Archives for June 2024

Happy Friday! The weekend is finally here – woo! What plans do you have for the weekend?

In This Issue: How do you prefer to learn? | DVI-D Dual Link Cable | What is a DRAC? | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – How do you prefer to learn?

Happy Friday, folks! I’m a life-long learner. I enjoy learning new things and putting that knowledge into action. Another fun fact is I exclusively read non-fiction. I’ve never been able to get into fiction, a story for another day. 😀

I consume content in two primary ways: books (physical or audio) and a web course. I also include YouTube help videos as a source of learning, although you won’t get a certification for those!

There are many learning avenues, including reading a physical book, reading a book on a Kindle (or Kindle app), listening to Audible, watching videos, and attending virtual or in-person workshops. Which way do you prefer to learn? Have a great weekend!

Chris

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Product Spotlights & Updates

A dual link DVI cable doubles the transition minimized differential signaling (TMDS). If your system requires more than 165 MHz pixel clock and 24 bits per pixel then you need a dual link cable. The DVI-D is used with digital signal only and cannot be used with an analog signal. The Pin out on the this cable is described as 24+1.

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Learning Center Article – What is a DRAC?

Servers can change the game for businesses of all sizes. They allow you to consolidate resources, increase your overall IT power, and implement a wide range of tools that aren’t available otherwise.

While it’s great to have these, servers come with some baggage too. They have to be managed, and not all server management is the same.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• If you missed it, here is a full recap of the 2024 presidential debate.
• OpenAI and Time announced a “multi-year content deal” that will allow OpenAI to access current and archived articles from more than 100 years of Time’s history. As part of the deal, the Microsoft-backed startup will be able to display Time’s content in its ChatGPT chatbot and use Time’s content “to enhance its products,” or, likely, to train its artificial intelligence models.
• The Golden Arches is offering a promotion every Friday until the end of 2024. Free Fries Friday is available exclusively through the McDonald’s app. Order at least $1 of food or drink off the menu and you’ll score a free medium French fry with your order.
• Tesla is losing its lead over legacy automakers in the quality of its new all-electric vehicles, according to an annual influential study conducted by J.D. Power. The 2024 U.S. Initial Quality Study found the quality of Tesla’s battery-electric vehicles and those of traditional carmakers were the same, at 266 problems reported per 100 newly sold or leased vehicles.

Happy Last Thursday of June & Happy National Bomp Pop Day! As a favorite summer treat, this rocket shape treat with vivid colors reminds us of fireworks preparing you for the excitement of the upcoming 4th of July holiday.

In This Issue: A Stay-At-Home Summer & a Quick Stop at Disney ✨ | Kendall Howard Small Form Factor CPU Wall Mount Shelf | TCP vs UDP | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – A Stay-At-Home Summer & a Quick Stop at Disney ✨

Hello! I hope you all are having a great week!

The last time I wrote to you I noted that I planned on getting some projects done around the house, doing yardwork <<>> and a tubing trip up in Helen, GA during the summer months.

We haven’t made our tubing trip up to Helen yet, but it is in the calendar for July. It has been a stay-at-home type of summer for our family so far, but we did manage to have some fun in the sun at Margaritaville’s Lake Lanier Islands Water Park last Friday. A friend of mine and I took our kids and a few of their friends to the waterpark for the day and they had the best time! There they have waterslides, an over-the-water obstacle course, a wave pool attraction, restaurants, Jimmy Buffet playing on a mega screen all day, and so much more. If you are ever visiting the North GA area, you should check it out!

In July, I’m looking forward to traveling to Orlando for a few days with my family. I’ve previously mentioned that both of my kids play soccer year-round and will be participating in a tournament down there. I’m excited about that experience, but for those who know me well, you know that means at least one park day at Disney! The struggle is narrowing down which park to visit; my absolute favorite ride at all four parks is Guardians of the Galaxy at Epcot but my favorite park is Magic Kingdom. For my fellow Disney fans, how do you rate the parks in order and why?

Have a magical day!

Mandy

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Kendall Howard’s Small-Form-Factor Wall Mount CPU Brackets are designed to get the computer off the floor and the desktop. The brackets make it easy to secure and mount any small-form-factor PC to the wall or side of the desk. The velcro strap secures the PC to the bracket.

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Learning Center Article – TCP vs UDP

Networking, ultimately, is about the communication between computerized devices. Thinking in such simple terms can help you nail design and philosophy elements when you run your own network, and that can translate to faster speeds and better reliability and security.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• NASA will have a spacecraft from Elon Musk’s SpaceX guide the International Space Station’s destruction after its retirement in 2030. The agency awarded an $843 million contract to SpaceX to build the so-called “U.S. Deorbit Vehicle.” The SpaceX-built vehicle will effectively destroy the ISS by pushing the station into reentry from orbit.
• The EU’s $2.1 million ASCEND study concluded that launching data centers into orbit is technically, economically and environmentally feasible. Read more here.
• Amazon hosted a closed-door event for sellers in China, where it presented plans for a new budget storefront that features low-cost apparel, home goods and other items. The storefront would directly compete with Temu and Shein, two emerging e-commerce sites with ties to China that have grown in popularity in the U.S.
• Private label wars have heated up as consumers look for value and unique items. Walmart-owned Sam’s Club is trying to raise the quality of its private brand, Member’s Mark.

Happy Wednesday! We’re halfway through the week. How’s your to-do list looking? Cheers to getting more of those tasks checked off this week!

In This Issue: Preparing for Time-Off ⏰ | RCA Cable 2-Male to 2-Male | Servers Vs. Desktop PCs | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Preparing for Time-Off ⏰

Happy Wednesday!

This week I’m finally feeling like I can take a deep breath (sort of) ever since coming back from vacation. I had a wonderful time on vacation, but coming back from that, I was drowning in all the things. The to-do list really seemed like it was never-ending and it wasn’t just all work tasks!

I’m usually pretty good about keeping all my ducks in a row, but I certainly failed myself heading into vacation. That said, how do you prepare for time off or being out of the office? While most days on vacation, I didn’t let my to-do list sit in the back of my mind but some days it’s all I could think about. So, I’d appreciate any tips you have on how you set yourself up for being out – or maybe there really is no secret sauce.

Hope you have a great week!

Ashley

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Product Spotlights & Updates

These RCA cables are excellent for professional, industrial, and residential applications where sound quality and durability are important for TV, VCR, DVD, projector, and home theater applications.

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Learning Center Article – Servers Vs. Desktop PCs

If you ever shop for computer parts, you might see things for desktop PCs and servers lumped together.

This isn’t always the case, but it’s easy enough to see these different parts come up in a single search.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Morgan Stanley is pushing further into its adoption of artificial intelligence with a new assistant that is expected to take over thousands of hours of labor for the bank’s financial advisors.
• Tesla issued two new recalls for the Cybertruck, one to fix windshield wipers with faulty motor controllers and the other to fix loose trim that can rattle or fall off.
• Volkswagen plans to invest up to $5 billion in electric vehicle startup Rivian, starting with an initial investment of $1 billion. The additional $4 billion is expected to be invested following the establishment of a joint venture.
• As of today, the Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test spacecraft has no planned return date. While program managers already pushed the original return flight back, they scrapped the latest Wednesday, June 26, target. According to NASA’s most recent blog post on the flight test, the stranded astronauts can continue to stay comfortably at the International Space Station (ISS), which is orbiting 263 miles above Earth.

Happy Tuesday & Happy National Catfish Day! Did you know that catfish don’t have scales?!

In This Issue: Cleaning-Up & Cleaning-Out 🧼 | AC Power Cord | How does Cat8 Ethernet Compare to 40G Fiber Optic Solutions? | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Cleaning-Up & Cleaning-Out 🧼

Good Morning & Happy Tuesday! It feels like we are somewhat in overdrive here at CK with so many things we’re working on and trying to move forward! It’s a busy season, but also an exciting one where we’re making a lot of progress and laying some really good groundwork for the future… but sometimes I wish there were more hours in the day!

Speaking of needing more hours, I spent quite a bit of time over the weekend doing a house cleanout and trying to get organized. It’s still a work in progress, but it’s getting there! I can’t stand clutter, a messy house, and/or not knowing where to find things!

Growing up, I spent a lot of time at my Nana’s house and she kept an immaculate home! She always said, “A place for everything, and everything in its place” and that phrase has stuck with me ever since. Every time I do a cleanout like this, I’m reminded that we need to be intentional about what we choose to own, and only own things that we have a purpose and a place for.

It’s easy to accumulate a lot of stuff (junk) over time without even realizing it – and that stuff can end up causing a lot of stress! It feels good to clear the clutter. I swear it doesn’t just free up physical space, but mental space too!

Rebecca

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Product Spotlights & Updates

The C5052072 AC Power Cord adheres to rigorous safety standards, providing robust protection against electrical hazards and thereby enhancing the safety of both your equipment and workspace. Installation is a straightforward process, necessitating no specialized tools or technical proficiency.

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Learning Center Article – How does Cat8 Ethernet Compare to 40G Fiber Optic Solutions?

Enterprise networking is in an exciting place right now. Cat8 Ethernet cabling is finally becoming widely available. With that availability comes a drop in price and a viable alternative to fiber optics for 40G networking. This means that enterprise servers and networking systems have substantially widened options for all manner of applications.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” has tallied $724.4 million at the box office worldwide as of Sunday, making it the highest-grossing film of 2024.
• Paramount Global will raise the price of its flagship streaming service, Paramount+. The option with Showtime will increase by $1 a month, while the essential Paramount+ plan will rise by $2.
• Two astronauts who rode to space on Boeing’s Starliner mission remain stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Read more here.
• Sonic Drive-In restaurants are celebrating summer with several refreshing new additions to drink menus. On June 24th, the company revealed six cool and “innovative” new drinks created by “Sonic Flavor experts” as part of its “Flavorista Favorites” collection are being added to menus at participating locations.

Happy Monday! We hope you had a great weekend. Did you do anything fun? We’d love to hear about it!

In This Issue: Deep-Dish Pizza 🍕 | Rackmount Screws | Mac Addresses vs IP Addresses | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Deep-Dish Pizza 🍕

Happy Monday!

Over the weekend we celebrated my father’s birthday and I brought over some deep-dish pizza from a local pizza joint called Rachetti’s Cafe & Pizzeria. They also have a location in Coal City, Illinois if you happen to be in that area. This is where I’ve found by far the best deep-dish pizza (Chicago Style) that you can find in the South.

I’ve eaten at a couple of famous deep dish places in Chicago (Giordano’s and Lou Malnati’s) and I think Rachetti’s is on par with those pizzerias. Although I’m sure native Chicagoans may disagree or have better places in mind (and if you do, definitely let me know!).

Anyway, we devoured that pizza and had a great time celebrating my father’s 68th birthday. This oppressing heat wave has kept us mostly indoors. I’m very grateful for air conditioning! How long is it until Fall?! I think I’m good with Summer, haha.

I hope you have a great day and a wonderful week!

Cris

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Product Spotlights & Updates

These are the screws that are included with the rack kit for most Cisco Catalyst switches. If you have the rack brackets for your switch but have lost your screws you can order these replacements. Some rack kits use more screws than others, order the qty that you need. This set includes 50 screws.

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Learning Center Article – Mac Addresses vs IP Addresses

When you work with a network, there are a lot of addresses that pop up. The two you’ll see more than any other are IP addresses and MAC addresses. What do these things really mean?

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Fast fashion giant Shein has confidentially filed for a public listing in London. It marks another twist in the company’s so-far long road to a public market debut. Shein confidentially filed for a U.S. initial public offering late last year as it looked to expand its global reach.
• Target has struck a deal with Shopify to discover new brands and hot items for its third-party marketplace.
• For baked goods with tremendous taste and out-of-this-world value, it truly doesn’t get any better than Costco muffins. But wait, there’s more! Along with the arrival of the summer season, Costco has added two more flavors to its already stellar lineup of packaged muffins: luscious lemon raspberry and decadent butter pecan. Have you tried either of these?
• There isn’t anything much more exciting than a new chocolate bar flavour. And luckily for Nestlé fans, the brand has announced just that for KitKat lovers. The chocolate giant has revealed the KitKat Chunky Crunchy Double Chocolate bar is joining its list of offerings.

Happy Friday & Happy Weekend! Do you have any weekend plans you’re looking forward to? Do share!

In This Issue: Buried treasure? | Meraki Dual-Band Omni Antenna Set | What is Dynamic ARP Inspection? | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Buried treasure?

Happy Friday, folks! This morning, I read a fascinating article on buried treasure. Did I catch your attention with that? 😀

This Bloomberg article discussed the need to recycle copper, a key component of electric-vehicle batters and wind turbines. As fiber optic cable is deployed and used instead of copper, an estimated 800,000 metric tons of copper is left unused. AT&T and others are developing plans to start digging up the copper.

So, have you ever searched for any treasure? What have you found?

Have a great weekend!

Chris

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Product Spotlights & Updates

The Meraki MA-ANT-20 antenna is a multi-band, omnidirectional antenna designed for use with Meraki APs that have N-type connectors. It is a versatile antenna and is suitable for a broad range of applications.

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Learning Center Article – What is Dynamic ARP Inspection?

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. By masking its IP address in this way, the malicious device can overcome security measures that exist on other endpoint devices. As a result, any user on the network might be at risk.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Amazon shared that they have removed 95% of the plastic air pillows from its packaging in North America and will replace them with paper fillers made from 100% recycled content.
• SpaceX is rolling out a compact version of its satellite internet antennas called “Starlink Mini.”
• OpenAI competitor Anthropic announced Claude 3.5 Sonnet, its most powerful artificial intelligence model yet.
• Wendy’s is making its Biggie Bag deal even sweeter by adding a free Frosty for a limited time.