CablesAndKits

Happy National Sticker Day! Here at CK, we love stickers. Do you have a collection of CK stickers? We’d love to see them!

In This Issue: New Smoker Recipes | Yealink MP56-TEAMS Teams Edition Phone | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – New Smoker Recipes

Happy Thursday!

Man, this week has flown by! I keep losing track of my days. Maybe that is a first-of-the-year thing, a getting older thing, or a combo of both. Haha!

Last weekend I had some friends come into town from out of state and it was a great time of catching up, doing some home improvement projects, building stuff, and eating A LOT! Of course, eating is always one of the best things. We always try and grill out or smoke something in the smoker that we never have before when we all get together. This time we grilled some amazing pork chops, but the second item stole the show for the whole weekend. We did a smoked meatloaf on the Green Egg. Now, I am not a big meatloaf fan, never have been. I have never even cooked a normal meatloaf in my life, but I figured I would give it a try. Let me say, it was one of the most amazing things I have eaten. I was pleasantly surprised. We had so much of it that I had it again on Sunday and then used the rest of it in a homemade spaghetti sauce on Monday.

I have done the normal stuff in the Green Egg and a few different items like deep-dish pizza, wings, etc. This got me thinking, what else am I missing out on trying to cook in the Green Egg that would not be normal. I want to try Smoked Mac & Cheese, and I would really like to try a Smoked Shepard’s Pie in it.

Great…now I am hungry! If you have any great Green Egg/Smoker recipes or unusual things that might be good to try, send them my way! I am up for trying them out.

Have a great Thursday and rest of your week!

Jason

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Product Spotlights & Updates

The MP56 Teams Edition phone is based on an Android 9 OS and features a bright and beautiful 7″ capacitative touch screen with a Teams-tailored user interface for a rich visual presentation and an easy-to-navigate menu. It also features Yealink Optima HD voice, a dedicated Teams button, and Bluetooth connectivity.

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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. Take a minute to learn more about a better way to run your network that saves time and money while improving network functionality.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Microsoft has stopped manufacturing all Xbox One consoles.
• Real estate in virtual worlds is going for millions of dollars in some cases. The most expensive spots are near where lots of users congregate — for instance, someone recently paid $450,000 to be Snoop Dogg’s neighbor in a virtual world called the Sandbox.
• Ubiquitous Energy is aiming to turn skyscrapers into vertical solar farms by early 2024.
• European carriers are flying thousands of near-empty planes this winter just to keep their airport slots.

Happy Wednesday! We are halfway through the week – anyone else think it’s been a long one?! What helps you get through a long week?

In This Issue: Balance in Life and Work | AC Power Cord | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Balance in Life and Work

Happy Wednesday!

Things are rocking and rolling over here on the Customer Solutions and Customer Experience side. As I mentioned in the past, I have a new baby on the way, so I’ve been in high gear to ensure my team is ready for my absence.

As I review all our process documents, I am reminded of the importance of having a standard of service and consistently reviewing these documents to ensure we are providing the best service possible to each of you. It’s my belief having these process documents keeps the crew running like a well-oiled machine.

In life, I believe you should always take time to reevaluate important things/tasks in your life to ensure you are truly living your best life. Taking an audit over the things that are important to you keeps you aware, balanced, and conscious of everything going on around you in your space. Let’s remember to keep negativity away and that ability to protect your peace is key!

What are some activities that you do to maintain balance, certainty, and peace in your life and work-life? I would love to learn from you.

Shanyce

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Product Spotlights & Updates

AC power cords are commonly used to connect a piece of equipment to a power distribution unit but also have many other uses. Whether the cords are used in a basic or dense installation, these heavy-duty power cords save time and money. It really doesn’t get much better than that!

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Learning Center Article – Top 5 Reasons Why Your Network Needs A Firewall

It takes a lot to truly secure a business network. If your business is notably successful, then this is doubly true. Nefarious people will want to infiltrate your tech in order to steal money or just wreak havoc. Stopping them isn’t easy, but the first step is to set up a firewall. In fact, there are five specific ways a firewall can help your business. Read more here.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• MLB and Apple are in talks to stream live regular-season games during the week. Should Apple land the deal, it would be the company’s first foray into airing live sports.
• Kirby and the Forgotten Land launches March 25th! Who’s excited?!
• The Biden administration announced new initiatives to provide an additional 10 million Covid-19 tests per month to schools and students in an effort to keep classrooms open.
• An asteroid estimated to be 3,451 feet wide will fly by Earth on Jan. 18th. It will pass within 1.2 million miles of our planet, moving at 47,344 miles per hour.

I’m sure many of us need an extra cup of coffee this morning to keep us awake today after staying up to watch the National Championship Game! Congrats to the Dawgs who were finally able to beat Bama after 41 years!

In This Issue: Marathon Scenery | Keystone Surface Mount Box, 2 Port | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Marathon Scenery

Good Morning and Happy Tuesday! Who watched the game last night?! That one had me on the edge of my seat the whole time, but I’m so glad the best team prevailed! GO DAWGS!

Anyways, hope you are having a great start to the week! This is an exciting week for me as not only did my team win the National Championship, but I’m counting down the days until Sunday when I’ll be running a marathon on Jekyll Island! I ran a marathon last year and tried to push myself to get a decent time, but for this one, I’m running it with a friend and we’re in it just to have fun and enjoy the scenery!

The majority of the course runs along the perimeter of the island so we should have some incredible views along the way! We’ve put in months of work preparing for this day and it’s crazy to think that it’s almost here! I’m super excited about it, and also super excited about all the carbs I’ll be eating this week! 😉

Rebecca

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Give your network a makeover! These attractive boxes will perfectly blend into your home or office decor, and can hold a multitude of jacks. The Unloaded 2-Position Keystone Surface Mount Box is the easiest way to install a network outlet, is perfect for office cubicles or installations where the cable is run along a baseboard. It also protects and hides your network connections!

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Learning Center Article – What is Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing Technology?

No matter what kind of network you maintain, you always have the same demands: more speed, less cost, and larger capacity. For any network with heavy demands on data and/or distance, this always results in implementing fiber optics. This is technology that grows and shifts every day, and it can be exhausting to stay on top of the mountains of information out there.

To help with that, a few simple explanations of popular fiber optic tech can make your life a lot easier. In that effort, today’s lesson is on CWDM technology. It’s one of several fiber optic cable choices, and it can fill many roles.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• The Georgia Bulldogs won their first Division I football title since the 1980 season, upsetting the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide, 33-18 in the College Football Playoff National Championship.
• A US man has become the first person in the world to get a heart transplant from a genetically-modified pig.
• Americans with private insurance will be able to ask for reimbursement for rapid COVID-19 tests beginning Saturday — but any tests purchased before January 15 will not qualify.
• Planet Fitness will soon acquire Sunshine Fitness, in an $800 million deal.

As we kick off the second week of 2022, it’s the perfect time to clean off all the random papers, sticky notes, etc. from your desk to celebrate National Clean Off Your Desk Day! A clean workspace helps improve our productivity and inspires us, too!

In This Issue: Honor our Commitments | Cisco 4-Port Single-Wide 10/100 EtherSwitch Card | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Honor our Commitments

Happy Monday morning! I knocked out a list of things that I’ve been putting off for a while this weekend, mostly little things that I’ve just been too “busy” or lazy to get to. I didn’t particularly enjoy doing those things (one of them was cleaning out a neglected duck shelter), but after I got those little annoying chores done, it felt great! I asked myself why I didn’t get these things done sooner and couldn’t really find a great answer.

Something that I’m wanting to do more lately is to not delay getting things done. Delaying seems to hold things back for me and clutters my mind. One of the core values at CK is “Honor our commitments”. As I was getting those pesky chores done, this value came up, and I realized honoring commitments does not only apply to honoring commitments to others, but also to oneself. You’re really doing a disservice to yourself if you aren’t keeping the promises that you make to yourself. So, my encouragement to you is if you told yourself you need to get stuff done, then don’t delay and make excuses, just get it done and you’ll feel a ton better afterwards.

Here’s a little Monday motivation for you – Enjoy!

Cris

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Product Spotlights & Updates

The 4-port Cisco 10/100 HWIC-4ESW is supported on the Cisco 1800 (modular), Cisco 2800, and Cisco 3800 series integrated services routers and offers Layer 2 switching and Layer 3 routing capabilities in one module.

Cisco EtherSwitch HWICs are 10/100 Layer 2 Ethernet switches with Layer 3 routing capability. Traffic between different VLANs on a switch is routed through the router platform. Any one port on a Cisco EtherSwitch HWIC may be configured as a stacking port to link to another Cisco EtherSwitch HWIC or EtherSwitch network module in the same system. An optional power module can also be added to provide inline power for IP telephones.

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Learning Center Article – Benefits of Blade Servers in Your Data Center

No matter the type of business or application, when you need a server, you have to choose from an extensive list of options. Finding the right way to design and maintain your servers is an undertaking.

While you weigh your options, it’s worth your time to take a closer look at blade servers. They are designed to save space, but that description hardly does them justice. A quick review of the top five benefits of blade servers in data centers makes their value clear.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Bob Saget, a stand-up comedian and actor beloved for his role as Danny Tanner on the 1990s sitcom “Full House”, has died at the age of 65.
• Crocs sales were up 42% in the 4th quarter.
• As a test, Pizza Hut restaurants in Canada are adding Beyond Meat’s plant-based sausage to their menus.
• Pixar’s “Turning Red” will skip theaters and head straight to Disney+ this March.

Happy Friday! You’ve officially conquered the first week of the new year! It may have been an unexpected week for some, but we are praying that this year is full of joy and accomplished goals.

In This Issue: Good Health | 3ft Black CAT6 Ethernet Patch Cables, Easyboot | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Good Health

Happy New Year, folks!

We all had some much-needed time off writing for the CK Daily during December while sending out the 20 Days of Giving. I am excited to share with you all again in this new year!

My start to the year has been a little different than in years past. I started the new year being sick, which I know many people did as well! I’m now on the mend and am glad I can sit at my desk to write this CK Daily. 😊 I’ve come to realize that I’m the most thankful for good health in the days after I’ve gotten better. I guess that’s how it works; we don’t fully realize what we have until we don’t have it anymore. What are you thankful for this year as you start the new year?

Happy new year!

Chris

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Product Spotlights & Updates

We just saved you a ton of time and made managing your network cabling a whole lot easier! Introducing our EASYboot ethernet patch cables. These snagless Category 6 (Cat6) patch cords have skinnier cable boots to make it easier to connect and disconnect the cable, as well as to prevent the cable from catching when pulled through tight spaces. Built to last, our high-quality Ethernet cables are pure copper for maximum throughput and reliability. Individually bagged and labeled in retail packaging, these Cat6 cables are easy to store and the length and type are easily identifiable.

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Learning Center Article – Tips for Maintaining Your Server

Servers are powerful in every sense of the word, in fact, they can hum for 24 hours a day, seven days a week without having any issues. However, their efficiency can be reduced drastically or even cut short completely if they are deprived of proper maintenance. You can avert server failure or a major disaster by simply having a regular check-up on them. Hiring a server management solution is the easiest and worry-free way to go.

Read more here to learn more tips for maintaining your server.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• The German automaker unveiled a new concept vehicle called the iX Flow with “E Ink” that can change colors.
• Bed Bath & Beyond continues to shut underperforming locations. The company released a list of 37 locations spread across 19 states where liquidation sales have already kicked off and the shops are expected to close by the end of February.
• A 105,000-square-foot Los Angeles megamansion known as “The One” listed Friday for $295 million, making it the most expensive listing in the U.S.
• A hockey fan pointed out a cancerous mole on a staff members neck at a hockey game and was awarded a $10,000 medical school scholarship from the team.

Could you imagine what the world would be without technology? In our daily lives, we can’t take a step without coming into contact with a form of it. All this to say… Happy Technology Day!

In This Issue: Make this Year Yours | Cisco Aironet 2700 Series Access Point | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Make this Year Yours

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and holiday time.

By now, we all have hit the ground running in 2022. While it would be easy for us to be apprehensive about 2022 after 2020 and 2021, we have to take the bull by the horns and make this year what we want it to be. I am personally excited about the freshness of a new year to make the most of it.

I have started re-reading “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”. In one chapter where it talks about habit #2, “Begin With the End in Mind”

“Because we already live with many scripts that have been handed to us, the process of writing our own script is actually more a process of “rescripting,” or paradigm-shifting – of changing some of the basic paradigms that we already have. As we recognize the ineffective scripts, the incorrect or incomplete paradigms within us, we can proactively begin to rescript ourselves.”

For me, I realize that I need to change some of my short-term (daily/weekly) and long-term (monthly/yearly/life) scripts that I have been handed or even created myself over the years that are ineffective. Instead of going through the motions of activity and playing the scripts automatically, I have started stopping and asking myself, “Is this really what I want or need to do to reach my goal or be the person I want to be…today, tomorrow, next month, next year?” It will take a while, but it is refreshing to STOP doing things instead of just starting new things on top of stuff that does not benefit me.

Have a great Thursday, everyone!

Jason

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Product Spotlights & Updates

The Cisco 2700 series of access points are ideal for mission-critical high-density environments. The 2700 series was designed for office environments. The sleek design and internal antennas (some units) create a seamless look. The 2700 series access points have the ability to reach 450-Mbps data rates and are backed by 802.11ac or Wave 1 technology. This connection is theoretically able to have a connection rate of 1.3 Gbps. With 802.11n and MIMO technology, the 2600 series access points deliver the speed and expand-ability that you expect.

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Learning Center Article – Rack Solutions for Your Data Center: Benefits of Racks & Cabinets

Setting up a data center network requires careful planning and meticulous execution. Everything has to be right or you hit bottlenecks and errors. The planning has to go so far as to pick the right resources for mounting your electronic equipment.

It’s easy to brush this off as unimportant, but the wrong mounting hardware can increase costs, create heating problems or lead to critical vulnerabilities in your infrastructure. Take a minute to read the most popular options and what they have to offer a data center in terms of pros and cons.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Tech company, Bolt, has decided to give employees a 4-day workweek permanently.
• Two winning Powerball tickets recently sold for $632 million.
• WeChat, China’s largest messaging app and one of the country’s biggest payment services, will begin supporting the digital yuan.
• Roofing giant takes on Tesla to make solar roof shingles more affordable. Read more here.