CablesAndKits

Happy Thursday and Happy Draft Day! Today is night 1 of the NFL Draft – who’s excited? Who are you dreaming your team snags for the 2022 season?

In This Issue: Yard Games and Cookouts | 3M LC-LC OM3 | Single Mode vs Multimode Fiber Cables | News to Start Your Day

---

The CK Daily – Yard Games and Cookouts

This past weekend was a blast. The weather was great and I ended up going to several cookouts. It’s always nice to get together with people to cook out, relax, and have fun, especially with friends you haven’t had a chance to see for a while. Part of the cookout festivities included a wide selection of yard games. This has kinda become a thing in the new neighborhood. Everyone has their own different games that they bring over. We had everything from ladder ball to Kan Jam, cornhole to badminton, and everything in-between. The competitive nature tends to really come out in people when their favorite game is being played.

This year I invested in some new cornhole boards. I wanted some that were durable but were kinda different than just your normal boards. I got competition-level boards with a flag design on them and had built-in led lights. They seemed to be the hit of the later cookout, especially when it got dark. I have to admit they were a bit cooler than I thought they might be. Below is a cool pic I got of them in the evening.

So, what’s your favorite backyard game to play with friends and family?

Have a great Thursday and upcoming weekend!

Jason

---

Product Spotlights & Updates

Fiber optic cabling is the medium of choice for longer-distance and challenging cabling runs. These 3M LC-LC OM3 fiber patch cables are thinner than copper patch cords and immune to EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) making them perfect for riser runs and uplink cables.

---

Learning Center Article – Single Mode vs Multimode Fiber Cables

Fiber optics are essential for building the most capable networks, but when making design choices, there are plenty of options that serve fiber optics in general. One of the primary choices available to any network engineer exists between single-mode fiber and multimode fiber.

These are physically different approaches to fiber optics communication, and as such, they offer different strengths and weaknesses. To effectively choose the right design for your network, it helps to have a better understanding of what separates these types of cables.

---

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Australia has opened a facility that will ‘blast’ human waste and convert it into fertilizer.
• Denmark has announced that they plan to halt their Covid vaccination program.
• American Trevor Reed, a US citizen and former Marine who had been detained in Russia since 2019, is back in the United States. The release ended a nearly three-year ordeal for Reed, who was sentenced to nine years in prison in July 2020 for endangering the “life and health” of Russian police officers in an altercation.
• Moderna has asked the FDA to authorize its Covid vaccine for children ages 6 months to 5 years old.

It’s Hump Day! Seems like a solid day to bring this video to the top of your inbox. Enjoy!

In This Issue: Staying Connected! | HP Original 300GB 6G SAS | Wired vs Wireless Networks: Which is better? | News to Start Your Day

---

The CK Daily – Staying Connected!

Happy Wednesday everyone! This week, I’ve found myself connecting with some friends I haven’t seen in a while, and what an incredible feeling it has been. My husband and I have moved around quite a bit, and while exciting to be closer to family – the heart strings sure are missing the incredible friends we’ve made through the years that we are now fairly far away from. It seems as though it’s harder and harder to stay connected to people which is quite ironic considering the world of technology that we are surrounded with every day. But, I think the true point of that is that it’s hard to find ways to stay connected intentionally and in a more personal way.

All that to say, how do you stay connected with your friends that are near and far? What’s your favorite part of reuniting with old friends?

Ashley

---

Product Spotlights & Updates

CablesAndkits.com is proud to offer the best of both worlds, 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 come in a wide selection of storage capacities. 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.

---

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.

---

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• As prices climb at the grocery store and gas station, Walmart said that it will offer deeper discounts on fuel to nudge more customers to join and renew Walmart+.
• Apple opened its “Self Service Repair” online store on Wednesday. You can now purchase your own parts to repair your iPhone.
• SpaceX launched a group of astronauts for NASA early Wednesday morning. This means that Elon Musk’s company has now sent 26 people to orbit in less than two years.
• China has recorded its first human infection with the H3N8 strain of bird flu.

Today we recognized one of America’s favorite snacks – pretzels! Do you prefer a bag of nice crunch, salty pretzels, or a bit, warm, soft cinnamon pretzel? The options are endless when it comes to this tasty snack!

In This Issue: Hello from the Beach | Cisco DB9 Female to RJ45 Female Console Adapter | What is the difference between OS2, OM1, OM2, OM3, OM4, and OM5? | News to Start Your Day

---

The CK Daily – Hug Your Loved Ones

Good Morning and Happy Tuesday! I am feeling quite fortunate to be writing this from the beach this week! I lucked out and got invited on a last minute family vacation to Hilton Head, SC and there was no way I was going to turn down the opportunity! Hilton Head is one of our absolute favorite beach towns vacation to. It’s such a charming place with plenty of beautiful beaches, Spanish moss hanging from the trees, tons of sidewalks for bike riding or running/walking, and of course tons of great shopping and eating! We couldn’t have asked for better weather this week either. Every day is calling for sunshine and temps between 78-80! I’m excited to make the most of this week (while still trying to stay on top of work, of course!) If you’re someone who loves Hilton Head, let me know any favorite restaurants or places of interest that we should check out! Hope everyone has a great week!

Rebecca

---

Product Spotlights & Updates

If you’re in IT, you know you can never be too prepared for anything. That’s why we think it’s smart to always have some of our Cisco equipment on hand. Connect terminals on your desktop back to a central patch panel with Cisco DB9 Female to RJ45 Female Console Adapters. Modular adapters are a cost-effective way to complete connections. Use these console adapters for terminals, serial printers, modems, POS, and other serial equipment. This network modular adapter has a DB9 Female to RJ45 Female connection.

---

Learning Center Article – What is the difference between OS2, OM1, OM2, OM3, OM4, and OM5?

When it comes to fiber-optic networks, there are a lot of options in how a network is designed. Ultimately, the demands of the network will determine which cable is best for any given job, but you need to have a clear understanding of the different fiber cables in order to make that decision. While the complete list of design differences could fill several books, you can understand the key variations in design in a few minutes. This quick guide will highlight the characteristics of OS2, OM1, OM2, OM3, OM4, and OM5 fiber cables.

---

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Twitter’s board accepted Elon Musk’s offer to buy the social media company and take it private.
• The world’s oldest person, Japan’s Kane Tanaka, has passed away at the age of 119.
• General Motors has announced that they will produce a fully electric Chevrolet Corvette.
• The FDA has approved remdesivir to treat young children as young as 28 days and weighing atleast 7 pounds with Covid-19.

Happy Monday! We hope your weekend was full of time with family and lots of time outside. Across the country this weekend, there was generally some beautiful weather going on. What’s your favorite thing to do outside?

In This Issue: Hug Your Loved Ones | Cisco Catalyst 4948 48 Port Gigabit Switch | How to future-proof your network with Cisco 8800 series phones | News to Start Your Day

---

The CK Daily – Hug Your Loved Ones

Good Monday morning!

Last week was full of excitement as I was in a car accident. Everyone is doing great (thankfully) and no one was injured! Our family was dropping my daughter off for piano lessons when someone decided to take a left turn in front of us at the very last minute. I had a couple of split-second choices – brake and continue going straight and slam into the car in front of us, brake and shift left and hit the cars in the oncoming lane, or brake and end up in a rather steep ditch lined with trees. I chose to break and skid into the ditch. By the grace of God, we landed perfectly between a tree stump and a tree with minimal damage to the van. The guy who made a left-hand turn sped off, but several people stopped and helped us out of our van. Luckily a tow truck was able to get the van out of the ditch, and we were able to drive the van home. I’m so glad there are still good people in the world!

This all happened last Thursday, and the kids seem totally fine which I was most worried about. We were a bit shaken as parents, and at the time we were most worried about the van rolling. The ditch we were on had a very steep incline. So needless to say, we kind of took it easy for the rest of the week and weekend and didn’t do much. This was definitely a sobering reminder to be thankful for our loved ones and the time we have together. I thank God for his protection and His grace. If you have a second today, reach out to a loved one or give them a hug and tell them you love them… you won’t regret it!

Cris

---

Product Spotlights & Updates

The Cisco Catalyst 4948 is a 48-port gigabit Ethernet switch with four SFP fiber ports. The Cisco Catalyst 4948 delivers wire-speed throughput with low latency for data-intensive applications, using a 96-Gbps switching fabric with a forwarding rate of 72 Mbps for Layer 2 to 4 traffic. And better yet – it’s backed by our Lifetime Warranty!

---

Learning Center Article – How to future-proof your network with Cisco 8800 series phones

Technology is constantly evolving and advancing, and the world of VoIP phones is no exception. Voice-over-IP technology has come a long way since it was first introduced in the 1990s, and many businesses, small and large, are adopting IP phones as replacements for old analog technologies.

If you are in the market for a VoIP phone, it’s critical that you maximize your investment by choosing equipment that will meet the needs of today as well as those of tomorrow. The Cisco IP Phone 8800 Series is Cisco’s next-generation advanced VoIP phone series and is an excellent option for anyone looking to future-proof their network.

---

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• The latest addition to the Starlink internet satellite constellation was visible Sunday night about an hour after sunset. Beginning around 8:56 p.m., onlookers glanced to the northwestern horizon for a line of small lights, 53 in all, rising upward. They passed nearly overhead just before 9 p.m. before disappearing above the southeastern horizon.
• GE hopes to 3D print the concrete bases of giant wind turbine towers hoping it will help to lower costs for the industry as turbines grow in size.
• Twitter shares jumped more than 5% in the premarket on reports the company is nearing a deal with Elon Musk that could be announced as soon as Monday.
• The first all-private astronaut team ever to fly aboard the International Space Station (ISS) departed the orbiting outpost on Sunday to begin a descent back to Earth, capping a two-week science mission hailed as a milestone in commercial spaceflight.

Happy Friday and Happy Earth Day! Today is all about protecting the Earth, its creatures, and its habitats. How are you taking part in celebrating the earth today?

In This Issue: What are your weekend plans? | Meraki MR32 | Best Practices for Data Center Security in 2022 | News to Start Your Day

---

The CK Daily – What are your weekend plans?

Happy Friday, folks!

I have to say that I’m really excited about the weather this weekend! It will be in the upper 70’s here in Northeast Georgia. So we’re planning to spend lots of time outdoors over the weekend. I’m sure we’ll grill something this weekend! We’ll be outside playing outdoor games, completing some yard work, and soaking up the sunshine!

What are your plans for this weekend?

Chris

---

Product Spotlights & Updates

The Meraki MR32 is a three-radio, cloud-managed 2×2 MIMO 802.11 ac access point that provides a maximum 1.2 Gbps data rate with concurrent 802.11ac and 802.11n 2×2:2 MIMO radios, and security and spectrum visibility via a third radio dedicated to 24×7 WIDS/WIPS and automated RF optimization. An integrated Bluetooth low energy (BLE) radio delivers Beacon functionality and BLE device scanning.

---

Learning Center Article – Best Practices for Data Center Security in 2022

If you looked at data center security best practices only a few years ago, the leading trends and advice would be dramatically different from the leading areas of focus today. Everyone in IT knows that things change fast, but it feels like change has accelerated.

Here’s an example. Network security was the most important thing as recently as 2019. While it’s still paramount, security threats have shifted away from direct attacks. Social engineering and grid stability are actually more important today.

---

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Tax officials and legislators say that a law dissolving Disney’s self-governing status could saddle local taxpayers with more than $1 billion in bond debt.
• Twitter is going to allow developers to build on the platform itself, then promote their tools and services directly to users on Twitter at key moments.
• The Ax-1 Crew Dragon capsule is due to undock from the International Space Station Saturday night and then splashdown Sunday off the Florida coast.
• The CDC issues alert after mystery hepatitis outbreak among dozens of kids in the US and UK who have been hit with the liver disease.

Today’s the perfect day to “high-five” everyone you see to celebrate National High-Five Day! There’s no better feeling than a high-five after a big accomplishment. Out of all the triumphant gestures, such as the fist bump, fist pump, end zone dance, and chest bump – the high five stands in a class all its own.

In This Issue: Virtual Race Update | MPO-MPO, 12-Strand, OM4 | What is Switch Stacking & Why is it Important? | News to Start Your Day

---

The CK Daily – Virtual Race Update

Happy Thursday!

Spring is def in full effect around here! Between the posts about planting and pollen, you can tell what is on everyone’s mind. As with many places, Georgia tends to skip right over Spring usually and go straight to Summer which means we have the extreme pollen along with the blazing heat all at the same time. This year has been a bit different. We have actually had a Spring with cooler temps at night and decently warm temps during the day. This weekend it starts heating up a bit. We are supposed to get into the low to mid-80s. For me, this has been the perfect weather to get out and run and do stuff outside. So far, the pollen hasn’t affected me too much. Probably from being in a new neighborhood where the trees and flowers are still pretty young. Hopefully, that lasts.

Figured I would give an update on where my team and I are at with our virtual race through Iceland. With injuries, traveling, and just life in general, I have teamed up with two other guys from my running group who are doing the race to help all of us push through it. We are just over 55% through the 828 miles. We are sitting at 456 miles completed. Getting over that 50% mark was a huge morale booster. I personally am sitting at 208 miles completed. It is going a bit slower than I had hoped since I had to take 3 weeks off (out of the 12 so far) because of my knee. With all of that, I am pretty proud of those numbers. The knee is about 95% back to normal, so I am hoping to start cranking out some higher numbers again soon. I am debating on doing something I said I would never do. I am toying with the idea of doing a marathon in September. Still not sold on the idea yet. I have done many half-marathons but never really had the desire to do a full. We will see how things continue to develop with the knee and virtual race over the next month or so.

I hope everyone has a great rest of the week and an awesome weekend. Make the best of it!

Jason

---

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!

---

Learning Center Article – What is Switch Stacking & Why is it Important?

There are countless ways to design a network and meet the criteria it needs to follow. Not all of these methods will be as efficient or affordable as others. That’s why network administrators are constantly learning new concepts.

Switch stacking is commonly used in high-end networking, but many small and medium businesses are missing out on the technique. Taking a minute to learn more about it could reveal a better way to run your network that saves time and money while improving network functionality.

---

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• A pregame performance at a Washington Nationals baseball game featuring the Army’s Golden Knights prompted a brief evacuation of the U.S. Capitol.
• Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 96th birthday on Thursday, in the same year that marks her 70 years on the throne.
• Brave and DuckDuckGo now let you block Google’s tracking on articles.
• Earth-imaging and data specialist Planet Labs on unveiled details of its new line of more powerful Pelican satellites. Planet expects to begin launching the Pelican satellites in early 2023, with the constellation consisting of up to 32 spacecraft.