CablesAndKits Blog

Happy Tuesday & Happy National Send a Card to a Friend Day! Today is the perfect day to write a note and get it in the mail. There’s nothing like good ole’ fashion snail mail!

In This Issue: Getting Away for a “Reset” | Cisco ASA 5515-X Firewall | Importance of Fiber Optic Cleaning | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Getting Away for a “Reset”

Good Morning & Happy Tuesday!

Hope everyone’s off to a great start this week! I’m back from my trip to Hilton Head and feeling super thankful for the time away! I mentioned last week that it’s been a rough start to the year, but getting out of town for a while was definitely good for the soul. Hilton Head has become something of a “home away from home” so there was a lot of comfort in getting a change of scenery but also being in a familiar place with familiar faces.

The island is truly so beautiful, and it basically begs you to get outside and enjoy it which we certainly did. I basically hadn’t run at all this year so I took the opportunity to get outside and log a few miles every day… felt great physically and mentally! I was also able to work a good bit while away which, interestingly enough, felt like some of the most productive time I’ve put in all year. I guess there’s really something to getting away that allows you to “reset” and think a bit more clearly.

Very thankful for the week we had and hoping to carry some of that momentum going forward!

Rebecca

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Product Spotlights & Updates

No network solution is complete without proper security. The Cisco ASA 5515-X Firewall Edition, ASA5515-K9 represents a new standard in protecting your network without breaking the bank. Your small- to medium-business network benefits from detailed control and visibility, cloud-based or onsite web security, malware defense, and remote access. If your organization has multiple locations or service providers then this is the network security solution for you.

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Learning Center Article – Importance of Fiber Optic Cleaning

Installing fiber optic systems is not easy. It requires multiple levels of expertise in design and application, and its why fiber optics experts are always in high demand. While installations will vary heavily depending on the components and applications at play, there is one thing that is necessary for every installation, and it’s easy to overlook. Every system needs fiber optic cleaning to ensure that it will work properly.

Fiber optic cleaning is necessary to allow the components to perform as intended.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Nintendo has released its nine-month earnings report, officially confirming that the total hardware sales for the Switch have now exceeded the Game Boy, placing the hybrid console firmly in second place behind the Nintendo DS.
• Nearly 2,000 residents of eastern Ohio remained under evacuation orders on Monday as railroad crews drained and burned off a toxic chemical from five tanker cars of a freight train that derailed in a fiery wreck three days earlier.
• Air Transport Services Group said Amazon will be flying less in response to a worsening economic outlook. ATSG operates a significant portion of Amazon’s air freight network. Demand for air cargo has cooled recently after increasingly rapidly during the Covid pandemic.
• More than 56% of all domestic tickets sold for Disney’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” have been for 3D screenings. The James Cameron film is just shy of becoming the third-highest grossing film of all time.

Happy Monday! We hope you had a wonderful weekend! Today we’re celebrating a frozen dessert that has gone from a fad to a freezer staple – it’s National Frozen Yogurt Day! What are your favorite toppings to add to your froyo?

In This Issue: A Fresh New Beginning is Coming! | Cisco DB25 to RJ45 Modem Adaptor | What is an SSD? | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – A Fresh New Beginning is Coming!

Happy Monday!

I’ve been using our Beta site a lot recently and I’m blown away how much of an improvement it is to our current website. The new search feature is spooky smart and intuitive – you can search using generic keywords or specific model numbers and it’ll serve up all the relevant related products as well as learning center articles. I’m excited to finally see the new site in action and the improved experience and can’t wait until it goes fully live.

Experiencing the new CablesAndKits website reminds me of a fresh start. Once it goes live it will be the beginning of a new chapter in the CK journey. With all new things, there’s a degree of uncertainty as to whether or not people will love it or hate it. I think with this new site, though (and I’m biased), people will certainly love it more than hate it. It’s definitely an upgrade, like when I first experienced the switch from a 56K dial-up internet (the internet when it went pshhhkrrrrkrrakrichchchsqyquwuw before connecting for you younger folks) to broadband internet where the connection was instantaneous. What are some changes that you’ve experienced that were generally positive? I hope you have a great week!

Cris

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Product Spotlights & Updates

It’s our goal to save you money. Why? We’re not really sure, probably because we like you. This serial adapter offers you the ability to convert a Serial DB25 port to a RJ45 without having to buy new cables. This serial adapter rates high in performance while still being the most cost-effective solution for your network. Yep, we really do care.

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Learning Center Article – What is an SSD?

When it comes to IT spending and getting the right hardware, it’s always a matter of knowledge. When you truly understand the risks and rewards of each purchasing decision, you can optimize your spending and get the most value out of your limited budget.

There are countless comparisons to make in this regard, which is why it’s always easier to break things down one concept at a time.

Today, we’re going to cover solid-state storage, or SSDs. They’re a modern improvement on a traditional computer component, and they can offer major advantages that merit an investment.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• On Saturday, over Myrtle Beach, an F-22 Raptor fighter jet climbed 58,000 feed and downed a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon over the Atlantic Ocean. 
• A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southeastern Turkey early this morning. This is the worst earthquake to hit Turkey in a century. 
• Did you watch the Grammy Awards last night? Check out all of the winners here. 
• Amazon is closing some Fresh supermarkets and Go convenience stores as it looks to curtail expenses. The e-retailer will also pause expansion of Fresh stores to examine the business and see if it resonates with customers.

Happy Friday! We hope you’ve had a wonderful week and are looking forward to the weekend. Do you have any fun weekend plans in the books for this weekend? We’d love to hear about them!

In This Issue: CK is Hiring! | Cat6 RJ45 Inline Coupler Type Keystone Jack | How to Calculate Power Consumption for your Server Room | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – CK is Hiring!

Happy Friday, folks! Yesterday, Jason shared that it would be his last CK Daily. While we are sad to see him go, we are excited about the opportunity he is pursuing! Craig & Christin (the owners of CablesAndKits) have always said they want CK to be a springboard in someone’s life. We know that people won’t stay forever (although we hope they do when we bring them onto the team 😀), so we want to make sure we take every opportunity to positively impact their lives while they are a part of CablesAndKits.

This departure does create an opening on our team that we need to fill. We are now looking for a B2B Ecommerce Manager. Know someone that loves digital marketing, merchandising, analysis, and optimization? Please send them our way! Either reply to this email or an application can be submitted on our Indeed posting.

As always, we hope you have a great weekend!

Chris

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Used to connect two Cat6 ethernet patch cables together, the Cat6 RJ45 feed-thru keystone jack simply snaps into blank wallplates and patch panels with no need for tools or punch down. The gold-plated contacts help with preventing corrosion and ensure continued connectivity. Use the inline coupler for a wide variety of applications including home office, networking, audio, video, and more.

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Learning Center Article – How to Calculate Power Consumption for your Server Room

When it comes to maintaining a server room, there are many balls to juggle. Power draw is one of the most limiting factors when it comes to operating servers and high-end networks. Eventually, you hit a ceiling and don’t have enough power for more expansion. So, as you continue to adapt and redesign your server room, you need to be able to keep track of power consumption. These tips will help you do that.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• The U.S. military has been monitoring a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon that has been hovering over the northern U.S. for the past few days
• Tom Brady announced on Wednesday that he was retiring from the NFL, “for good” –  but he may see another NFL contract in his future. New England Patriots Owner Robert Kraft said he would like to offer Brady a one-day contract so the NFL icon can officially retire as a Patriot.
• The House voted to pass a resolution removing Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) from the Foreign Affairs Committee.
• Mr. Beast, the world’s most popular YouTuber, uploaded a video over the weekend that revealed he funded cataract surgery for 1,000 people. The video, titled “1,000 Blind People See For The First Time,” has garnered more than 77 million views on Donaldson’s channel, but sparked debates around the use of philanthropy as a revenue driver and prompted some viewers to express frustration with medical expenses in the country.

Happy Groundhog Day! To shadow, or not to shadow? Punxsutawney Phill rose from his burrow today and saw his shadow, so here comes an additional six weeks of winter!

In This Issue: A Moment of Reflection and Thanks | HPE Aruba 530 Series Indoor Access Point | What is Switch Stacking & Why is it Important? | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – A Moment of Reflection and Thanks

Happy Thursday!

This has been a weird week. Monday felt like a Wednesday, Tuesday felt like a Monday, and I am not even sure what today feels like. Ever had one of those weeks? It has been a very productive week, but I have just felt so scattered, not just at work but personally, as well.

I was thinking back on when we first started the CK Daily (back then, it was the CEO Daily coming from Craig) during the time when Covid started. It is crazy to think we have been doing this daily email for almost three years. Being involved with it from the very beginning, it has been awesome getting to share part of our lives with each of you and hearing back from all of you on the daily topics for that long. (We love when you respond to these emails!) I feel like I have gotten to know several of you, who I never would have met, very well over that time. It has been a joy!

I guess I am being reflective and mentioning all of that since this will be my last CK Daily. CK has been a family to me for the almost 10 years I have been with the business and all of you have become an extended family during that time. (You probably have heard more from me than some of my real family! Haha!) It has been an absolute joy getting to “do life” with all of you and share my thoughts and heart (and sometimes complete randomness) weekly. So, thank you for allowing me to be a small part of your week every week.

I hope all of you have an awesome rest of your day and week!

Until next time,

Jason

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Product Spotlights & Updates

The Aruba 530 Series of Indoor Access Points were designed to provide an optimized user experience offering a combined peak data rate of up to 2.97 Gbps. These AP’s maximize Wi-Fi efficiency to deliver both speed and reliability for users. The 530 series of campus access points is suitable for high-density mobile as well as IoT deployments.

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

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

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

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Tom Brady celebrated the one-year anniversary of his retirement announcement with another announcement. He will soon begin his new job at Fox as the network’s primary analyst. 
• Beyoncé announced the dates for her Renaissance World Tour.
• Meta exceeded estimates for revenue in its fourth-quarter earnings report. The company provided a forecast for the first quarter, suggesting that revenue could rise from a year earlier should results come in at the top of the range. The stock soared in extended trading.
• Australia is removing the British monarchy from its banknotes. The nation’s central bank said Thursday its new $5 bill would feature an Indigenous design rather than an image of King Charles III. But the king is still expected to appear on coins that currently bear the image of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Happy Wednesday & Happy National Dark Chocolate Day! Today reminds us to indulge and enjoy a little bit of our favorite dark chocolate candy. What’s your favorite dark chocolate treat to enjoy?

In This Issue: Monthly Goals | Kendall Howard 1U Tool-less 5 D-Ring Cable Manager | What is a Cat8 Ethernet Cable and How is it Different? | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Monthly Goals

Happy Wednesday & Happy February 1st! I can’t believe the first month of 2023 is already in the books.

As we head into a new month. I’m looking forward to continuing to stay ahead of my reading goal (I am barely getting by on this goal so am hoping I can get ahead this month!!), growing in my day-to-day work, and soaking up as much time with family as I can. With this being my younger brother’s senior year, there’s so much to take in and enjoy before he’s off to his next adventure.

What are you looking forward to this month? Do you have any goals you’re hoping to accomplish?

Ashley

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Kendall Howard’s 1U Tool-less 5 D-Ring Cable Manager makes it easy to manage cables in any type of network rack or enclosure. Get the convenience of a cable routing blank, a 5 D-ring minder, and a tool-less spacer blank all in one! This unique cable manager has snap-in clips that lock in place with any cage-nut-style rail. It can also be screwed in place for racks with tapped rails using the standard mounting holes. The dual design allows the 1U tool-less 5 D-Ring Cable Manager to mount in two different ways.

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

Cat8 is the most modern, fastest Ethernet cable standard available today. Although Google tried to make fiber optics the standard for home internet connections, Ethernet has maintained a presence, and every few years new iterations are released that offer better performance. Let’s see how Cat8 stacks up to previous iterations of Ethernet.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Two Los Angeles developers hope to find buyers who will pay between $50 million and a $100 million for a condo. No single LA condo unit has ever sold for more than $22.5 million. A behemoth duplex in Beverly Hills comes with a price tag of $75 million. Two penthouses at another building are being packaged for $100 million.
• Peloton’s net losses narrowed from a year earlier, but it’s the eighth straight quarter the company has failed to turn a profit. The exercise equipment company, which sells the Bike and Bike+, made more in sales from its subscriptions than its connected fitness products for the third quarter in a row.
• Ozzy Osbourne announced the cancellation of his upcoming shows, and said his touring career is over because he is not physically capable. In a statement released, the 74-year-old said he had a major accident four years ago in which he damaged his spine and that he can no longer cope with the travel required for a tour.
• Australian authorities found a radioactive capsule that was lost in the vast Outback after nearly a week-long search along a 1,400 km (870-mile) stretch of highway, an emergency services official said. The military was verifying the capsule and it would be taken to a secure facility in the city of Perth. 

Happy Tuesday & Happy National Plan for Vacation Day! The last Tuesday in January is always set to be a little reminder for us to start planning our vacations for the year! Do you already have an upcoming vacation planned? Where are you heading?

In This Issue: Pushing through the Fog of February | Dell PowerEdge T620 | Throughput vs DRAM and Flash Specs | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Pushing through the Fog of February

Good Morning & Happy Tuesday!

Hope everyone is off to a great start this week! It’s hard to believe we’ve almost made it to February. I’ve never been a fan of the month of January as it always seems cold, dark, and a bit depressing. It seems like a period that you just simply have to “get through,” but rarely have I ever felt like I was thriving during the month of Jan!

This January has been particularly difficult due to some extremely unfortunate family issues going on, so needless to say I’m very excited to be moving on to February and inching closer to Spring! I actually am enjoying a bit of a working vacation this week down on Hilton Head Island and it’s so nice to be getting a change of scenery and a mental break from the stress back home! Hoping to recharge a reset a bit this week! Hope you all have a great week!

Rebecca

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Gain next-generation speed and versatility with the Dell™ PowerEdge™ T620 tower, fully equipped with high performance and availability with built-in room for growth. With its Intel® Xeon® E5-2600 processors, outstanding virtualization and database performance are assured. Finish your most demanding applications efficiently fast. The T620 has the capability of handling large workloads and key applications.

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Learning Center Article – Throughput vs DRAM and Flash Specs

When it comes to designing and managing networks, there is an endless challenge of trying to improve performance. Inevitably, that includes upgrading and replacing hardware. When you research hardware for upgrades and replacements, you’ll see a lot of different tech specs listed in the descriptions.

Two common terms that come up are throughput and bandwidth. You’ll see bandwidth more in advertising spaces, and you’ll see throughput more when you look up real-world tests of the hardware. Why is throughput so important? Why don’t you see more about flash specs?

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Boeing plans to add the new 737 Max production line in the second half of 2024 to meet strong demand. 
• A winter storm bringing the triple threat of ice, sleet and snow Tuesday to parts of the South and central US has prompted officials to close roads and schools as they urge people to avoid traveling in dangerous conditions.
• Paramount Global is integrating Showtime’s streaming service into its marquee platform, Paramount+. Cable channel Showtime will be rebranded as Paramount+ with Showtime. Paramount+ original content will also be featured on it.
• UPS reported mixed fourth-quarter results, beating Wall Street’s expectations on earnings but missing on revenue. The shipping company saw revenue dip in its international and supply chain segments as it sees volume declines.