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CEO Daily Updates

CK Daily – 06.09.2023

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Happy Friday! We hope you had a great week and are looking forward to a restful weekend ahead. Have weekend plans? We’d love to hear about them!

In This Issue: Buy with Confidence | 1M OM4 LC-LC Fiber Patch Cable | Choosing the Right Network Card | News to Start Your Day

The CK Daily – Buy with Confidence

Happy Friday, folks! I enjoy completing small home improvement projects or fixes myself. Some of the recent projects include replacing the kitchen faucet, replacing our microwave, and replacing the railing on our deck.

The closest home improvement store to us is Lowe’s. I used their app to find the products I needed for every project and added them to the wishlist. The key thing I looked for when looking for parts was the stock. Since I was going to the store to buy it THAT DAY, I didn’t want to select products that were out of stock. The other thing I do every time is overbuying. By overbuying, I mean buying items of different lengths or sizes. If I don’t overbuy, I’ll make a second or a third trip to the store that day to get more supplies. So if I overbuy, I save the extra trips that day. Then I’ll stop at Lowe’s when it’s convenient for me to return the extra supplies.

Did you know we show our actual inventory levels on our site? We do this so you can be confident that you can get it fast. If you’re in the Atlanta area, you can pick it up today, or we’ll ship it today!

And if you aren’t sure how much you need to complete your project, order extra. We offer free returns within 30 days, plus we send you a return label to cover the return shipping. This is another way we help you complete your IT projects on time!

What are your favorite businesses to buy from and why?

Have a great weekend!

Chris


Product Spotlights & Updates

OM4 patch cables take all the benefits of OM3 fiber and increase the transmission bandwidth up to 40gbs and in some cases 100gbs. OM4, like, OM3, is laser-optimized to give optimum performance and reliability. Unlike other old fiber types, OM4 has a higher attenuation that helps create lower losses over greater distances.

Shop the Product Spotlight


Learning Center Article – Choosing the Right Network Card

When you think about networking, there’s a lot of focus on switches, panels, racks, cables, and the backbone infrastructure that makes it all work.

It’s easy to forget about devices that enable individual networking components to function. One such case is a network interface card (NIC). They allow your computerized devices to connect to the network, so they’re absolutely essential. Many devices have NICs built into them, which is why they are easy to overlook. But, there are times when you need to purchase NICs. When that happens, this guide will help you choose the right option.

Read the Full Article HERE

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • Meta has shown staff plans for a text-based social network designed to compete with Twitter.
  • Air pollution in the U.S. and Europe improved over the last decade thanks to stricter regulations, but the more frequent and intense wildfires are having a big impact on air quality. Mobile apps like IQAir’s AirVisual, AirCare and others run by government agencies are helping people track air pollution, including wildfire smoke, and stay out of harm’s way.
  • Even in a housing market that has slowed significantly due to rising mortgage rates, the supply of homes for sale is about half of what it was in 2019. The shortage is hitting some buyers more than others. The popular 30-year fixed mortgage rate hovered in the high-6% range in May.
  • The bankruptcy-run sale for Bed Bath & Beyond was delayed once again as the company continues discussions with potential bidders for its assets, namely Buy Buy Baby.

CEO Daily Update – 2.26.2021

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Today’s Topics: Goodbye(ish) | Step-Up Your Video Conferencing Game with our 1080P HD Camera! | What are the different types of QSFP+ Transceivers | News to Start Your Day

Happy Friday!

February 26th is National Tell a Fairy Tale Day! What were once oral histories, myths, and legends retold around the fire or by traveling storytellers, have been written down and become known all over the world as fairy tales! Here’s to a day full of storytelling and everyone living happily ever after!

It’s Friday, y’all! This will be my last email to you guys, at least for now. I am turning the reins of this email, now to be known at the CK Daily, over to the team at CK. I was telling someone this week how I’m trying to be open-handed with things in my life. When Craig and I started CK, we had to maintain a level of control to get things to a point where tasks, and eventually bigger things like building processes and strategic planning, could be handed over to someone else. Reflecting back on the first 10 years, I can see how I felt like having control was somehow going to make things succeed. Kind of a prideful opinion, isn’t it? Of course, I didn’t see it that way at the time.

The last year that I’ve been back in the day-to-day at CK, I’ve attempted to do things differently than before, to learn from mistakes I made. One of the joys that has come from that is seeing other people succeed. It is honestly one of my favorite things. So, I know you guys will be in good hands with the CK team. I will miss connecting here with you every day.

Thank you guys for connecting first with Craig and later with me, for being friends of CK, for being customers of CK (if not now, maybe in the future, eh?), and for letting us grace your inbox each morning. Be sure to add the new email to your safe sender’s list: [email protected] so you continue to hear from us, and I will chat with you later.

Take care, friends.

Hope you have a great weekend,

Christin

Product Spotlights & Updates:

Happy Friday! If you’re like many of us, video conferences have become a way of life lately! We use video calls for business meetings, trainings, and even connecting with family and friends! You may have a laptop with a built-in webcam, but I’d encourage you to take a second to evaluate the quality you’re getting out of that internal camera. With the amount of time spent on video calls, it might be time to go ahead and upgrade to a high-resolution external camera! We have an excellent option for anyone in the market for a 1080P HD camera at an affordable price! 

Our newest 1080P HD Webcam has it all!  It works seamlessly with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Facetime, Skype, YouTube, and more! Here are the deets!

  • 1080P Full HD quality for a clear, crisp, lifelike picture
  • High frame rate of 30 FPS
  • Built-in Noise Reducing Microphone to cut out the unwanted distractions from background noise
  • 90° Wide View Angle to give you the wide view you’re looking for
  • Plug & Play to make it easy to use! Ready to go in less than 1 minute!

Priced at only $49.99, this camera is a no-brainer! To make it even better, as with all our products, this comes with a lifetime advance replacement warranty! Go ahead and snag yours today!

What are the different types of QSFP+ Transceivers – CK Learning Center

There’s been a rapid evolution of gigabit ethernet and a growing demand for equipment that handles this advancement. Data centers are now migrating to blazing-fast 40G, and QSFP+ transceivers as a necessary component in making sure high-speed internet stays high speed.

QSFP+ stands for Quad Small Form-Factor Pluggable Plus. A parallel and hot-swappable fiber optical module that provides high-density 40G connectivity options for high-performance computing networks and modern data centers. It has four independent receive and transmits optical channels that can terminate to another 40G QSFP+ transceiver, or can be distributed to four separate 10 Gigabit SFP+ transceivers. The QSFP+ modules, in a nutshell, connect the entire electrical circuitry of your system to an optical external network.

QSFP+ Interface: LC & MPO

There are a variety of 40G transceivers currently available on the market. However, 40G QSFP+ optics follow the QSFP MSA standard which dictates that 40G QSFP+ connectors can be either 12-fiber MPO or duplex LC. Which are the MPO and the LC. What are the differences between these two interfaces?

To put it simply, 40G QSFP+ transceivers that have an LC interface are used in transmitting data over long distances via single-mode fiber (SMF), while transceivers with an MPO interface (except for 40GBase-PLR4 and 40GBase-PLRL4) are deployed for data transmission over short distances via multimode fiber (MMF). In addition to that, MPO interfaced QSFP+ transceivers can be used in 4x10G connectivity using a breakout cable, compared to LC interfaced ones that can’t be divided into 4x10G since they use 4 wavelengths on one pair of SMF.

Let’s delve deeper and understand how 40G QSFP+ transceivers with LC interface work. From the transmitting side, 4 channels of 10G serial data streams that have different wavelengths are sent over to laser drivers. These same laser drivers control the DML or directly modulated lasers using wavelengths. Then the DML outputs are multiplexed optically to a single-mode fiber via a standard LC connector, combining as 40G. On the receiving side, the 40G signal is demultiplexed into four separate 10G streams at different wavelengths. Each single-wavelength light is acquired by a diode and amplified by a TIA and then comes out as electric data.

The working principle of a 40G QSFP+ transceiver with an MPO interface can be explained by starting from the transmitting side when it transmutes parallel electrical input signals into parallel optical signals via a laser array. The optical signals are then sent through the MPO-terminated MMF ribbon. In the other side, the receiver transforms parallel optical input signals into parallel electrical output signals using a photodetector array.

Which QSFP+ Type Is Right For You?

QSFP+ transceivers also come in several ratings. It is important to know which category best suits your network setup. As your partners in IT procurement, we are here to provide a series of cost-effective transceivers to meet your various network demands. Let’s take a look at them.

40GBase-SR4

40GBase-SR4 is probably the most widely-used and most popular 40G transceiver for short-distance transmission, mostly link lengths of 100m and 150m on OM3 and OM4 multimode fibers. It is an MPO-interfaced parallel fiber optic transceiver with a 4x10G transmission pattern. The 40GBase-SR4 can achieve simultaneous 40G signal sending and receiving with the help of four 10G SFP+ lanes in one module. You can usually see this type of transceiver being used in data centers to interconnect two switches with 12 lane ribbon cables.

40GBase-LR4

While the 40GBase-SR4 is used for short-distance transmission, the 40GBase-LR4, on the other hand, is for long-range transmission of data. Though they use the same multi-lane technology, the LR4 differs in that instead of using a single fiber strand for each lane, it multiplexes all four sending lanes onto one fiber strand and all four receiving lanes onto another single fiber strand. This transceiver type supports link lengths of up to 10kms via a single-mode fiber cable with duplex LC connectors.

40GBase-CSR4

The principle behind the 40GBase-CSR4 module is the same as the 40GBase-SR4 in which they both have an MPO interface. The difference though is that the CSR4 can be considered as an upgrade of the SR4 because it can support longer transmission of data. Up to 300m using OM3 and 400m on OM4.

40GBase-LR4L

40GBase-LR4 Lite or more commonly known as 40GBase-LR4L has the same fundamentals as the 40GBase-LR4 in that it is used for long-range 40G data transmission over a single-mode fiber cable. The difference though is that while the LR4 can support link lengths of up to 10kms, the LR4L only goes up to 2kms.

40GBase-ER4

The 40GBase-ER4 module can handle the long-distance transmission of data up to 40kms over SMF fiber with duplex LC connectors. It works by converting four 10G input channels to four CWDM optical signals, then multiplexes them into a single 40G channel. On the receiving end of the module, the single 40G input is demultiplexed into four CWDM signals, then transforms them to a four-channel electrical data output.

Conclusion

In today’s high-performance data network scenarios, 40G QSFP+ modules guarantee high-density, cost-effective, and low-power 40G data transmission. Understanding the different 40G QSFP+ interfaces, types, and applications is of prime importance when selecting the best equipment for your data facility. CablesAndKits can supply not only a wide variety of 40G QSFP+ transceivers, but also provide and help you build a reliable and easy to manage network system. With a lifetime warranty and same-day shipping, if you order by 8 PM EST, you’ll get more, and spend less.

This article is from the CK Learning Center.

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 9,097,018 active COVID cases, 19,436,471 have recovered and there have been 520,852 deaths. 
  • A key FDA panel is scheduled to vote on whether to recommend J&J’s Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use, which would help pave the way for a third vaccine in the U.S. The FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee plays a key role in approving vaccines in the U.S., verifying the shots are safe for public use. While the FDA doesn’t have to follow the committee’s recommendation, it often does. 
  • Beyond Meat announced that it has struck deals with fast-food giants McDonald’s and Yum Brands. Under the three-year deal, Beyond will be the preferred patty supplier for its McPlant burger, which is being tested in some markets globally. McDonald’s and Beyond will also work together to develop new substitutes for pork, chicken, and egg. Likewise, Beyond and Yum will work together to make exclusive menu items for KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut over the next several years. 
  • The House aims to pass its $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package on Friday and send it to the Senate. Democrats hope to get the bill, which includes direct payments, jobless benefits, and Covid-19 vaccination funds, to President Joe Biden’s desk before unemployment aid expires on March 14th. Proponents of the bill say still-fragile households and businesses need more support in the coming months, while critics question whether the amount of spending is necessary. 
  • Twitter announced a number of new features that the company is experimenting with, including Super Follow subscriptions, which will let uses pay to see tweets from their favorite accounts. The various new features are intended to help the company hit its 2023 user and revenue goals. Check out the most notable features here.
  • People working from home have more options for making their living abroad than ever before. In addition to the countries that initially opened to remote workers last year, new destinations have launched programs to tempt workers to ditch their home offices for tropical shores and year-round sun. What’s necessary? Employment outside of the intended destination, proof of sufficient funds to support a long-term stay, medical insurance, and negative Covid tests. Add in application fees and a few other perfunctory requirements – travelers can secure beachside workplaces through the winter of 2022. Check out the new options!

CEO Daily Update – 2.25-2021

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Today’s Topics: Spring Vibes | WS-C3750G-24PS-S | Understanding the Basics of Network Switches | News to Start Your Day

Happy Thursday!

February 25th is National Chili Day! There are so many ways to enjoy chili. Think you have the best recipe? Check out these 10 Top Chili Cook-offs and start stewing!!

Happy Thursday, friends. Man, this week has flown by. For you as well? I can feel spring in the air here in Georgia. I’ve had the windows open in the house some this week, I’m hearing birds chirp in the mornings, and the days are getting a bit longer. Yesterday felt like a nice, crisp early spring day. Our kids keep asking when they can swim. The 5-year-old even tried to convince me that she could swim in cold water, no problem. (She definitely has her dad’s desire and ability to influence a situation with the “gift of gab”.) Hopefully, just a few more weeks until we can enjoy some pool time.

Thinking just how close we are to warmer outdoor temps made me realize that it has been a whole year since the first murmurings of COVID. For us here in Georgia, our schools were closed in mid-March and about a week later we had a shelter-in-place order. What huge changes we’ve seen in just a year! On one hand, it is hard to believe it has been a whole year, yet on another, it almost feels like it has been longer than that.

How does your work and personal life look different today vs one year ago?

Thinking about change,

Christin

PS – don’t forget you’ll start seeing these emails come through as the CK Daily next week!

Product Spotlights and Updates:

The Cisco WS-C3750G-24PS-S is a Switch of many trades – it could be used in a small office environment or it could be used in a larger campus (you can stack 9 of them into one single logical unit!). The 3750G has 24 Gigabit PoE ports with a PoE budget of 370 Watts. It’s perfect for powering up IP Cameras, VoIP Phones, Access Points, and/or even certain Access Control devices, this switch is very versatile! It even includes 4 built-in SFP ports for your fiber needs as well as an RPS connector. 

This switch is also built like a tank –  fun fact – did you know this switch could still operate at temperatures as low as 23°F and as high as 113°F. If your network closet is at those temps, you have other problems… however, this switch will still be kicking. What we love about this Switch as well is that it’s affordable, reliable, multi-purpose, with Gigabit connectivity, and all the features you would need to get your network humming along. Purchase one… or even two today! They are definitely what we would call a great bang for your buck!

Understanding the Basics of Network Switches – CK Learning Center

Networking is a big topic. In fact, it’s too big for a single conversation. In order to distill such a massive concept into manageable bites, it’s best to look at one component of a network at a time. This time around, that bite is network switches. They come in many shapes and sizes, but you can navigate through the field of options pretty easily when you break switch features into three categories.

Managed vs Unmanaged

These two options have a simple trade-off. Unmanaged switches are much easier to deploy. They come with pre-configured networking protocols, security, and traffic management. They are typically plug-and-play devices that can make simple and fast additions to an existing network.

Managed switches are the opposite. They require manual configuration before they can be fully deployed. That component grants vastly superior control over security, resource distribution, and the overall functionality of the switch. The time and effort spent on deploying managed switches return a more secure, better-managed network (provided the network administrator does the job correctly).

Choosing between these configurations is not a matter of want. They serve separate roles in a robust network. Major nodes should be run by managed switches. They can do the heavy lifting. Where a network might need rapid changes, unmanaged switches shine. Since they are ultimately tied into the properly managed nodes anyway, the easy deployment makes them perfect for simple additions to the whole.

Ports

The point of a switch is to add ports to a network. When choosing, you have to consider three points. The first that comes to mind is speed. Everyone wants a fast network, and in enterprise networks, that want is more of a need. If a switch cannot match the bandwidth capacity of the greater network, then it creates a bottleneck. That isn’t always bad, but you absolutely need to consider the speed of the switch. It can range from 10/100 (fast Ethernet) to tens of Gigabits per second.

Your second consideration is the interface. Fast networks often have fiber optics carrying the workload, but fiber optic cables don’t come with a single connector type (unlike Ethernet). In a large enough network, there’s a good chance you’ll be working with a variety of connectors (ST, SC, and LC just for starters), and each switch needs to support all of the interfaces expected of it. Double-check your connectors before any purchase.

The third consideration only applies to Ethernet, but it’s widely important since most of your devices will tie into the network via Ethernet or WiFi. In particular, Power over Ethernet (PoE) adds a lot of versatility to any network switch. As the name implies, it can carry power for a device through the Ethernet line. This is ideal for endpoint devices that don’t thrive on battery power. Security cameras and WiFi repeaters are two devices that come to mind.

Housing

Switches have to be stored somewhere, and the housing design is going to have a lot of say in where you can put it. Mostly, the two varieties are stackable and standalone. Standalone switches are best when they are physically isolated. If you have a single switch working as a relay for a few devices, standalone is the way to go. Stackable is designed for networking closets and server-style housing. They can be organized more efficiently than standalones, and they can be configured in bulk. They’re a requirement for major nodes on a large network.

This covers the basics of switches. There are still plenty of additional considerations. We haven’t touched on routers, firewalls, signal repeaters, cables, or any of the other big topics, but with this overview, you should have a good feel for what you want out of your switches. When you know the ports you need, the housing style, and how a switch will be managed, the rest is just trying to get the most performance and features for your buck.

This article is from the CK Learning Center.

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 9,115,541 active COVID cases, 19,341,060 have recovered and there have been 518,372 deaths. 
  • After the descent stage safely delivered the Mars rover, it flew away from the landing site and realized its carefully planned destiny. Perseverance caught the crash on camera. NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover has provided a new image from the red planet, showing a plume of smoke from where its descent stage made surface impact with Mars. One of the rover’s Hazcams captured the image. You can check out a video of the rover being lowered from the descent stage onto the rocky planet here. 
  • Pfizer and BioNTech said they are testing a third dose of their Covid-19 vaccine to better understand the immune response against new variants of the coronavirus. They are also in talks with regulatory authorities about testing a vaccine modified to protect specifically against the new variant found in South Africa. The new vaccine is ready to be tested in an early-stage clinical trial to determine if it can be used as a booster shot against the highly transmissible strain. 
  • A rouge sheep found wandering in rural Victoria has been shorn of his heavily overgrown 35kg fleece. Nicknamed Baarack by his rescuers, the merino ram was taken to Edgar’s Mission farm sanctuary, where the fleece was removed to save his life. He was very underweight and, due to all of the wool around his face, could barely see. Watch this video of Baarack’s story here. 
  • The EU is still one of the worst-hit parts of the world by the coronavirus, with a number of nations still in lockdown or with strict social restrictions in place. The health emergency is particularly acute in the Czech Republic and parts of Latvia, Sweden, Spain, and Portugal. Give the health crisis, European leaders are not yet inclined to east travel restrictions. 
  • Netflix said it had 3.8 million paid subscribers in South Korea as of December 2020. In the last five years – from 2015 to 2020 – Netflix invested $700 million to expand its slate of Korean content and established two purpose-built production facilities in the country. The U.S. streaming giant also announced two new original films out of South Korea. 

CEO Daily Update – 2.24.2021

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Today’s Topics: Postal Trucks, School Buses & Taxies | StackPower Cables | How to plan a Staycation | News to Start Your Day

Happy Wednesday!

National Tortilla Chip Day, a day set aside for the crunchy snack loved by millions across the nation, is observed annually on February 24th! Who doesn’t love a good bowl of salsa, chile con queso, or guacamole with their tortilla chips!? Don’t like tortilla chips?…no worries, we don’t have to taco ’bout it!

Some things change and some things stay the same…for a LONG time! Think about it, for the most part, postal trucks, school buses, and taxies have looked the same for years and years, some versions dating back to the ’60s and ’70s…and in some cases, it is the exact vehicle from the ’60s and ’70s. Well…the postal service is changing all of that! They have released the new design of the new postal trucks.

I have been trying to put my finger on what they remind me of and then it hit me…they look like a truck a kindergartener would draw where parts are out of proportion.

I imagine they will be very efficient though. No problem seeing out of the windshield, up or down, in them that is for sure. Change can be very good and hopefully, it will be for them.

Speaking of change, lots of change going on around CK lately. Christin mentioned yesterday that we will be changing the name of this email to the “CK Daily”. You will get a chance to hear from a few more of the CK leaders in the process. We were talking yesterday about how we want to make sure that we continue to stay personal, transparent, fun, and “real” in these emails going forward, but we also want to give you something that you will want to read and that you find beneficial in life and business. We are pretty excited about it!

If you have any thoughts, ideas, or recommendations feel free to reply to this email and let us know.

It’s Wednesday so the week is halfway over! I hope you have an awesome rest of the week!

Jason

Product Spotlights & Updates:

If you have a 3750X, 3850, or 9300 switch, chances are that Switch has StackPower Technology. StackPower is an amazing piece of technology that allows for power supplies to be stacked as a shared and common resource. What could save you a lot of time and money is to take advantage of the zero-footprint redundancy that the StackPower technology provides. Zero-footprint redundancy basically allows you to add one additional power supply to any switch in your stack to provide power redundancy to your entire stack. That means no additional separate redundant power supplies are necessary, conserving space in your rack, and also saving you operationally on maintenance and power utilization (you don’t have to maintain a redundant power supply if you don’t have one!).   

In order to utilize the technology, you’ll need two things: A StackPower Cable and an additional power supply. Today we’ll be focusing on the StackPower cable otherwise known by its part number – CAB-SPWR-30CM. This 30-centimeter cable is the key to optimizing the StackPower technology. Don’t forget you’ll need enough StackPower cables to interconnect all of your switches in a ring or star topology (so be sure to purchase enough for the amount of switches in your stack). 

This cable also comes in a 150CM length (CAB-SPWR-150CM) and we carry them in two flavors – Refurbished and Cisco New, which both include a Lifetime Warranty!

How to play a Staycation – Dave Ramsey Blog

Who doesn’t love taking a vacation? You get to sleep in, eat delicious food, and enjoy the freedom to do absolutely nothing or absolutely anything with your day. Ah, living the dream! But sometimes a traditional vacation just isn’t in the cards (like this year thanks to COVID-19), or maybe it isn’t in the budget for you. If you fall into that camp, a staycation is a great alternative that can give you the rest you deserve without breaking the bank.

What is the Difference Between a Vacation and a Staycation?

Just like it sounds—a staycation means you’ll be staying at home (or in town) while on “vacation.” Think of it as a way to “get away from it all” by going nowhere. 

One of the biggest differences between a staycation and a vacation? Yep, you guessed it—the price tag. Although it’s possible to take a cheap vacation, they’re known for being ex-pen-sive. Did you know the average travel budget is about $2,800?1 That’s a lot of dough to drop on vacation. And you can probably tack on some more dollars if it’s a family of five. Yikes! But the good news is, you don’t have to spend that much money. A staycation is an awesome (and much cheaper) alternative.

Why do you need a Staycation?

Because we all need a break! But that doesn’t mean you have to bust your budget to do it (that’s the opposite of relaxing).

If you’re smack-dab in the middle of working the Baby Steps and wish you could swing a vacation, a staycation is a great way to have a good time while spending next to nothing. And these days, a lot of people don’t want to be near the vacation crowds anyway, so bringing that rest and relaxation to your own house sounds a whole lot better.

How do you take a Staycation? 

Treat it like a normal vacation! When you go on a week-long vacation out of state, you don’t take work with you, and you enjoy time spent relaxing and making memories with family. When you take a staycation, do the same thing.

It’s important to actually use your paid time off from work and not work from home just because you’re at home. Don’t check in or worry about what you’re missing at the office. If you truly want to relax, then treat this like a typical vacation and leave the realities of life behind. Turn off all your devices and limit the TV binge-watching—this is your chance to focus on quality time with no interruptions and enjoy not having anything looming on the to-do list. You’re on staycation, after all!

How do you make your house a Staycation?

One of the best things about going on a “real” vacation is that you have a change of scenery. When you’re on vacation somewhere else, relaxing comes easy. But when you’re trying to bring all the feelings of vacation to your own house, you’re going to have to put in a little extra effort.

Turning your humble abode into a staycation haven is going to look different for everyone, but here are a few things to help get you inspired:

  • Get out the nice sheets
  • Add a vase of flowers to your kitchen or entryway table. 
  • Put the books you’ve been meaning to read on your nightstand or coffee table (so you’ll actually get around to reading them).
  • Live in your robe, yoga pants or flip-flops (anything that says “rest” or “vacation life” to you).
  • Live outside as much as you can. 
  • Don’t turn on the news or pull up your go-to news app (heck, after these last few months we all went through, we can use a break from the news!). 
  • Put snacks and drinks out in visible places (like you’d see in a hotel room or Airbnb).
  • Eat off of the fancy dishes. 
  • Play relaxing tunes in the background. 

Staycation Ideas

1. Take a nap.
We know—what a boring one to start the list off with. But it’s easy, it’s free, and it makes a world of difference. So start your staycation off right with a little rest and relaxation in the form of a nice, long nap. How many times do you get the chance to close your eyes and catch some zzz’s in the middle of the day? You can even take a snooze outside—just don’t do it without wearing some sunblock or you’ll be sorry.

2. Have a spa day.
It might not be as glamorous as a real day at the spa, but you can still make your own home feel like a retreat. It can be as glamorous as decking out your whole face with a moisturizing face mask and cucumber slices or as simple as just soaking your feet in Epsom salt. Whatever you do, just focus on using that time to relax.

3. Take a mini road trip.
Need a little bit of adventure during the staycation? Gas prices are crazy cheap right now, so get out of the house and take a road trip to a spot just an hour or two away. Enjoy the day by exploring new sights, eating at new restaurants, and shaking off your stir-crazy ways with hitting the open road.

4. Read a good book.
How many books do you have collecting dust on the shelf? Sure, you’re always wanting to read one, but there never seems to be enough time in the day. Now’s your chance to dive into a good read—or several! Set up a hammock in your backyard or lay out a blanket under a tree and unwind with a good book.

5. Get outside.
Take a hike in the great outdoors or enjoy a peaceful walk in a nearby park. Pack a lunch for the trip and enjoy a picnic with your family, or even grab your running shoes to work in some exercise!

Did you know walking actually helps to reduce stress hormones in your body? Just getting outside for some fresh air and moving your body can really help you relax and unwind. So get that circulation going and spend your staycation stress-free!

6. Explore your city.
Are there any historic sites or popular tourist spots you’ve never been to? Most of the time, we’re all so busy with the hustle and bustle of everyday life that we don’t get a chance to take in the things that make our own local area pretty great. Use this staycation to take in the sights and sounds of your city! Get out there and visit free museums, bookstores, and that coffee shop you’re always meaning to check out.

Just make sure to do your research before you head out to double-check that wherever you plan on going is actually open again.

7. Camp out in the backyard.
Pitch a tent, light the fire pit, and make s’mores while creating fun family memories. Bonus points if you tell spooky stories and sing camp songs around the fire. When it’s time to call it a night, have everyone crawl into the tent and sleep under the stars (or you can bring the gang back inside to sleep in your comfortable beds too—we won’t judge).

8. Bring the water park to you.
You don’t need access to a pool to cool off. You can get way more creative than that. Remember Slip ’N Slides? Set one up in your backyard and get ready to beat the heat. Of course, you can always opt for a $15 inflatable pool for the kids (or you!) or spend an afternoon having a water balloon fight. And never underestimate the power of the sprinklers. Creating your own DIY backyard water park instead of the real deal can save you about $50 per person!

9. Have a movie night.
You don’t have to leave your house to catch a good flick. Rent a movie—or even better, stream one for free. Skipping the traditional ticket and concessions at the theater can easily save you $15–20 a person. This is the perfect time to tackle a marathon of movie trilogies (Back to the Future, anyone?) or introduce your kids to iconic classics for the first time. But don’t forget the snacks! Grab some popcorn, chips and candy from the dollar store, and you have all the makings for a great (and really cheap) movie night.

10. Stay somewhere new.
Before we tackle this one, let’s be clear: It’s okay to stay at your house during your staycation (and it saves major money not having to pay for a hotel or bed-and-breakfast). But if you do want to switch it up, check in to a local hotel or Airbnb for a night or two. It’s amazing how getting away to a new spot in your hometown can feel so refreshing. All you know is you’re staying the night in some new digs—is it in the Bahamas or just down the street? Who knows! It’s somewhere different, and that’s all that matters.

11. Take up a DIY project.
Do you have a DIY project that you haven’t been able to get to? Use this free time on your hands to tackle it! You’ll feel accomplished and have something to show for it by the end of your staycation. Check your local museum or art studio to see if pottery, painting or woodworking classes are being offered.

12. Plan a game night.
Monopoly, Battleship, Clue—these games never go out of style! Dust off the board games and invite your family and friends over to enjoy the simple joy of a game night. Need to add a new game to the rotation? Check out Act Your Wage!—the first player to become debt-free wins the game. And if that sounds a little too much like real life (like if you’re laser-focused on becoming debt-free right now), just play Monopoly instead. We won’t be mad.

13. Watch a theater production.
We know what you’re thinking—how in this COVID world is that kind of thing possible? The magic of the internet, that’s how. BroadwayHD is streaming a ton of Broadway shows (everything from Oklahoma! to Romeo and Juliet). And with a seven-day free trial, that’s plenty of time to watch a few things while on a staycation.

14. Go bowling.
Family bonding and bowling go hand in hand! And going to a bowling alley during the middle of the week or at off-peak times can be surprisingly cheap. A lot of bowling alleys even let kids bowl for free. Check out the deals your local alley has and strike up a little friendly competition.

15. Go out for a special meal or have it delivered.
Some people find cooking relaxing, but for others, it’s like a one-way ticket to stress-out city. No matter where you fall, it’s important to give yourself a break and take some time for a special meal that you don’t have to cook. Swing by that restaurant downtown that you’ve always wondered about, or have food delivered from your favorite burger joint.

16. Go canoeing.
If you live within close driving distance of a river or another body of water, get out there on a canoe or a paddleboard—maybe even a surfboard if you’re near the beach (lucky!).

17. Have a date night.
Even if you’re in the middle of a family staycation with two toddlers, you can still carve out time for you and your spouse to sneak in an inexpensive date. The real tricky part is going to be finding a sitter to watch the kids, but it’s doable! Ask family or friends if they wouldn’t mind babysitting for an evening so you and your spouse can have a nice dinner. You can even sweeten the deal by offering to watch their kids sometime too.

This article is from the Dave Ramsey Blog. 

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 9,171,193 active COVID cases, 19,212,524 have recovered and there have been 515,034 deaths. 
  • The FDA’s staff endorsed Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use, a critical step in bringing the third shot to the U.S. marketplace. The staff report is meant to brief the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, which will meet Friday to review J&J’s request for emergency use. 
  • A new app, set to launch within weeks, could mark the first step in resuming quarantine-free international travel. The IATA travel app will allow governments and airlines to collect, access, and share information on individual passengers’ Covid-19 test and vaccination statuses. So far, 30 airlines are signed up to trial the tool through March and April. 
  • Crocs have been called the “it” shoe of the pandemic, as the clog became a closet staple for consumers seeking comfort during the more casual pandemic lifestyle. Still, the company’s stock is down more than 3% on Tuesday, amid concerns its pandemic boost could fade. Crocs CEO Andrew Rees said he is optimistic that the brand can grow with the help of new product innovations, such as sandals. 
  • A luxury SUV driven by Tiger Woods crashed and rolled over Tuesday morning in southern California, leaving the golf superstar with serious injuries, authorities and his agent said. Woods is “currently awake, responsive, and recovering in his hospital room” after undergoing emergency surgery, according to a statement posted on his Twitter account. The front end of the SUV was destroyed. Woods likely survived the single-car crash because the interior of the SUV remained intact. 
  • Kia is replacing its Sedona minivan with a new SUV-inspired model called the Carnival beginning in the second quarter of this year. The 2022 Carnival “multi-purpose vehicle,” also known as a minivan, features a boxy exterior, large front grille, and an overall design that looks more bold and rugged design. The vehicle features a host of new safety features as well as new sliding configurations for the second-row seating and an available “VIP Lounge Seating.”

CEO Daily Update – 2.23.2021

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Today’s Topics: The Inspiration4 Mission | 1-15P to C7 Power Cords | What are Ferrari-Style Ethernet Cables? | News to Start Your Day

Happy Tuesday!

How was that walk with your four-legged friend yesterday? We hope it was fun! Well, today is an even better day for the pups because it’s National Dog Biscuit Day! Go out and grab a dog biscuit or two to celebrate! Don’t want to leave the house? Try these homemade options: Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Treats, Bacon-Flavored Dog Biscuits, Diabetic Dog Treats

Happy Tuesday, friends. Are you all following the SpaceX mission that’s going to send a civilian crew to space? Jared Isaacman, the CEO of Shift4 payments, is paying Elon Musk to make it happen. He is a civilian pilot and will be the commander of the mission. The second member of the crew has been chosen, a 29-year old physician’s assistant at St. Jude’s who is a childhood cancer survivor herself.

https://www.today.com/news/cancer-survivor-revealed-crew-member-spacex-mission-space-t209573

My favorite part of the article:  “‘I really hope to show them that the sky’s not even the limit,” Arceneaux said about the children at St. Jude.”

The sky’s not even the limit. What a world we live in! Imagine being a young girl fighting for your life because of cancer, unsure of your future, only to end up being one of the first civilians to go to space twenty years later. You truly never know what the future holds.

Kind of a cheesy segue, but speaking of futures, I wanted to tell you to be on the lookout this week for a new email address to add to your address book. The CEO Daily is getting an update! We’re changing the name of this daily news to The CK Daily. Stay tuned for more details throughout this week.

Until tomorrow,

Christin

Product Spotlights & Updates:

Today’s product spotlight will be on our  1-15P to C7 Power Cords! These heavy-duty power cables are perfect for your laptops, printers, notebooks, computers, and other equipment that use the non-polarized 2-slot power cable! 

The Equipment end, IEC-60320-C7, is a 2 prong, non-polarized female connector that is used throughout the world commonly for laptop power supplies. The Supply end, NEMA 1-15P, is a 2 prong, non-polarized male connector with a plug and socket design. It is commonly used in North America for double insulated small appliances. 

Our 6ft, 18 AWG 1-15P to C7 Power Cords are also Cisco compatible. They can be used with Cisco 830, 850, and 870 Series Power Supplies. Our 1-15P to C7 Power Cords can handle a maximum of 125 volts! These power cords are all UL/cUL listed, CSA approved, and RoHS Compliant! Get one today to enhance your data center needs!

What are Ferrari-Style Ethernet Cables? – CK Learning Center

The all-new Ferrari-style Boot Ethernet Patch cables

Managing data centers and comparably powerful networks comes with a slew of daily challenges. The need for redundancy and absolute uptime can force an administrator to expend copious resources on equipment and manpower. As a consequence, you will always be looking for ways to relieve this strain. You’ll find opportunities in every nook and cranny of your operation, but many admins completely miss one of the easiest sources of gain. A simple switch or upgrade in your Ethernet cables can boost your cost-efficiency in several surprising ways.

What’s in a Boot?

When you consider cables, your top concerns are often data rates, energy loss, and cost. The often-overlooked value in Ethernet cabling is in their utility. This comes down to the molded boot. Ferrari boots (Easyboots) are simply undervalued. The molding is thinner than typical Cat5 or Cat6 connectors, and it is specifically engineered to connect faster and with fewer snags. You can see it in the swept angle of the boot itself. When compared to a traditional half-moon, it is obvious why the Ferrari won’t snag.

It’s easy to dismiss how much such a simple thing can impact network management, but in data-intensive operations, the need for flexibility and smooth switching is vital.

Ferrari boots don’t just add convenience to simple plug-and-play mechanics. They’re designed to glide through tight fits. Running cables through walls or tightly packed conduits will quickly reveal to you that the boot is possibly the most important feature on a networking cable. When you thread it quickly and effortlessly, you’ll realize just how much time and trouble is being saved, and you’ll never look back.

Powerful Throughput

Of course, a sleek boot is meaningless if your cables aren’t up to snuff. Fortunately for you, Easyboots are available on every standard Ethernet connection. That means they can help you run 10Gbps lines to places that might have previously seemed out of reach. They are fully compatible with all Cat5 and Cat6 junctions, and the pure, bare copper design is ideal for improving speeds over long distances.

Ferrari-style Ethernet cables are worth so much more than their base transmission speeds and easy connection. They also feature advanced signal featuring. When communications get dense, lesser connections will fall prey to crosstalk and interference. Cat6 Ferrari cables are engineered for the express purpose of eliminating this problem. The superior filtering allows you to cram far more connections than ever before without instigating packet losses or inefficiency in your network.

Bottom Line on Ferrari-style Ethernet Cables

It’s hard to put a number on how much this simple change can help your network. There’s no question that it presents an opportunity to save on labor costs, and the range of cabling that can be equipped with an Easyboot will easily cover most networks. Ultimately, you need to consider how often you or your people are running Ethernet lines and how much value rests in making that process more efficient. Chances are that such a value is much greater than the minimal cost of buying a few cables.

This article is from the CK Learning Center. 

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 9,200,663 active COVID cases, 19,114,146 have recovered and there have been 512,595 deaths. 
  • President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus package advanced out of the House Budget Committee on Monday and is virtually set for a House vote later this week. Democrats led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi are expected to pass it along party lines Friday or Saturday. If passed by the House, the bill will proceed to the Senate, where some of the bill’s biggest provisions, such as the $15 minimum wage, could be cut. 
  • Audio streaming service Spotify is planning to almost double its geographic footprint and launch into 85 more countries, adding 36 languages to its platform in the process. The Swedish firm announced the international expansion on Tuesday at a live-streaming event that featured Justin Bieber. Spotify said the expansion, into what are largely seen as developing countries across Asia, Africa, the Pacific, and the Caribbean will enable an additional billion people to use its platform. In the next few days, Spotify will launch in countries like Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Samoa, Jamaica, Bahamas, and Belize.
  • Oatly, known for its oat milk products, has tie-ups with several cafes in the United States, including Starbucks, and also sells its products online and in retail stores. The company, which sells its Oatly brand of products in more than 20 countries across Europe and Asia, could be valued at more than $5 billion. Sweden-based Oatly, which counts Oprah Winfrey and rapper Jay-Z among its prominent backers, has submitted plans for an initial public offering to regulators, the maker of vegan food and drink products.
  • Facebook with now restore news pages in Australia days after restricting them, following an agreement with the government. Primer Minister Scott Morrison’s government has introduced last-minute changes to the proposed media law that is in parliament and is expected to be voted into law soon. Under the amendment,s the government will give digital platforms and news publishers two months to mediate and broker commercial deals before subjecting them to mandatory arbitration under the proposed media law. 
  • Apple will soon let you unlock your iPhone as long as you are wearing an Apple Watch. It will be a lot easier to unlock your phone while wearing a mask. The feature is coming this spring in iOS 14.5. It requires at you have an Apple Watch on your wrist, unlocked, and with its own passcode. If you have a mask on, you will swipe up from the bottom of the screen on your iPhone. Your iPhone will scan part of your face and your Apple Watch will give a buzz indicating that it was used to unlock your iPhone. 

CEO Daily Update – 2.22.2021

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Today’s Topics: A Good Groove & Better Weather | Cable Raceways | What is the difference between LSZH and OFNR? | News to Start Your Day

Happy Monday!

February 22nd is National Walking the Dog Day! This day combines two of the most happy-making things we have in this life: dogs and exercise. Humans love walking with their four-legged friends, and pooches love strolls with their people! So grab your pup and head on out for a walk today…and don’t forget the treats!!

Welcome back from the weekend, you guys. I’m looking forward to this week, feeling like we’re getting in a good groove as a team. We are watching the news and understanding that those of you in Texas may still be struggling right now after the winter storms. If you’ve been impacted by the storms, is there anything we can do for you?

It was a pretty nice weekend weather wise here in Georgia. The sun was out (after what felt like two weeks of gloomy weather and rain), which means we all were able to get a little Vitamin D in and some energy out. Craig and I were able to enjoy some time with friends, a fun game night. Friendship and laughter really do make life better.

Speaking of laughter: Did you hear about the guy who invented Lifesavers? They say he made a mint!

Happy Monday, friends!

Christin

Product Spotlights and Updates:

Happy Monday! Today I will highlight a product that many people use including my family! One of the best ways to hide and organize exposed cables is by using a cable raceway. Our Cable Raceways can be used to route, conceal, and protect cables. They form a physical pathway for cables and protect them against physical threats. A cable raceway also protects you from tripping over any lingering cables!

Our cable raceways also have foam adhesive tape pre-applied for extra protection which helps protect cables from heat and humidity. These cable management accessories are surface-mounted systems that allow you to mount the raceways on floors, walls, ceilings, etc. These raceways can be cut to fit the area you want to use them in and be painted over!

Click here to see a before and after picture of a cable raceway!

What is the difference between LSZH and ONR? – CK Learning Center

With the many types of fiber cables and then the components that make each of them up, it can be very confusing to know what fiber cable is the best overall for your business. One of the biggest questions we get is what is the difference between OFNR fiber cables and LSZH fiber cables. While they seem like the same thing, they are really two very different and very important attributes of fiber cables, and the same fiber cable can be both. To understand these attributes better, we have to understand the construction of fiber cables and the different rating levels associated with fiber optic cabling.

Optical Fiber Construction

There are several parts that made up the fiber cable. Each part starting from the cladding, then the coating, strength member, and lastly the outer jacket is covered at the top of each other to give protection and shielding especially the conductors and the fiber core. Above all of these, the outer jacket is the first layer of protection and adds strength to the fiber to withstand different conditions such as fire, moisture, chemical, and stress during installations and operations.

Fiber Cable Outer Jacket Material Types

Fiber cable outer jackets can be classified into several types in terms of different materials. These materials have different characteristics and uses that depend on the application’s setting. The list below shows the most popular types of outer jacket materials and its uses.

PVC (Polyvinylchloride): Most commonly used material for outer jacket. It is low cost, strong, flexible, fire-resistant, and can be used in many applications.

PE (Polyethylene): Very good electrical properties while maintaining high insulation. PE cables may be firm and solid but are more flexible.

PVDF (Polyvinyl Difluoride): Has more flame-resistant properties than the PE cable and primarily used for plenum areas.

PUR (Polyurethane): PUR is very flexible and scratch resistant that is mainly used in low-temperature environments.

LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen): LSZH is less toxic than PVC. It has a flame-retardant outer cover that doesn’t produce halogen when heated. Mainly used in confined installations.

The National Electrical Code (NEC) has a classification system for optical fiber cables. These requirements specify how the fiber cables will behave in case of fire conditions and categorize depending on its application for these different areas.

What is the Plenum Area?

A plenum area is a space used to move air to workspaces for the purpose of ventilation or to form airflow for an air distribution system.

What is the Riser Area?

Examples of riser areas are floor openings, tubes, or channels that run upwards over one or more floors. Riser cable is planned for use in upright shafts that run between floors.

What is the General-Purpose Area?

A general-purpose area is all other areas that are not plenum or riser on the same space or floor.

Fire Rating Levels

There are four levels of fire resistance for fiber cables and each level has two divisions which are the conductive and non-conductive cables. The higher rating cable is backward compatible with the lower rating cable and can be substituted while the lower rating cables can’t be used in place for the higher ratings.

  • OFNP and OFCP Fiber Cable Optical Fiber Nonconductive Plenum Cable and Optical Fiber Conductive Plenum Cable. OFNP and OFCP cables as the name implies are used for plenum areas and have resistance to fire and smoke.
  • OFNR and OFCR Fiber Cable Optical Fiber Nonconductive Riser Cables and Optical Fiber Conductive Riser Cables are used for the riser areas. These cables must prevent the fire from one floor to another.
  • OFNG and OFCG Fiber Cable Optical Fiber Nonconductive General-Purpose Cable and Optical Fiber Conductive General-Purpose Cable. These cables must not spread the fire for more than 4 feet, 11 inches.
  • OFN and OFC Fiber Cable Optical Fiber Nonconductive and Optical Fiber Conductive. To get this cable rating, the flame shall not infiltrate floors or ceilings and the cables are also used for general purpose areas.

Comparison between the OFNR and LSZH Cables

Now we understand the different types of cable materials and their fire ratings, we can now clear the misconception between the OFNR and LSZH cables. These two cables are not the same type with just a different term. Failure to properly understand these classifications may lead to unfortunate accidents.

OFNR Cables

To summarize, OFNR cables are used for riser applications. It is non-conductive and is resistant to oxidation and degradation. It cannot be used to plenum areas but OFNP cables are compatible to rise applications. If you want to use it in a building, the structure must have a confined ventilation system and fire exits.

LSZH Cables

LSZH in comparison are made of special flame-resistant coating, and outstanding fire protection features such as low smoke, toxicity corrosion. LSZH cable jacketing are made of thermoplastic or thermoset compounds that produce little smoke and no halogen in case of fire.

When looking for the best type of fiber cable to use for your network and business, it can be difficult to navigate all of this information. We designed our premium fiber cables to take the guesswork out of it. Our premium fiber cables have the LSZH jacket material with the OFNR rating, which gives you the safety you need with the low smoke and toxicity, plus enables you to use the cable in riser-rated environments.

This article is from the CK Learning Center. 

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 9,281,890 active COVID cases, 18,973,401 have recovered and there have been 511,147 deaths. 
  • Taco Bell said Monday that it’s testing a taco version of a chicken sandwich. Chicken is growing faster than beef, making it more attractive to fast-food chains. McDonald’s, KFC, Wendy’s, and Burger King are among the chains looking to gain from the chicken sandwich craze. Check it out here!
  • Disney+ experienced a brief outage early Friday morning when the service premiered the latest episode of Marvel’s “WandaVision.” As Disney pumps out more shows based on its most popular franchises, the company has been able to dominate the conversation in the entertainment world every week. Disney is on pace to release a new episode of a Marvel or Star Wars show on Disney+ almost every week throughout 2021. 
  • U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to announce Monday how and when lockdown restrictions will start to be lifted in England. He is slated to give a televised press conference at 7 p.m. London time. Johnson is expected to confirm that schools in England will reopen on March 8, and reveal more details on other restrictions set to be lifted. 
  • Glamping may be coming to the shores of north Georgia’s Lake Lanier if a county can agree on zoning rules. A mash-up of glamorous and camping – glamping is a term for fancy campsites, often with individual bathrooms. At least two landowners want to start offering glamping in Hall County northeast of Atlanta. County planning is recommending that glamping be permitted in areas zoned for residential or agricultural use, as long as no one rents a campsite for more than 30 consecutive days. 
  • Following months of rumors, a leaked image of what is said to be the third-generation Apple Airpods and its accompanying case has surfaced. Previous reports noted that the upcoming release would serve as a medium, in terms of price and performance, between the AirPods and AirPods Pro models currently on the market. Courtesy of 52Audio, the potential leaked look features an AirPods Pro in-ear design that is noticeably missing the removable ear tip elements. Additionally, stem controls and pressure equalizers also seem to be missing from the pictured model. The accompanying case also looks to be a sized down design of the case included with the AirPods Pro. Rumors are expecting the third-generation Apply AirPods to arrive as soon as early March.