In This Issue: Cisco Aironet 3700 Series Access Point | Deals of the Week | What is OM5 fiber and how is it different than OM4 & OM3? | News to Start Your Day
Each day we take a dish out of the cupboard, dirty it, wash it and put it back in the cupboard. Today is National No Dirty Dishes Day, so the madness of washing dishes is put on pause! Enjoy a meal out, use disposable dishware, or eat something pre-packaged – enjoy a day free of dishwashing!
The CK Daily – Stepping out of Your Comfort Zone
Happy Tuesday!
When I first started writing for the CK Daily, I mentioned that in my free time you can most likely find me running or hiking. A few weeks ago a friend convinced me to sign up for a 5.5 mile trail race that she was doing and, although I had never done any trail running before, I was game to give it a try! There were definitely some nerves from not knowing what to expect. How much would being on a trail slow my pace? What would the hills be like? Would I be able to run them? Would there be tons of roots and rocks? Would I fall and bust it at some point in the race?
Generally speaking, I really don’t love the “unknown”. By nature, I’m a planner and a processor. I like to know what to expect in pretty much all situations so that I can be prepared. But, in this case, the stakes were low, and sometimes trial by fire is the best teacher anyway, so I went for it! The race was on Saturday and I must admit, it was so much fun! It really was the perfect combination of my two favorite activities which left me wondering why in the world I had never tried it before! I’ll definitely be signing up for more of these races! I guess it goes to show that stepping out of your comfort zone and “going for it” can really pay off sometimes! So, if you are on the fence about doing something just outside of your comfort zone… consider this your sign and go for it!
Rebecca
Product Spotlights & Updates:
Today’s product spotlight is the Cisco Aironet 3700 Series Access Point, AIR-CAP3702E-A-K9 and it is 20% OFF this week! This ready-to-install, easy-to-manage access point offers high capacity, high security, 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/ac radios for comprehensive and predictable coverage, providing a combined capacity of 450 Mbps.
What is OM5 fiber and how is it different than OM4 & OM3? – CK Learning Center
Designing fiber optic networks was never easy, but over time, the challenges have shifted. There are more tools than ever to help you optimize every corner of your network. At the same time, increasing options make it more difficult to find satisfaction with the choices you make. That holds true with selecting your fiber cables. So far, the options between singlemode and multimode networks were self-selecting. As for multimode systems, the somewhat narrow range of variety made that selection a little easier as well. Now, OM5 is on the rise, and it brings with it a new niche combination of performance and cost-effectiveness. Is it right for your systems? A quick read will help you determine the answer.
What is OM5 Fiber?
As the name suggests, OM5 is a multimode fiber cable. It’s fairly new to the industry, and it is designed specifically for high bandwidth and short to medium-range applications. What makes it more than just the next iteration of OM cable is the new take on multiplexing. OM5 is the first approved as WBMMF (Wide Band Multimode Fiber) is designed to specifically handle high-speed data center applications with using two fibers to transmit from 40GBs up to 100GBs and is powered by shortwave wavelength division multiplexing (SWDM). This multiplexing design allows OM5 to dramatically reduce parallel fiber counts. Operating in the 850 to 950 nm range, OM5 can provide 100 GB data streams with just one pair of parallel fibers.
With fewer fibers comes reduced crosstalk and overall lower loss. What’s more is that OM5 can utilize four separate wavelengths in its range, and channel loss is consistent across each frequency.
Comparing OM3 & OM4
For those familiar with the previous iterations, OM3 and OM4 offered substantial bandwidth increases over their predecessors. By switching to laser signaling, they were able to boost performance substantially without sacrificing multimode advantages. They may cost more than their LED counterparts, but OM3 and OM4 have been competitive fiber options for data centers.
OM5 aims to raise the competition. It is capable of notably faster data transmissions, and when running at the same speed as OM3 and OM4, OM5 can provide longer connections without significant loss.
Applications for OM5
OM5 does once again raise the cost per foot of cable over its predecessors, but it offers performance that many data centers are now demanding. The longer transmission lengths help with expandability. In fact, the specs on OM5 make it perfectly suited for the next generation of data centers. It will maintain steadily increasing speed demands without costing as much as singlemode alternatives.
Speaking of singlemode fiber, it still remains the champion for the highest speeds and longest distances. You’ll find that singlemode cables are still the clear choice for outdoor and long-range networking. However, when cost matters and OM5 can meet performance needs, it’s a clear favorite for high-demand indoor networking.
OM5 doesn’t redefine networking in all aspects. Instead, it takes a niche that has been served by OM3 and OM4 and raises the bar on performance. It fits very nicely between the older cables and more expensive singlemode options. Any data center that wants to clearly raise data speeds without replacing your entire infrastructure with substantially more expensive and less convenient equipment now has a perfect cable.
Be sure to check out our new Corning LSZH Fiber cables today.
Today’s News to Start Your Day:
- As of this morning, in the US, active COVID cases are reported to be 5,944,794.
- Jaden Smith is continuing his fight against homelessness by opening a restaurant to help provide free meals to those in need. The rapper/actor is expanding his I Love You food truck initiative into a full-blown restaurant to feed the homeless.
- McDonald’s recently announced a salary increase for employees of its restaurants in the United States. This measure would serve to increase hiring and retain workers. The fast-food chain explained that over the next few months, the salary of more than 36,500 workers will increase by an average of 10%. Until now, salaries for general staff were $12 dollars per hour and between $16 and $18 dollars for supervisors. With the increase, staff members will earn $11 to $17 an hour, while supervisors will earn $15 to $20 an hour, depending on the location of the restaurant.
- Italian supercar maker Lamborghini has announced that it will launch a fully electric car by 2030. Lamborghini laid out “a roadmap to the decarbonization of future Lamborghini models and of the Sant’Agata Bolognese site.” Over the next 10 years, the company will transition to hybrid models before fully launching an electric car.
- The coronavirus variant that first emerged in India could become the dominant strain of the virus in the U.K. in a matter of days and could pose unknown dangers.