Ashley

In This Issue:  Cisco 3560X/3750X Four-Port Gigabit Ethernet Network Module | What is a Cat8 Ethernet Cable and How is it Different?| News to Start Your Day

---

Happy Tuesday and Happy National French Fry Day!  Today recognizes a staple food on menus across the country. It comes in so many different cuts and styles, there’s a favorite for everyone to enjoy! Do you have a favorite cut of fry you enjoy or a favorite place to get fries from? 

---

The CK Daily – Keeping Busy with New Products

Happy Tuesday! This week feels like it’s flying by already!

I’m sure I have mentioned this before, but a big part of my role here at CK is introducing new products to our catalog. We have had an amazing year so far from a new product introduction perspective. Being able to apply a very intentional focus on bringing products to our customers that are relevant and in-demand has been so much fun. I love getting to take an idea and bring it to fruition with our monthly new product launches.

What’s even more fun is that it seems like the launches are only getting bigger and more exciting as time goes on! These new product launches are absolutely a team effort and I’m so glad that I work with awesome people who make it happen! That said, things have been super busy around here which has made time feel like it’s moving at warp speed! I’m not complaining though… I enjoy the challenge and would much rather be busy than bored! I hope you are all keeping busy and I hope you have a great week!

Rebecca

---

Product Spotlights & Updates

We hope you’re having a great Tuesday so far! Today we are spotlighting the Cisco 3560X/3750X Four-Port Gigabit Ethernet Network Module, C3KX-NM-1G. This network module adds four 1 gigabit SFP ports to 3750X and 3560X switches and is hot-swappable. This is an excellent and cost-effective solution when you need to add fiber to your network. Rather than buying another switch with SFP ports, you can add this module to your existing switch for SFP connectivity.

This week only, the C3KX-NM-1G is on sale for 20% off!

---

What is a Cat8 Ethernet Cable and How is it Different? – CK Learning Center

What is a Cat8 Ethernet Cable?

We were told that Ethernet was going to be a thing of the past. Google tried to make fiber optics the new standard for home internet connections, and it was an obvious choice for scaling industrial applications. Somehow, Ethernet has hung in there, and new iterations arise every few years that continue to push the envelope of traditional copper wires. Today, we’re going to cover the latest iteration: Cat8. We’re going to start with the basics, but in a few short minutes, you’ll have a clear picture of what Cat8 is, how it works and why you need to be thinking about it.

Differences Between Ethernet Categories

You’ve seen the “cat” or category designations, Cat5e and Cat6 and Cat6a, plenty. If you work in more powerful internet settings you might even be familiar with Cat7. The general rule is that a higher number is a newer technology and can support higher data rates, but that’s just one of the main differences:

– Standard bandwidth (measured in MHz)

– Maximum data rate (measured in megabits per second)

– Shielding

Basic Specs for Cat8 Ethernet

Then again, that’s the obvious stuff. To be more specific, Cat5 operates at 100 MHz and can transfer data at speeds up to 1000 Mbps. Cat6 works at 250 MHz and can get up to 1 Gbps. Cat7 ups the ante substantially with 600 MHz and 10 Gbps rates. This is a simplification. There are variations on each cable and some arrangements can boost or inhibit performance, but these are the numbers for which each category is tested and vetted.

The reason Cat8 is turning heads is because it is jumping several iterations in performance. It uses 2 GHz signals to move data from 25 Gbps (Cat8.1) to 40 Gbps (Cat8.2). It’s a serious upgrade, and the implications are turning heads across IT fields.

Want to read more about the speed comparison, why Cat8 Ethernet cost more and learn more about the standard bandwidth? You can find this article on the CK Learning Center here!

---

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Space Jam: A New Legacy is set to premiere in U.S. theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously on Friday, July 16. LeBron James made it a family affair when he attended the world premiere of the live-action/animated sports comedy at the Regal Cinemas L.A. Live in Los Angeles. The film, with James playing a fictionalized version of himself, is the long-awaited follow-up to 1996’s Space Jam starring basketball all-time great Michael Jordan.
• You might expect the sign outside a Burger King to offer you a summary of the day’s deals or the number of sales made. The sign outside a Lincoln, Neb. Burger King was a little different. “WE ALL QUIT,” it read. “SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.” You can read more here. 
• Sam’s Club announced it is testing a new app-based feature, Scan & Ship, that allows people to use a smartphone to buy items in the club and send purchases directly to the home.
• Mastercard and Verizon announced a new partnership focused on 5G contactless payments for consumers as well as small- and medium-sized businesses.
• Disney is raising the monthly price of ESPN+ by a dollar to $6.99 per month. Annual ESPN+ subscribers will pay $69.99 per year instead of $59.99 per year.

---

In This Issue:  Cisco Original 1000BASE-SX SFP Module, GLC-SX-MMD with DOM | Empathy vs. Sympathy: What’s the Difference? | News to Start Your Day

---

Happy Monday CK Family! We hope you had a wonderful and relaxing weekend! We’re sending you many positive thoughts and prayers for this week. We hope it is filled with moments of learning, joy, and good fellowship. 

---

The CK Daily – Newest Addition to the CK Team

Happy Monday CK Fam!!!

It’s an especially happy Monday for me and my little family, as we grew from two to three on Thursday (I better make this from three to four and include my pup, haha)!

What a miracle it is to witness a baby coming into this world. It’s also a miracle that people choose to do this, often multiple times, and miss out on the amount of sleep I’ve missed out on in 3/4 days and this is just the beginning. In all seriousness, I know why, I wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s such an unbelievable experience with an overabundance of love that fills the room.

For those that have experience, I’ll be reading any and all tips that come in reply to this email, haha. I truly appreciate all prayers and thoughts shared and continued forward for Grayson’s health and growth moving forward.

Here’s the pic you really opened this email up to see:

A blessed, thankful, overjoyed, and tired,

Corey

---

Product Spotlights & Updates

Happy Monday! We’ve got some great deals this week and today we’re kicking off with the Cisco Original 1000BASE-SX SFP Module, GLC-SX-MMD.

The GLC-SX-MMD is a hot-swappable Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP) device that plugs into the Gigabit Ethernet port or slot on a switch or router to links the device with your fiber-optic network. 1000BASE-SX SFP modules are a popular option because they can be used in combination with other IEEE 802.3z-compliant transceiver modules, including 1000BASELX/LH and 1000BASEZX interfaces. These transceivers are an improved version of the GLC-SX-MM in that they include Digital Optical Monitoring for increased visibility into the status of your transceiver, and they can tolerate an extended temperature range. GLC-SX-MMD transceivers operate solely over multimode fiber and can reach distances of up to 1,000 meters.

We offer Cisco Original GLC-SX-MMD modules in refurbished and factory sealed; this model is brand new and still in the original packaging. When you buy transceiver modules from CablesAndKits, you can be confident in your purchase – in fact, we’re so confident that you’ll be happy with our products that they’re covered by our Lifetime Advance Replacement Warranty and 30-day satisfaction guarantee.

Grab one for 25% off this week only!

---

Empathy vs. Sympathy: What’s the Difference? – Ramsey Solutions

If you hang out with mental health nerds for more than five minutes, you’ll probably hear them talking about empathy. It’s been a huge area of research in the past couple of decades, and scholars like Brené Brown have made it easy for us to understand how important empathy is to our relationships and emotional health.

But there’s also some confusion. What is empathy, exactly? And how do we define empathy versus sympathy? The difference is subtle but important. Let’s check it out.

What’s the Difference Between Empathy and Sympathy?

Empathy and sympathy are both ways we respond to the suffering of people around us. But there’s a crucial difference: Sympathy is acknowledging someone else’s pain, but empathy is choosing to feel the pain with them. Sympathy says, “I care about you,” and empathy says, “I’m hurting with you.”

I know this is an abstract idea, so let’s break it down some more.   

What Is Sympathy?

Sympathy is being aware of and sensitive to the needs and suffering of others. It’s recognizing—or even honoring—the reality of a tough situation. But although you’re expressing sadness, you still have an emotional boundary around yourself to keep from feeling what the sufferer is feeling. 

You can feel sympathy for someone’s situation and remain unmoved. It’s like driving by someone on the side of the highway with a flat tire and saying, “Poor thing,” or as people like to say here in Nashville, TN, “Bless your heart.” But ultimately, sympathy does not motivate us to connect with others. We can sympathize while zooming by that stranded driver, leaving them to deal with the flat tire alone.

What Is Empathy?

Empathy is understanding and vicariously experiencing what others are going through. It’s sitting in their pain. It takes creativity to empathize because you’ve got to imagine yourself in the situation of the other person and feel how heavy the burden truly is.

Empathy is choosing to “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15 ESV). But beneath rejoicing and weeping, it’s digging in to truly listen to and know someone so you can ultimately internalize their experience.

When my little girl comes into my room in the middle night because she had a bad dream, I can choose to respond with empathy by inviting her in, holding her close, and listening to her fear. I can remember what it felt like to have nightmares when I was a kid. I can provide a safe, warm space to breathe and de-escalate (the nerd word for “calm down”). I don’t try to fix or rationalize her problem. I sit with her in it.

Empathy is nonjudgmental. It’s an attitude of curiosity and acceptance and sharing tissues. It’s treating someone the way you’d want to be treated—right here, right now, in any given moment.

—–

Want to read the rest of this article? You can find it on the Ramsey Solutions blog here!

---

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• “Black Widow” tallied $80 million at the domestic box office during its debut, the most of any film released in the wake of the Covid epidemic. The film garnered an additional $60 million from Disney+ sales. 
• A sealed copy of the 1996 Super Mario 64 video game broke records by auctioning $ 1.5 million. The sealed copy of the Nintendo game far surpassed the record for money paid for a video game that an intact copy of The Legend of series had set just a few days earlier. Zelda sold for $870,000.
• Thousands of Cubans took to the streets across the country on Sunday in protest. The demonstrations came at a time when Cuba faces the worst economic crisis since the fall of the Soviet Union, an increase in repression against political opponents, and a strained health system during a critical stage of the pandemic.
• Just three years after failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, Italy is the champion of Europe!
• Richard Branson and five other crew members successfully completed a flight to space. The crew flew 53.5 miles in the air, floated around, and then descended back to Earth. 

---

In This Issue:  PoE Injector, 10/100, 24 Watts, IP Phone 7900/8800/8900/9900 Series | Understanding Wavelengths | News to Start Your Day

---

Friday is finally here! Who’s ready for the weekend?!  We sure are! To get you through this Friday, enjoy a delicious sugar cookie and celebrate National Sugar Cookie Day!  Here’s a delicious recipe to make and enjoy at home! 

---

The CK Daily – Hello World!

Happy Friday from the other Cris… The one without an “H”! Typically, you hear from the other Chris today, but you’re hearing from me today! Some fun facts about me… one of them is not true can you guess which one?

– I really like spicy foods!

– I own 1 goose and 3 ducks

– I learned how to play the bass during the pandemic

– I’m a big nerd and also like to play Skyrim

– I once ran into a parked school bus (it wasn’t even running)

Other than these weird things, I’m a product marketer here at CablesAndKits and I’ve worn many hats in the company including in our lovely customer service and sales departments as well as in software dev and IT! When I’m not trying to showcase our amazing products, you can typically find me hanging out with my wife and two daughters. I hope you have a fantastic weekend and do let me know which fact you think is not true!

Cris

---

Product Spotlights & Updates

Happy Friday! Today we’re spotlighting a PoE power injector for Cisco IP Phones.

You can’t go wrong with our 24 Watt Power Injector from CablesAndKits. This is the perfect replacement for CP-PWR-CUBE-4 and/or AIR-PWRINJ4. The 24 Watt Power injector will ensure your connection never fails when you need it most. Perfect for powering up your phone at home or office where PoE might not be an option, this Injector comes ready with an AC power cord so you don’t have to worry about ordering that separately.

The POEINJ24WPMD will be on sale for the next two days only for a whopping 25% off… be sure to pick one up today!

---

Understanding Wavelengths – CK Learning Center

No one ever accused fiber optics of being simple technology. Instead, we tend to acknowledge that this powerful technology is difficult to design and complicated in its application. Mastering those complications is often worth it because it enables us to build better networks and do a better job with those networks. In that endeavor, we can tackle a brief tutorial on wavelengths and how they impact fiber optic designs.

What Is Wavelength?

The second word in “fiber optics” already tells us plenty about the nature of this technology. It deals with light — more specifically electromagnetic radiation — as the signaling medium. Wavelength is very simply a measure of the space between two photons in a solid beam of light. Conversely, we have frequency which measures the time between two signals. The two terms are opposite sides of the same coin. If you have a shorter wavelength, it takes less time between signals and a higher frequency.

With this in mind, the wavelength (or frequency) of any light source tells us the physical limitation of how we can use that light in signal processing. We can never send signals that are faster than the frequency of the beam, and we cannot use equipment that is smaller than the wavelength. This is a rough summary, but it paints a good enough picture.

Aside from the basics, the wavelength also tells us how light will interact with other objects. When it comes to designing fiber optics, those interactions are the most important pieces of information hiding within a wavelength.

Absorption

When fiber optics are engineered and tested, there are two issues that can impact their effectiveness. Absorption is one of them. Materials have a natural ability to absorb electromagnetic radiation. For any given substance, only radiation of certain wavelengths can actually interact and be absorbed. When we deal with fiber optic cables, the largest source of absorption actually comes from microscopic water droplets. That drives manufacturers to avoid wavelengths where that absorption is at its worst.

Scattering

Like absorption, scattering happens at different wavelengths for any given material. Also like absorption, the culprits of scattering within a fiber optic cable are small and easy to overlook. Particles of dust and even the air itself can cause scattering problems, so again, the design is to use wavelengths where these problems are smallest.

The term for signal loss related to absorption and scattering is attenuation. Engineers try to make attenuation numbers as small as possible, and when you account for both absorption and scattering at the same time, you find that very specific frequencies work best. The most common wavelengths in use today are 850, 1300, 1310, and 1500 nanometers. You’ll notice large gaps between each of those numbers. Those just happen to be the magic wavelengths where the attenuation values hit minima.

This is only the beginning. We can find that different types of fiber optic signals can further impact which wavelength is best for a function. Multimode and singlemode fiber, for instance, have different naturally occurring sources of interference. That’s why they tend to operate with noticeably separate wavelength ranges.

Putting it all together, it isn’t necessary to optimize wavelengths when you choose fiber optic systems. That’s baked into the design. Instead, it helps to understand why wavelength is an important identifier and how emerging, more advanced systems might play with wavelength in order to improve the technology.

You can find this article on the CK Learning Center. 

---

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• NASA’s groundbreaking Ingenuity Mars Helicopter has sent back stunning photos it took on July 5 while flying over the Red Planet’s rocky landscape — and this time, they’re in color. While in the air, Ingenuity took a series of stunning images, showing a multicolored landscape and tracks left behind by NASA’s Perseverance rover.
•  The deadly collapse of the condo building in surfside, Florida, has spurred many in the region to ensure that their buildings are structurally sound. In the long term, those assessments — as well as buyers’ fears and rising costs — could lead to a reshaping of South Florida’s real estate market as a whole.
• A Florida entrepreneur has been accused of involvement in the assassination of Haiti’s president, Jovenel Moïse. James Solages, a former security guard, is one of two Haitian Americans the Haitian government said it arrested in the capital, Port-au-Prince, in connection with the killing at the presidential residence.
• The pool industry is seeing substantial growth as many Americans move to the suburbs, migrate to warmer states, and increasingly look to make their own yards better places to spend time. 
• Wells Fargo is shutting down all existing personal lines of credit in the coming weeks and will no longer offer the product. 

---

In This Issue:  TP-Link Gigabit Multimode SC Fiber Media Converter – MCMMSC-1GB | 4 Stages of Greatness | News to Start Your Day

---

Happy Thursday! Who’s ready for the weekend?! Even though it’s been a short week, it’s felt quite long! Do you have any exciting weekend plans that you’re looking forward to? We’d love to hear about them! 

---

The CK Daily – Getting Through the Tornado

I will admit it. I think I have a problem. If you will, let me “geek out” for a minute and explain. This past weekend I went to the mall with some friends who were in town, and I ended up making some impulse buys. You know the ones where you REALLY don’t need something, but on the other hand, you REALLY do need something? Haha! That was me.

I am an avid Marvel / Star Wars / Transformers nut. I have this tendency to buy things for my home office that revolve around those three areas. It has gotten to be a bit much but sometimes I can’t help myself. This past weekend, I saw where Marvel had released “robot” versions of some of their characters in a POP’s version. (If you don’t know what a POP is, they are collectible bobblehead versions of characters…I included a pic below of part of my collection for reference.) I had to have some for my collection, as if I didn’t already have enough, so I got them. It was like the best of both worlds – Marvel & Transformers. It is just one of those weird quirks that I get excited about that other people probably roll their eyes over. I am ok with that. Haha! I think it just reminds me of my childhood, plus they are cool to have and look good in my office. I think it would be super cool if we had a POP version of the CK mascot, Switch, but that’s just me.

What are some things (collectibles, items, swag, etc.) that you collect or when you see you just have to get, even though you have tons of already?

Jason

---

Product Spotlights & Updates

Happy Thursday folks! Our product spotlight for today is an SC Media converter, the TP-Link MCMMSC-1GB.

Network media converters are used to interconnect different types of cables within an existing network. They receive data from one type of cable and convert the signals for transmission along with another cable type. The SC Gigabit Multimode media converter is used to interconnect 1000TX to 1000SX SC Multimode fiber cable within an existing network.

Quick Specs:

– IEEE802.3ab 1000Base-T and IEEE802.3z 1000Base-SX Standards

– 1000Mbps

– Status LEDs help to easily monitor your network configuration.

– 1000Base-T to 1000Base-SX converter with SC-type connectors.

– Works at 850nm for transmitting and receiving data.

Grab one for 15% off this week only!

---

4 Stages of Greatness – Jon Gordon

When I ask people if they want to be great or do great things everyone says, “Yes.” I’ve never had anyone say I want to be mediocre. I’m convinced that inside each one of us is a desire for greatness because we were never meant to be average. God planted this desire in our soul. It’s why we are always striving to improve. Inventors and engineers are always trying to make better phones, cars, machines, planes and products. A director makes a movie and wants to make an even better movie. A sales person has a great year and they want to top it. An athlete wants to get stronger and faster. A musician has a hit song and then they want to create another hit. It’s part of our path as human beings to innovate, evolve, grow, improve and push the boundaries of what’s possible. I’ve discovered there are 4 stages that everyone who pursues greatness will go through on their journey.

1. The Preparation Stage – This is where you prepare to be great—where your actions meet your desire – where you show up each day and do the work that greatness requires. While speaking to a MLB baseball team I asked them, “Do you believe you can work harder than you already are?” Everyone raised their hand. “So why aren’t you,” I asked? We discussed it and decided to work harder you have to care more. You have to care to prepare and embrace the process that leads to improvement and growth. See yourself as an artist dedicated to your craft and over time you will create a masterpiece.

2. The Planting Stage – This is where you plant yourself where you are and allow yourself and your gifts to be used for a greater purpose beyond yourself. This is where you decided to serve WE instead of ME. Just as the seed must surrender to the ground you must surrender your ego and put your team and others first. You have to have an ego to want to be great but you must give up your ego and serve others in order to be truly great. Years ago I was unhappy and miserable with my life. I was trying to serve me and it wasn’t doing me any good. Finally I broke down and made my life about others. I started this newsletter in 2002 with no plan. I just shared messages to hopefully inspire and in the process I’ve grown others and myself.

3. The Growth Stage – When you plant yourself and allow yourself to be used for a greater purpose you grow into the leader you are meant to be. Part of this process is the growth stage where you will experience triumphs and success to let you know you are on the right path. However, you will also experience pruning during this stage. When you are being pruned it looks like you have been destroyed but you haven’t. Like a bush that’s been pruned, the pruning is meant to help you grow more fully. When I spoke to the West Point football team a few years ago they had just lost a tough game during another challenging season and things looked bleak. I told them they were just being pruned and a harvest was coming. Your perspective during the growth stage is so important. So many give up during this stage because they think when they have been pruned they’re finished. They think it’s the end so they never reach the final stage. Don’t stop. Keep going and you’ll keep growing.

4. The Harvest Stage – This is where you reap the benefits of all your hard work, planting, and growing. It’s where you produce fruit in your life and fruit in others and leave a legacy. It’s when it all becomes clear. The reason why we go through these 4 stages and strive for greatness is because through the process we become someone who can bring out the greatness in others. We show others what greatness looks like and inspire others to aspire to greatness themselves. I was at the Army-Navy game this past year, when after 14 years of defeats, Army finally beat Navy. I congratulated Coach Jeff Monken and he said, “We experienced a harvest today.” You may not have experienced a harvest yet but don’t let that stop you from preparing and planting the seed. Go through the process. Don’t give up when you are being pruned. It may take a while but a harvest is coming. I don’t know when but I know it’s coming!

You can find this article on the Jon Gordon blog. 

---

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• In a study of Icelandic workers conducted by research firms Alda and Autonomy, approximately 2,500 workers were monitored in two separate trials to see how a shorter work week affected their productivity. The results of the two-part study that spanned five years were unequivocal: reduced hours did not negatively impact productivity, and resulted in a myriad of positive outcomes, including reductions in stress and burnout. 
• Millions of Marvel fans are about to return to a movie theater for the first time since social distancing began. The occasion is Marvel’s “Black Widow,” the most-anticipated movie of the summer. It is debuting around the world right now, and the industry’s global weekend expectation is as high as $140 million.
• Kaseya, an IT solutions developer for MSPs and enterprise clients, announced that it had become the victim of a cyberattack on July 2. According to Kaseya CEO, less than 0.1% of the company’s customers were embroiled in the breach — but as their clientele includes MSPs, this means that smaller businesses have also been caught up in the incident. 
• A somber moment of silence marked the end of the two-week search for survivors of a Florida condominium collapse. The painstaking search for survivors shifted to a recovery effort at midnight Wednesday after authorities said they had come to the agonizing conclusion that there was “no chance of life” in the rubble of the Champlain Towers South condo building in Surfside.
• The United Arab Emirates’ Hope probe, which arrived at Mars in early February, spotted the scattered glow of auroras in the Martian night sky. Auroras on Mars are different from those on Earth because the red planet is thought to have lost its global magnetic field billions of years ago.

---

In This Issue:  Cisco Original 1000BASE-LX/LH SFP Module | 3 Steps to Manifest Your Goals in Life | News to Start Your Day

---

Happy Tuesday! We hope you enjoyed the long weekend with friends and family! It seemed like it was the perfect weekend to celebrate festivities outside. How did you celebrate your July 4th weekend? We’d love to know!

---

The CK Daily – “I’ll keep moving”

Happy Tuesday! I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July weekend!

One of my favorite traditions on the 4th is the Peachtree Road Race. I’ve never run it, but hope to at some point check it off the bucket list! It is such a fun tradition here in Atlanta & I love watching the coverage, hearing cool stories, and seeing people outside having fun! This year I saw the Atlanta Track Club posted a picture of a lady named Betty who had just completed her 31st Peachtree (which is impressive in and of itself!), but what makes it even more amazing is that Betty is 96 years young! Not going to lie, I instantly became a little obsessed with Ms. Betty. I had to know more about her, so I did a quick internet search and found this video which made me an even bigger fan! I love her spunky personality, sense of humor, willingness to do hard things, and I really love that she ended the interview by saying “I’ll keep moving”.

I’m a firm believer in getting some sort of movement in every day (something beyond moving from the bed to the couch!) Sometimes being active can make us feel tired and exhausted, but ironically I really think it’s what helps to keep us young at the same time. I hope you are as inspired by this story as I was!

Rebecca

---

Product Spotlights & Updates

Hope you are having a great Tuesday! Today we’re going to spotlight a very popular transceiver from Cisco the GLC-LH-SMD. If you need an SFP that will go the distance this is it! The Cisco Original 1000BASE-LX/LH SFP Module has a max distance of 6.2 miles (10 km) and a data transfer rate of 1 Gbps. This unit features DOM support (Digital Optical Monitoring) and will support LC duplex connectors. Because of its higher optical quality, the GLC-LH-SMD can reach double the cabling distance over the industry standard of 5 km.

One of our reviewers commented “CIsco Original at a fraction of the price! Why pay more for the same part…” That’s a great point you made Eddy C. There’s no reason to pay more and to sweeten the deal even more this transceiver module is on sale this week for 15% off!

---

3 Steps to Manifest Your Goals in Life

If you’ve ever been confused about how to fulfill your dreams, or even where to start, you’re not alone. Many people struggle with the same problem. Like them, you probably know you need to master your mindset, build relationships and reach peak performance in your career. But when you’re unsure of how those things fuel your dreams—or even worse, you can’t visualize the end goal—it’s easy to postpone the existence you crave.

No matter what you’re trying to achieve, begin your journey with three simple steps. They’re listed below, and you’re going to need them when life gets tough.

1. Visualize your success before it happens.

When you imagine your life in the next five years, what do you see? Are you a world traveler using nothing but a laptop and Wi-Fi to earn a living? Do you own a successful business that’s about to go public? In your mind’s eye, visualize the rich relationships and the type of lifestyle you want to have.

2. Create a success plan by writing down your goals.

Now that you have your imagined memory, write it down. Put your goals in a journal so they seem less like fiction and closer to a burgeoning reality. After all, words on paper can become a list, and lists can be completed. It’s the same process as handling tasks at work or household chores. Your dream is just as important, and it’s something you can plan for.

3. Embrace the magic of daily routines.

Good habits are the key to success, so you need a solid routine for practicing them. It’s about more than simply organizing your day, week, or month. A routine creates the momentum you need to reach small, immediate goals. You get a burst of motivation with each accomplishment, so it’s worth the effort.

Want to read the full article from Success? Find it here! 

---

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• As of yesterday, Jeff Bezos is no longer the CEO of Amazon. 
• Instagram is working to compete with TikTok and will now prioritize video over photos. The Director of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, stated they are focusing on four key areas: Creators, Video, Shopping, and Messaging. 
• Wally Funk, a woman who trained for NASA’s “Mercury 13” program in the 1960s, is Jeff Bezos’ guest for the trip to be made by his aerospace company, Blue Origin, on July 20.
• A cybercrime organization has infected 1 million systems across 17 countries. They are demanding $70 million in bitcoin in exchange for a “universal decryptor.” They targeted Kaseya, an IT firm, and used their software to slip into the victims’ systems. 
• As Tropical Storm Elsa approaches the coast of Florida, various counties are now under a tropical storm warning.

---

In This Issue: Cisco 3750G Series 24 Port PoE Gigabit Switch | What is DWDM? | News to Start Your Day

---

Today we’re celebrating a batter-dipped, deep-fried bite of deliciousness that runs rings around other appetizers! Any guesses?! It’s National Onion Ring Day!  Head out to your favorite diner and order up some onion rings. Or make them at home! Here’s a delicious recipe to try! 

---

The CK Daily – Beach Days and More Exploring

Happy Tuesday!

As I mentioned last week, I’m on vacation this week! We’re spending the week on Amelia Island and have been having a great time so far! We’ve taken advantage of the cool mornings to get out for a few runs/walks, and have spent the afternoons hanging out on the beach!

I’m normally someone who spends most of my time laying out on the beach, but we’ve had some great waves down here so we have spent a good bit of time out in the water boogie boarding. I haven’t really done that since I was a kid, and now I’m realizing I totally forgot how much fun that is! We hope to get in a few more good beach days, check out Cumberland Island, and maybe explore Little Talbot Island. Lots to look forward to! I hope you’re all having a great week!

Rebecca

---

Product Spotlights & Updates:

Happy Tuesday! We’ve got some pretty sweet Deals of the Week going on this week. Today, we’re highlighting the Cisco 3750G Series 24 Port PoE Gigabit Switch, WS-C3750G-24PS-S. The Cisco Catalyst 3750 Series of switches are excellent options for midsized and large offices alike.

These 3750G switches offer (24) or (48) 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet ports plus 4 SFP ports. In addition, they include Cisco StackWise technology and allow users to stack up to 9 individual switches into one single logical unit. The unit comes with an IP Base image, Stacking capabilities, a POE budget of 370W, 128 MB of RAM, 32 MB of Flash, and has 1005 Total VLANs.

Grab one today for 10% off!

---

What is DWDM? – CK Learning Center

Fiber optics run the world. They’re deeply embedded in all of our communications at an infrastructural level. More than that, fiber optics consistently become more available and affordable for all aspects of networking. When you have to ensure the integrity of any network, you want to be certain you’re using the right tools for the job. The only way to gain that certainty is to have a deep understanding of what is available. Today, you can improve that understanding by learning about DWDM technology. It’s a vital form of fiber optic communications that is completely irreplaceable in many applications.

Dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) is a breed of fiber optics that are specifically geared towards extremely data-intense operations. Meeting those data-intense needs is primarily accomplished through two facets of DWDM design.

For starters, this is multiplexed fiber optics. That means the cables are paired in a way that allows data to stream in two directions at the same time. In other words, any node on the network can send and receive information simultaneously.

Perhaps more important to defining DWDM is the nature of the dense wavelengths. A single cable can simultaneously run up to 192 (96 on older designs) distinct communication channels at once. Since each channel can carry up to 100 Gbps, this leads to an aggregate bandwidth of 19.2 Tbps.

DWDM creates this reality by using extremely tight wavelength spacing for each channel. Typical designs are built on either 0.4 nm or 0.8 nm spacing. Since each channel is secured to prevent cross-channel noise and interference, DWDM communications rely on precise laser signaling. This drives up the cost of producing DWDM systems.

How Does DWDM Compare to CWDM?

The other big player in multiplex fiber optics is CWDM. The C refers to a coarse wavelength spacing. This limits CWDM cables to a maximum of 10 Gbps and enables the designs to use less precise equipment. In short, CWDM has lower data capacities and costs less money. Choosing between the two will always be determined by the function of the network. There’s little reason to pay for DWDM capabilities unless they’re needed.

What Are Common Applications for DWDM?

Considering the extraordinary data density that DWDM can transmit, it is mostly used in applications that require it. The most common of these applications is telecommunications. Internet providers typically run DWDM in communication hubs.

Similarly, dense data centers often run on DWDM. While the aggregate data rates are important, the ability to run separate data formats and rates on each channel tremendously help data centers streamline their networks.

Cloud service providers are the other big user of DWDM. As you might imagine, enterprise cloud providers require the extraordinary bandwidth provided by dense fiber optics to meet demand.

In summary, DWDM is one of a large number of means to build a network. It offers some of the fastest data rates available today, and DWDM systems are integral to networking infrastructure. Understanding how it works, its capacity and its applications can help you better determine when and where you should consider DWDM systems of your own. If you need the level of capacity offered by dense wavelengths, you won’t have many alternative options.

This article is from the CK Learning Center. You can find it here. 

---

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• The European Court of Justice ruled that YouTube and other online platforms shouldn’t be held liable for copyright-infringing uploads in some cases. They could, however, be held liable if they are aware copyrighted content is available illegally and refrain from “expeditiously deleting it.”
• Chipotle Rewards will now be able to redeem their points for more rewards across its entire menu and more quickly. Restaurants are leaning on loyalty programs to hold onto the digital customers the companies gained during the pandemic.
• Target plans to make 100% of its private-label products environmentally sustainable by designing more durable items, eliminating waste, and encouraging reuse by 2040.
• Peloton just launched a corporate wellness program. Businesses that sign up will be able to offer employees subsidized access to Peloton’s digital fitness membership and its high-end cycles and treadmills.
• DoorDash is expanding its grocery delivery service. The company is partnering with Albertsons Cos. to offer on-demand grocery delivery from nearly 2,000 of its stores.

---