Archives for October 2023

Happy Monday & Happy National Candy Corn Day! As we gear up for Halloween it’s the perfect day to enjoy a few pieces of the country’s favorite vegetable-inspired candy.

In This Issue: A Happy Halloweekend 🎃 | HPE Aruba 2930F Series Switch | Understanding HDMI Types & Specifications | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – A Happy Halloweekend 🎃

Happy Monday!

It was a very busy weekend for my family. We started the weekend with a trunk or treat at my daughter’s elementary school, then a karate tournament, another trunk or treat at the local ballpark, and then another candy giveaway at our Church. We will have enough candy to last the rest of the year! Luckily they got a bunch of Kit Kat and Crunch bars (my favorites) and I imposed my 10% dad tax on some of their candy, they didn’t mind too much, haha. What are your favorite Halloween treats?

The karate tournament went well, my daughter did not place, but she had a lot of fun and it was a good experience for her. She was the youngest in her category and was competing against many older kids and she accepted the loss well, knowing what she needed to do better next time! I’m very proud of her and hope she continues this journey! I think losing can build character and resilience, and I hope she doesn’t take it as a sign to give up, but rather to work harder next time!

This week’s Halloween! I’ll be watching Hocus Pocus (and not the sequel) and eating some Halloween treats! I hope you have a spooktacular week and a wonderful day!

Cris

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Product Spotlights & Updates

The Aruba 2930F Series of Switches were designed for customers creating smart digital workplaces that are optimized for mobile users with an integrated wired and wireless approach. They feature a wide variety of Layer 3 network switches which include built-in uplinks and PoE power. These incredible switches are easy to deploy and manage.

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Learning Center Article – Understanding HDMI Types & Specifications

High-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) is something that almost all of us recognize. It’s the de facto cable used to play video — especially for anything involving high-definition.

It’s a plug-and-play type of cable, and you probably have one or more of these cables connected to a TV (or more) in your home. While the essentials of HDMI are easily grasped, there’s a lot more to this technology than most people realize.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• U.S. President Joe Biden unveiled a new executive order on artificial intelligence. It’s the U.S. government’s first action of its kind, requiring new safety assessments, equity and civil rights guidance and research on AI’s impact on the labor market.
• Shein and Forever 21 are slated to unveil a co-branded clothing line that will be primarily sold on Shein’s website.
• Google has a feature that alerts you when your personal information gets posted online. You can pair that feature with the “Remove your result” tool to make it difficult for people to find that online.
• Google agreed to invest up to $2 billion in Anthropic. The commitment involves a $500 million upfront investment and an additional $1.5 billion to be invested over time.

Happy Friday and Happy National Black Cat Day! Do you have a black cat? We’d love to see some photos! 🐱

In This Issue: The CK Kitchen 🍴 | Post Rack Mount Adjustable Rails | FAQ: What is Dynamic ARP Inspection? | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – The CK Kitchen 🍴

Happy Friday CK Family!

We hope you’ve all had a great week! We are thrilled to share the CK Kitchen Fall Edition Cookbook with you. Download it here. Let us know if you give any of them a try!

Thank you to all who shared recipes with us. We can’t wait to give them a try and enjoy them. Up next is the winter edition. Christmas cookies, baked goods, hot cocoa, soups – we need them all! 🍪 Send in your favorite winter/Thanksgiving/Christmas recipes!

Have a wonderful weekend 😊

The CK Team

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Our CablesAndKits mount should be in the toolbox of every network admin and installer. No more looking for those hard-to-find rails or rack ears to mount your server, UPS, switch, firewall, or other devices. These fully adjustable, universal rails offer the simplicity and versatility to get the devices you need mounted in the rack, quickly and safely. Made from 14 gauge powder-coated steel, this system can be deployed in nearly any four-post environment.

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Learning Center Article – FAQ: What is Dynamic ARP Inspection?

Network security is a big job, especially if you allow public access to a network. If anyone out there can jump in and access your network, you face certain risks.

A specific risk that shows up a lot is IP spoofing. This is where a device on a network copies the IP address of something else on the network. Fortunately, there are measures you can take to prevent attacks, and one of the most prolific is dynamic ARP inspection.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Google Maps is expanding preexisting features and unveiling some new ones. The company said AI allowed for improvements to Google Maps’ EV charging station feature, more specific recommendations of nearby activities, and more in-depth visualization.
• Tesla Motors recently received permission to break ground on a 1950s-style drive-in movie theater and diner where the cinema parking comes with Tesla fast-charging stations.
• Amazon reported an operating margin of 7.8%, the highest since it reached a record of 8.2% in early 2021.
• Apple is holding an online-only launch event on October 30th, where it’s expected to introduce its next big chip updates and some Macs to go along with them. Apple is calling the pre-Halloween announcement the “Scary Fast” event, and its YouTube channel playfully invites viewers to “Treat yourself.”

Happy Thursday & Happy National Pumpkin Day! Not only do they make great fall decorations, but the pumpkin also completes a variety of tasty recipes. What are your favorite pumpkin treats to enjoy?

In This Issue: Meet Mandy! | HP DL380 Generation 8 | All About Media Converters | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Meet Mandy!

Happy Thursday CK Family!

My name is Mandy Bentley and I’m an account manager for the company. It’s nice to meet you if we haven’t previously worked together! I hit the 14-year anniversary mark this past September and I think Steve Jobs said it best. ‘And the only way to do great work is to love what you do’. I have served in many roles for the company, but out of all of them, helping clients achieve their needs brings me a different sense of joy.

When I’m not working, you can usually find me at the soccer fields. Both of my kids (ages 13 and soon to be 11) play club soccer so we spend 6 days a week participating in some sort of training and competitive games. And I love every minute of it! #GOALLIANCE

Tonight, the UGA girls’ soccer team is hosting Alliance night for our clubs’ players and families. The kids get to skip practice and enjoy a night of fun with their friends, scrimmaging on the field during halftime, and for some, probably hoping and dreaming that this will one day be them on that field!

Enjoy the rest of your week and weekend!

Mandy

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Product Spotlights & Updates

The DL380-G8 has the backbone of the industry-leading DL360, but has more flexibility with having a 2RU design rather than a 1RU design. Generation seven is supported by more UPS systems along with more options for hard drives for the everyday client. This capable 2RU not only has smart power and cooling management, but it also comes equipped with fault tolerance.

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Learning Center Article – All About Media Converters

Simple networks come with a lot of advantages. You don’t have to check compatibility from one component to the next. Everything can run at the same speed. You spend less money. It’s all nice, but there’s a catch. The simplest networks are not the most powerful.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Pfizer said its combination vaccine candidates targeting Covid and the flu will move to a final-stage trial in the coming months after showing positive initial results.
• Apple is once again increasing the price of its TV+ streaming platform. The service will still be ad-free. The change is effective immediately for new customers and 30 days later for existing subscribers on their next renewal date.
• A Philippine spotted deer, one of the world’s rarest animals, has been born to the delight of conservationists at Chester Zoo in England. Read more here.
• Israeli troops and tanks launched an hourslong ground raid into northern Gaza overnight into Thursday striking several militant targets in order to “prepare the battlefield” before a widely expected ground invasion.

Happy Wednesday & Happy Sourest Day! Sometimes life throws us lemons but as they say, make lemonade. Around here, we like to keep things pretty sweet – M&M’s anyone?? Anywho, cheers to a great day!

In This Issue: Home ❤️ | Surge Protector Power Strip | What is Traffic Shaping? | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Home ❤️

Happy Wednesday CK Family! Hope everyone is having a great week.

Over the past several days, I’ve spent lots of time on the phone with my younger brother. He’s in his first semester of college and is looking to transfer at the semester break. There are quite a few reasons for him doing this, but a common theme for him is the idea of something feeling like “home”.

I’ve been thinking about what “home” is to me. It can be a place where you feel most comfortable, where you feel most like you, where you actually live…so many things. When I think of home, I think of my parent’s house in Georgia. I don’t live there now, but in any conversation I have I always refer to their house as “home”. I think it’s because I’ve moved so much in the past 5 years, their house is just always so consistent, so familiar, and is always there to welcome me with arms wide open.

Over the summer I was at home watching our family dogs and took some photos that made me think, “This is why I love being home.” Enjoy!

All this to say, what do you love about home? When you think of the word “home”, what comes to mind?

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Ashley

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Powering up your workplace or home safely is a must, but it gets harder as more people have devices they need to plug in. Distribute electricity safely and effectively with a Surge Protector Power Strip with (6) 15A Outlets and 12ft Cord. Stretch the cord for up to 12 feet to accommodate rooms with few outlets, and use the LED switch to turn off your strip if you’re leaving for a while. Made of white material to fit in with any color scheme, this power strip is new and features a lifetime warranty.

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Learning Center Article – What is Traffic Shaping?

When you’ve worked in networking for a while, you’ll come to realize an unspoken truth. There’s never enough bandwidth to go around. A lot of professional network design is really a matter of figuring out how to split your resources in order to minimize problems.

When it comes to rationing bandwidth, you have a few different philosophies, but one of your most dynamic and responsive tools is traffic shaping.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Boeing reported they will deliver fewer 737 Max aircraft than it expected this year. The company is working through production flaws detected on some of the best-selling aircraft.
• Amazon is considering offering veterinary telehealth as it looks to compete with Walmart.
• Amazon reported they will launch an independent cloud for Europe aimed at companies in highly regulated industries and the public sector. Amazon Web Services European Sovereign Cloud will be located within Europe and will be separate to the U.S. technology giant’s other cloud operations.
• A vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline showed the potential to protect adults ages 50 to 59 from respiratory syncytial virus in a late-stage clinical trial.

Happy Tuesday! We hope you had a great Monday and are geared up for the rest of the week. If we can be praying for you in any way this week, please reach out.

In This Issue: Countdown to Adventure | 9U Swing-Out Wall Mount Cabinet | What is Cisco Virtual Stacking and how does it work? | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Countdown to Adventure

Good Morning & Happy Tuesday! Hope everyone is off to a great start this week! I’m definitely feeling a little “off balance” lately with life being so busy and with so many things being out of routine lately. I think Fall break really threw me for a loop and now it’s a struggle to remember what day it is most days! Or maybe I’m just getting old… 😉

One thing I’m not confused about is my plans for this weekend! I’ll be heading up to North Georgia on Thursday and spending some time at an outdoor adventure park and learning a little more about off-roading. We’ll camp nearby and then head to North Carolina for a couple more days of camping and hiking. I’m really hoping the leaves are still beautiful when we’re there! The weather looks like it should be pretty perfect! I’m definitely excited to get away from the hustle-and-bustle of real life for a few days and just enjoy the peace of nature!

Hope everyone has a great week!

Rebecca

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Installation and management of cables is a huge task for technicians managing the networking equipment in an environment where connected wires are just very common. An organized cabling not only looks neat and tidy but is also critical in ensuring the smooth operations of the network.

The 9U cabinet is 19″ EIA compliant and comes with a reversible solid door that can be mounted by either reversing or removing the right or the left sides. The rack is designed to be mounted on the wall and features the cage nut-style rails used to securely mount equipment such as servers, switches, and other network devices.

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Learning Center Article – What is Cisco Virtual Stacking and how does it work?

Large, fast networks have to connect powerful switches in order to function properly. It’s the best way to create fast, reliable connections, and the backbone of any significant network is wired, one way or another.

Connecting a bunch of switches comes with its own complications and challenges, and one of the great struggles in network design is configuring the switches so they can operate efficiently across the whole network.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Guinness World Records announced that Bobi, the world’s oldest known dog ever, passed away last week at an animal hospital in Portugal.
• The eighth installment of the “Mission: Impossible” franchise has been postponed a year.
• The Federal Trade Commission plans to hire at least one child psychologist who can guide its work on internet regulation.
• Apple is on track to spend $1 billion per year on developing its generative artificial intelligence products. Apple is looking to use AI to improve Siri, Messages and Apple Music.

Happy Monday! We hope you had a wonderful weekend. Last week, Chris shared a little bit about CK Care: TPM with you and we forgot to share the link – whoops. Check it out here!

In This Issue: A Successful CroCKtober | CAT6 Ethernet Patch Cable | Benefits of AOC HDMI Cables | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – A Successful CroCKtober

Happy Monday!

On Friday we held our 2nd annual Crocktober event at our new CK headquarters in Commerce, GA. It was a blast, with lots and lots of great food and great company too. This year we brought back our chili cookoff and enjoyed tasting a variety of great chili. Joi, our Customer Solutions Manager, took home the coveted golden spoon for the best chili, and it was well deserved! Her chili stood out, as it was the only chicken chili and it was flavorful with a nice kick! We also had a raffle and played a game of guessing how many ethernet cables were in a 5-gallon water jug, the guesses were all over the place!

It’s good to have these get-togethers every once and a while, to see people that you’d normally just see on a digital screen. It definitely brought us closer together! I hope you have a wonderful week and a great morning!

Cris

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Our Shielded CAT6 patch cables conform to the standards both network administrators and end users rely on for conformity and functionality. RoHS compliance certifies that dangerous chemicals such as lead, cadmium, mercury, and other harmful substances are absent. TIA/EIA Straight Through 568B wiring at both RJ45 male connectors assures that these Category 6 STP Cables are pinned in a fashion that guarantees compatibility in almost any network.

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Learning Center Article – Benefits of AOC HDMI Cables

You see all kinds of different technologies used for the widest ranges of communication. Among all of that, the primary way to send audio and video signals is via HDMI.

Within this form of communication, there are variations and options that you can choose for different levels of performance at different costs. One such option is AOC HDMI.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• X, the social media service formerly known as Twitter, will launch two new tiers of subscriptions for users. One tier will be lower cost with all features, but no reduction in ads, while the other is more expensive, but has no ads.
• Anthropic’s AI chatbot Claude can summarize text documents for free. It can summarize text from Word documents, PDFs, and more.
• The second aid convoy destined for Palestinian civilians reached Gaza on Sunday, as Israel has widened its attacks.
• Red Bull driver Max Verstappen won the Formula One race at the Circuit of the Americas.