-managed, so installation and remote management is truly zero-touch, making it ideal for distributed branches, campuses, and data center locations.

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Learning Center Article – How to Repair Cut Fiber

As we all know, fiber optic lines are complicated, powerful, and delicate. They provide incredibly powerful communication signals with high bandwidths and great reliability. But, because they are so delicate, they can be damaged.

When damage occurs, you can either repair it or replace it, and the former option is much cheaper. Here are the steps to repair a cut fiber cable.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• NASA delayed the debut of its towering moon rocket Monday after issues emerged during countdown, postponing the launch from the Kennedy Space Center.
• The Biden administration will end its giveaway of Covid-19 at-home tests on Friday because of insufficient congressional funding.
• A Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurant in Lansing, Michigan, became the chain’s first location to vote to unionize.
• He may not be playing football for Detroit anymore, but quarterback Matthew Stafford is still on Detroit’s pizza team. The Super Bowl-winning Los Angeles Rams player will appear in a commercial for Little Caesars. The ad, which airs Monday, is set at a training camp with employees and football fans trying to secure a Little Caesars pizza.

Happy Friday! We hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Have any big weekend plans? We’d love to hear about them!

In This Issue: Warranty Horror Stories | MPO Cable, 12-Strand | Should I upgrade from 3750X switch to the 3850 Series switch? | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Warranty Horror Stories

Happy Friday, folks! I want to rant a bit about how some companies handle warranty redemptions. I recently read the article “…home warranty horror stories” on clark.com, and it seems like some companies that provide these are looking for a way to say no to the customer, which is appalling! You shouldn’t have to jump through hoops and promise your firstborn to redeem a warranty.

This brings me to my question. Have you used our Lifetime Warranty?

Every order from CablesAndKits INCLUDES a Lifetime Warranty in the purchase price. We know you wear many hats, so we’ve made the Warranty Claim process as simple as possible. All you need is the serial number from the unit or the order number (in the case of cabling). We’ll advance ship a replacement out (same day in most cases). This warranty even covers hard drives, power supplies, and fans. If you’ve ever managed a server, then you know those three items fail the most often. We’ve got your back!

Don’t just take our word for it; here is what Troy said recently: “Quick response and no hassle to replace a bad switch. I have used Cables And Kits for years in my home lab and in my work network. I would highly recommend them.”

Have a great weekend!

Chris

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Our MPO Essentials line of fiber cables features high-quality, precision-built connectors that ensure secure connections for stable transmission with minimal optical loss. This female-to-female cable features 12 strands of laser-optimized cable that allows you to drastically increase your network bandwidth. Additionally, this cable is made with a durable, Low Smoke Zero Halogen (LSZH) jacket. As with all of our products, these cables come with a Lifetime Advanced Replacement Warranty meaning that you can purchase risk-free knowing your satisfaction is guaranteed!

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Learning Center Article – Should I upgrade from 3750X switch to the 3850 Series switch?

Cisco has established its brand through consistency, innovation and performance. It’s no accident that the Cisco name remains one of the most recognizable and respected brands in networking. Even though the Cisco label is enough to inspire certain confidence in the quality of their products, it’s not always enough to determine which device really is the best option for a given network.

When considering high-level, enterprise networks, there are a number of viable switches that can handle the workload. Two of those switches are the 3750X and the 3850X. The former has been around for close to a decade, and it still remains relevant in many active networks. Is it time to upgrade to the newer 3850X switch? Hopefully, this breakdown can help you answer that question.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Water cuts proposed for southern Nevada to cope with drought could change the face of the world-famous Las Vegas Strip, where thousands of visitors amble by gentle rivers fronting hotel-casinos and watch colorful water shows at night.
• Authorities have found 2 U.S. tons of methamphetamine hidden in marble tiles shipped from the Middle East to Sydney in what police describe as the largest-ever seizure of the illicit drug in Australia.
• Trainer Daniel Cone has flown so often with exotic animals that he doesn’t think much of it. Though a bald eagle sighting at a North Carolina airport turned heads this week, with video from the security checkpoint going viral.
• Google-owned navigation service Waze is shutting down its six-year-old carpooling service.

Happy National Banana Split Day! Originally served in drug stores, soda fountains, and ice cream parlors, the banana split is traditionally served in a long dish with all of your favorite toppings. What are you favorite toppings to put on top?

In This Issue: Being a Daymaker | AC Power Cord for Cisco Catalyst 3K-X Series | What does 5G mean for business networks? | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Being a Daymaker

Good morning & happy Thursday!

Tuesday evening we had our first volunteer “get together” / training for our new Church campus launch next month. It was a great time getting to meet the other people and families that I will be joining over at the new campus in our county. We have all been in church together for years but just at different campuses, so it will be great getting to serve with all these amazing people going forward, every Sunday.

During the training, our campus pastor talked about how important it is to make each and every man, woman, and child that comes into the building feel like we are here just for them, help them feel special, and feel at ease. It was a great reminder that each and every person, no matter who they are, what they’ve done, or what they have been through, they are special to God and to me (us). He called it being a “Daymaker”. How do we make each and every person’s day better and brighter? This made me ask myself, how am I doing this in my everyday life – family, friends, work, neighbors, etc.? How am I making other people’s days better and adding to them instead of taking away from them? How am I making their day brighter?

It’s a tough but fun question to ask yourself daily. How can I make at least one person’s day brighter? Maybe helping them do something even before they ask, taking them out to lunch, sharing an encouraging/uplifting word with them, helping a family in need, or just spending some time with someone. It can be so many things that will lift a person up. The added benefit when we do this is no matter what is going on in our lives right then, our day will be brighter as well.

Just a challenge for the rest of the week and weekend, find someone to help or make their day brighter in some way. It may seem simple to you, but it may make their day and make a huge difference in their life.

Have a great Thursday everyone!

Jason

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Product Spotlights & Updates

This power cord is for use with the C3KX-PWR-350WAC, C3KX-PWR-715WAC, and C3KX-PWR-1100WAC power supplies. Commonly known as the 3750X and 3560X series power cord.

Its equipment end is a C15, or IEC60320-C15 is a 3 prong, female connector commonly used on the end of computer and networking device power cords. This equipment end looks like the C13 with a notch missing. The C15 can be used in place of the C13 if needed, which makes it more versatile.

The supply end is a 5-15P, or NEMA 5-15P are three-prong male plugs used in most households and businesses in North America to supply power to devices.

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Learning Center Article – What does 5G mean for business networks?

There is a lot of technology generating excitement for more applications than we could hope to name. One central theme to virtually all of that technology is an increased demand for data and the need of higher bandwidth for connectivity. More devices than ever are actively communicating, and they are placing massive burdens on existing infrastructure.

Copper networks and 4G wireless have a shelf life. Within the next couple of years, they will no longer be able to service standard demands — much less cutting-edge applications. Ultimately, we all need a network that is built for the new age of connectivity. That network will run on 5G.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• President Biden announced a plan on Wednesday to wipe out significant amounts of student loan debt for tens of millions of Americans, saying he would cancel $10,000 in debt for those earning less than $125,000 per year and $20,000 for those who had received Pell grants for low-income families.
• Amazon is shuttering its telehealth service, known as Amazon Care.
• Twenty-five people are now confirmed dead after a Russian rocket attack on a train station in central Ukraine. The strikes took place on Aug. 24, Ukraine’s Independence Day, ahead of which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia may launch a “particularly cruel” attack on the country.
• Sonos is working on a new flagship speaker that could be quite a departure from its existing models, according to The Verge. The publication reports that it has seen early images of a new high-end speaker with the codename Optimo 2. If its current design sticks, the device will be encased in a dual-angled shell and will be able to fire sound in nearly all directions, including upwards.

Happy National Waffle Day! Waffles are one of the most enjoyed breakfast items around. How do you like your waffle? Plain or piled high with toppings?

In This Issue: Cleaning out the Garage | Rack Adapter, 23″ to 19″ | Aruba Switches vs Cisco Switches | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Cleaning out the Garage

Happy Wednesday!

This weekend was so fruitful! My best friend from college came and hug out with us for the weekend in our new house and it was so fun to show her around the area.

My husband and I also cleaned up our garage! Since moving we’ve been putting tons of empty totes in there and a pile of things we needed to donate. We also had some decorations that my husband had in his college dorm and has been saving for the day we actually have a garage – and it’s here! We cleaned things up, put up the decorations and the tested if our cars fit. Our small car passed the test, but not our SUV. It’s a pretty wide 2-car garage, so for now we will put the car on one side and maybe put our workout equipment on the other side.

What do you use your garage for?

Ashley

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Rack adapters are used to mount standard 19″ computer and networking equipment into (not so standard) 23″ equipment racks. With these 1RU adapters, you can attach a 19″ wide piece of equipment to a 23″ rack. These rack adapters are made for 1 rack unit about 1.75″ tall. Made of 12 gauge steel these adapters can hold even the heaviest equipment.

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Learning Center Article – Aruba Switches vs Cisco Switches

When it comes to network switches, the variety of options can be overwhelming. There’s a specific switch for every niche networking role, and there are a dozen different brands making that one class of switch.

Out of all of those options, two leading brands are preferred in many professional networks: Aruba and Cisco. They are industry giants and leaders in many respects. When comparing them directly, it’s clear that you are getting different sets of benefits depending on which you choose.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• The University of Texas at Austin is following in the footsteps of New York University and offering its own course on Taylor Swift this fall.
• A cap embedded with electrodes that deliver small electric zaps to the brain appeared to boost memory in a group of older adults for at least one month, according to a new study. Read more here.
• Drought reveals 113 million-year-old dinosaur tracks in Texas. Prints mostly left by a creature that stood 15 feet tall, weighed 7 tons, and roamed the area 113 million years ago have emerged as the Paluxy River has disappeared.
• Hyundai and Kia are telling owners of some of their large SUVs to park them outdoors and away from buildings after a series of fires involving trailer hitch wiring. The Korean automakers are recalling more than 281,000 vehicles in the U.S. because of the problem.