Archives for September 2022

Happy Friday! This week has been tough as we’ve seen hurricane Ian continue to cause massive destruction. Our hearts are heavy as we pray for everyone who’s been impacted.

In This Issue: Support Hurricane Ian Recovery | Cisco Catalyst 2960S Series FlexStack Module | Basics of Port Mirroring Configuration | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Support Hurricane Ian Recovery

Happy Friday, folks! I’ll keep this post short. There are millions of people that Hurricane Ian has displaced. My encouragement today is to get involved someway in the recovery efforts!

This article from Axios Miami provides some options to support recovery efforts.

If you’re already involved, thank you!

Chris

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Cisco FlexStack Module provides a true stacking solution with all Catalyst 2960S Series switches in a FlexStack stack acting as a single switching unit when the module is installed in all switches. FlexStack provides a unified data plane, and single configuration for a group of stacked Cisco Catalyst 2960-S switches. A single FlexStack connection between two members is a full duplex 10Gbps connection.

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Learning Center Article – Basics of Port Mirroring Configuration

When you have an important network, it’s a common practice to use some form of network monitoring. This can help you keep an eye on things for better security and network performance.

How do you implement monitoring techniques into a network?

One of the most straightforward methods is to use port mirroring.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• SpaceX and billionaire astronaut Jared Isaacman are teaming up with NASA to study whether a private mission could extend the life of the famed Hubble telescope. NASA signed an agreement with Elon Musk’s company to study the possibility of using a SpaceX spacecraft to dock with the telescope and change its orbit in an effort to further its lifetime.
• The Biden administration scaled back eligibility for its student loan forgiveness plan Thursday, the same day six Republican-led states sued President Joe Biden in an effort to block his student loan forgiveness plan from taking effect.
• A Russian strike against the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia killed at least 25 people and injured 28 others.
• A revived Hurricane Ian set its sights on South Carolina’s coast Friday and the historic city of Charleston, with forecasters predicting a storm surge and floods after the megastorm caused catastrophic damage in Florida and left people trapped in their homes. With all of South Carolina’s coast under a hurricane warning, a steady stream of vehicles left Charleston on Thursday, many likely heeding officials’ warnings to seek higher ground. Storefronts were sandbagged to ward off high water levels in an area prone to inundation.

Whether you’re grabbing yours to go or lingering over grabbing a second cup – coffee lovers, this day is for you! Coffee has a long history of satisfying the taste buds (and caffeine addition) of many. What’s your favorite way to enjoy a cup of coffee?

In This Issue: 2022 Top Halloween Candy | Cisco Catalyst 3560-CX Series 8 Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch | Benefits of Redundancy & Cold Spares | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – 2022 Top Halloween Candy

Happy Thursday!

I have a tasty topic for all of us today. It seems like every year the stores start bringing out Halloween candy (well, all candy and decorations for holidays) earlier and earlier. You can walk through any store, starting at the end of August, and not see Halloween decorations and candy everywhere. I personally don’t mind this since some of the candy is only available a few times a year. I am a HUGE candy corn (that probably just made a few of you cringe…haha!), Nerds, and SweeTarts fan, but I won’t say no to just about any of it. The pumpkin-shaped white chocolate Reese’s cups are another favorite of mine. Put those in the freezer, let them get nice and cold, and they are good to go!

Based on some analysis by Byte.com (a national network of dentists) using a combination of Google searches and surveys, they determined what the top Halloween candy for each state is for 2022. (Yeah…not overly scientific, but still fun to look at.) Georgia got Nerds. I can def respect that! Of course, CK’s favorite candy is M&M’s. Haha!

So, do you agree with your state? What’s your personal favorite Halloween candy? Not that we are running around trick-or-treating as adults (I guess we could.), but we do get to buy it and raid our kids’ candy stashes that they get each year.

I hope all of you have an awesome rest of the week and weekend…and go buy some of your favorite Halloween candy and enjoy it!

Jason

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Product Spotlights & Updates

The WS-C3560CX-8PC-S is part of the Cisco Catalyst Compact Switch family built to expand Ethernet infrastructure outside of your network closet. Virtually silent (Fanless) switches are capable of being mounted on the wall, under desks, in tight spaces, or pretty much anywhere they are needed. Unlike hubs or unmanaged switches, the 3560CX series switches provide advanced security features and advanced networking features for flexibility and scalability.

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Learning Center Article – Benefits of Redundancy & Cold Spares

Downtime is the true enemy of every network. Downtime is frustrating, destructive, and worst of all, costly. Businesses can rapidly lose money with even small amounts of network downtime, so everyone wants ways to avoid it.

There really is one answer: redundancy.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Ian, which was downgraded Thursday to a tropical storm as it heads for open water in the Atlantic, battered southwest Florida as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 150 mph at landfall Wednesday. Lee County, FL was hit hardest. More than 2.5 million families are without power as of this morning.
• Coolio, the ’90s rapper who lit up the music charts with hits like “Gangsta’s Paradise” and “Fantastic Voyage,” has died, his friend and manager Jarez Posey, told CNN. He was 59. Posey said Coolio died Wednesday afternoon. Details on the circumstances were not immediately available.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday will formally annex four regions of Ukraine. The move follows referendums in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine that have been condemned as sham votes. Leaders in Ukraine and Western powers are worried Putin could use threats against these regions as a pretext for using nuclear weapons. Elsewhere, NATO said it believes leaks on the Nord Stream pipeline, which funnels gas from Russia to Europe, happened because of “deliberate, reckless, and irresponsible acts of sabotage.”
• New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge belted his 61st home run of the season in Toronto on Wednesday night, tying the American League record set by fellow pinstripe great Roger Maris. Judge’s latest long ball came against Blue Jays pitcher Tim Mayza in the seventh inning at Rogers Centre, breaking a 3-3 tie and leading New York to an 8-3 victory.

If you’re reading this, this morning, it means you’ve survived the week so far – or at least you’re trying to! The weekend is just around the corner. Hang in there!

In This Issue: A Grand Texas Adventure | Nexus 3000 Accessory Kit | LACP vs PAGP | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – A Grand Texas Adventure

Good morning! When you’re reading this, I’ll likely still be on a flight to Dallas, Texas. I’m going on a fairly quick trip but am super pumped about it! Ever since I first visited Texas a few years back, I’ve been set that one day I’ll move there. I don’t know what it is about Texas or what I loved so much during that one visit, but every time I’ve been back – it just feels like home!

I’ll only be in Dallas for about 36 hours, but are there any places you recommend I visit or try and sneak in? I’m always up for an adventure!

Look forward to your recommendations and hope you have a great rest of your week!

Ashley

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Looking for an all-in-one Nexus 3000 Accessory Kit?! Look no further! This complete kit includes the rails, guides, ears, screws, and grounding lug needed to mount your Nexus 3064 Switches.

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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:

• Hurricane Ian rapidly strengthened into a strong Category 4 with winds of 155 mph, just 2 mph shy of being a Cat 5, as it draws closer to landfall later today between Sarasota and Fort Myers, with catastrophic storm surge, wind damage and flooding rainfall.
• The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($647,200 or less) increased to 6.52% from 6.25%. Applications to refinance a home loan dropped 11% for the week and were 84% lower than the same week one year ago. Mortgage applications to purchase a home decreased 0.4% for the week and were 29% lower than the same week one year ago.
• Hugh Jackman will enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe alongside Ryan Reynolds in “Deadpool 3,” which is due out in theaters Sept. 6, 2024. Reynolds, who portrayed the “merc with a mouth” in several 20th Century Fox projects, announced via social media that he and Jackman are set to partner up for Deadpool’s first turn as a Disney property.
• McDonald’s is bringing back its family of recognizable figurines in a new adult Happy Meal, which, yes, includes the toys. Beginning October 3, customers can order a Cactus Plant Flea Market Box — a Big Mac or 10-piece chicken McNuggets, with fries and a drink. The meal is a collaboration between the streetwear brand and the fast food chain as it digs deeper into nostalgia. The food will be served in a specially designed box that should trigger memories of Happy Meals from the old days. Toys include redesigned takes on McDonald’s famous mascots, including Grimace, Hamburglar and Birdie, plus a new one named Cactus Buddy.

Happy Tuesday! Happy National Chocolate Milk and Corned Beef Hash day. Seems like the perfect day to make some homemade hash with a side of chocolate milk…yum?!

In This Issue: A Grand Road Trip! | Cisco ATA 190 Analog Telephone Adapter | Importance of Fiber Optic Cleaning | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – A Grand Road Trip!

Good Morning & Happy Tuesday! I’m back from my road trip across Georgia and I have to say, it was absolutely amazing! I’ll probably tell some stories from the trip over the next couple of weeks, but the summary is that it was incredible!

We used a camper van as our mode of transportation which was a totally new experience for me. I was slightly nervous about it just wondering how the van would drive, would we feel cramped, would we break down, etc, but it turned out to be a great experience! The van drove super smooth and the huge windshield up front definitely helped the time pass quickly when we were on the road (which was over 17 hours!).

The only downside was that it did not have A/C at night and the first 2 nights were spent in south Georgia which was HOT. We utilized some box fans to get a little airflow which definitely helped!

We started hitting the 7 natural wonders on Wednesday morning at the Okefenokee Swamp Park. We saw lots of alligators and way too many spiders!

Then we headed towards Albany and checked out Radium Springs which had the most beautiful, clear blue water I’ve ever seen! The radium content is responsible for the color and it’s stunning to see!

Finally, we hit Providence Canyon which has been on our bucket list for years. The scenery there is so different than anywhere else in Georgia. It felt like we were out west in the desert!

The next day we headed to Columbus to check out Warm Springs. Unfortunately, the springs were closed, but we got a personal tour of Roosevelt’s Little White House and it may have been the highlight of our trip!

After that, it was off to Stone Mountain where we missed the last skyride car as it got shut down due to wind (bummer). So we headed north to Amicalola Falls which was stunning as always.

The next day we went to Tallulah Gorge which is a favorite spot of ours. Since we clearly needed to pack more into this trip, we also made a quick stop at Toccoa Falls before heading back to Atlanta to try again at Stone Mountain! Luckily we were able to catch a ride to the top and get the views we were hoping for!

Rebecca

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Product Spotlights & Updates

The Cisco ATA 190 Analog Telephone Adapter is an excellent solution to be able to transform your traditional devices into VoIP devices. These adapters allow you to save money by continuing to use your existing phone investment while enjoying the benefits of VoIP.

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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 its 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:

• Hertz and BP Pulse, the oil giant’s EV charging unit, will install thousands of chargers at Hertz sites across the U.S.
• Chipotle Mexican Grill said it will test “Chippy,” an autonomous kitchen assistant made by Miso Robotics in hopes to streamline operations.
• Walmart is entering the metaverse with two experiences, Walmart Land and Walmart’s Universe of Play, in the gaming platform Roblox. The retailer is experimenting with other ways to reach shoppers, including shoppable recipes, live streaming events, and an augmented reality feature for furniture.
• iRobot adds an automatic mop to its flagship Roomba.

Happy Monday! We hope you had a great weekend and were able to enjoy some time relaxing. Wishing you the best week ahead!

In This Issue: Prepping the Grill | Cisco Aironet 3600 Series Access Point – 25% off! | Wired vs Wireless Networks: Which is better? | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Prepping the Grill

Happy Monday!

I hope everyone had a great weekend! The Fall temperatures have finally arrived again in Georgia and I am loving it. A lot of people associate the summer with grilling, but I think Fall is the best time to grill. Mosquitos aren’t a big deal, the weather isn’t scorching, and the leaves outside are changing into vibrant colors… did I mention it isn’t deathly hot? I was fortunate enough to get some grilling in this weekend – I was able to snag a couple of strip steaks on sale and went at it old-school style on a weber grill with all-natural lump charcoal. The steaks turned out perfectly – nice outside sear and crust and perfectly medium rare in the center. It was delicious and now I’m hungry again.

As I was in the process of getting the grill ready, I thought about how everything needed to be prepared and in order for the desired results. I had to get the grill ready by making sure it was clean, had to light the coals with a charcoal chimney, season the meat, and had to wait for the right conditions (the grill to be properly heated), all before throwing the steaks on the grill. It made me think about the projects I work on, and all the preparation needed to get the desired results. Sometimes I just want things to happen immediately, but I forget that it can take several steps to get the desired results. I needed that reminder this weekend as I was frustrated with myself for not getting things done faster. It’s all in the preparation… because nobody wants an undercooked or even a burnt steak.

Do you guys experience the same challenges? Would love to hear your thoughts! Have a great week!

Cris

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Product Spotlights & Updates

This ready-to-install, easy-to-manage access point offers high capacity, high security, and enterprise-class features to deliver wireless LAN access with a low total cost of ownership. Designed for coverage in offices and similar RF environments, this unobtrusive access point features integrated antennas and dual IEEE 802.11a/g/n radios for comprehensive and predictable coverage, providing a combined capacity of 450 Mbps.

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Learning Center Article – Wired vs Wireless Networks: Which is better?

When it comes to designing your network, you have to make one basic decision before you get to anything else. Do you want wireless connectivity? The truth is that wired and wireless networks offer significant pros and cons when compared to each other. It’s important to have a good appreciation of those pros and cons before committing to your network design or plan.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Amazon will host a “Prime Early Access Sale” October 11th & 12th.
• The Information Commissioner’s Office said it has provisionally found that TikTok breached U.K. data protection law between May 2018 and July 2020. TikTok may have processed the data of children under 13 without parental consent and failed to present information to its users in a way that’s easy to understand, the regulator said. The ICO noted that its findings are “provisional” and not final. TikTok now has 30 days to come up with a response.
• NASA is scheduled to smack into an asteroid at 7:14 pm Eastern time on Monday in hopes to push it on a different course.
• Ian strengthened into a hurricane in the Caribbean Sea on Monday morning. The storm is set to rapidly intensify into a major hurricane by Monday night as it approaches western Cuba. A Hurricane Watch has been issued along Florida’s Gulf Coast ahead of the expected wind, rain and storm surge from Hurricane Ian later this week.

Happy Friday! We hope you had a great week and are looking forward to the weekend. Do you have any exciting weekend plans?

In This Issue: Only 68 business days left in 2022 | Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series 48 Port IP PoE Switching Module | What does AWG mean for Ethernet patch cables? | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Only 68 business days left in 2022

Happy Friday, folks! This week has been a very productive one here at CablesAndKits. I hope that each of you had a great week too!

As an organization, we discuss two things weekly: how many business days remain in the month and how many business days remain in the year. We’ve watched the monthly metric for years. However, discussing the number of remaining business days in the year is something we recently started watching. One of the interesting takeaways for me is that adding that single metric has pushed me to prioritize our effort on the few most impactful priorities.

By the way, there are 68 business days left in 2022! 😲

Keeping in mind how many days remain in the year, I invest a few minutes each week reviewing our short-term priorities. We call our short-term priorities Rocks (comes from EOS), which generally take around 90 days to complete. I noticed that some “good” tasks had crept onto my to-do list. While they are good, I realized they are not the “best” things to focus on to complete our short-term priorities, so they got moved to the backlog.

I have a mentor that shared the following statement with me years ago: “Strategy is the allocation of limited resources to unlimited opportunity.” As you go about your day, how are you allocating your time to the tasks or projects that will mean the most for you personally or professionally?

Have a great weekend!

Chris

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Product Spotlights & Updates

The Inline Power 10/100BaseT Ethernet switching module enables the Catalyst 6500/6000 family to be the first platform of the industry that can support new Fast Ethernet features necessary for campus network convergence. You can use this module to supply inline power for Cisco IP Phones and Cisco Wireless Access Points supplied with Fast Ethernet.

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Learning Center Article – What does AWG mean for Ethernet patch cables?

AWG stands for American Wire Gauge. It is the common measurement used in the U.S. and Canada to determine the thickness of a wire made for electrical purposes. First established in 1857, AWG originally measured basic solid wire. Now it is used to measure stranded wire as well, which can lead to some confusion when looking at a cable to determine AWG. The stranded wire contains air pockets, which can make a cable look much bigger than it is.

Gauge size can be counterintuitive for some, as smaller numbers mean larger wire diameters, which means there is less resistance for the signals carried through the cable. The wire in Cat6 and Cat6a patch cables, with their improved performance abilities, run slightly thicker than their Cat5E counterparts, giving you a better quality of throughput.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• FedEx announced that its Express, Ground and Home Delivery rates will increase by an average of 6.9%.
• Alibaba said it will invest $1 billion over the next three fiscal years to support its cloud computing customers as the Chinese e-commerce giant looks to reignite growth after a historical slowdown.
• Amazon announced the latest version of its Fire 8 tablets. The four new models are the Fire HD 8 at $99, the Fire HD 8 Plus at $120, and the Fire HD 8 Kids and the Fire HD 8 Kids Pro both for $150.
• Apple Music is replacing Pepsi as the new sponsor for the NFL’s Super Bowl halftime show.