CablesAndKits Blog

Adding value to your IT infrastructure

CEO Daily Update – 2.23.2021

by

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

by

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. 

CEO Daily Update – 2.19.2021

by

Today’s Topics: Mars Perseverance Rover | HPE ProLiant ML350p Generation 8 Servers | All About 100G Transceivers and Uses in Data Centers | News to Start Your Day

Happy Friday!

Today is National Caregivers Day! Today we honor all of the health care professionals across the country providing long-term and hospice care. Thank you caregivers for providing quality, compassionate care every day! Do you know a caregiver? Send them a card of thanks or some kind words of encouragement!

Did you catch the Mars rover, Perseverance, landing today? Pretty cool! You can read more about it at https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/ (Also if you search Google for “Mars rover” maybe you’ll see the fun fireworks like I did.)

Fun fact: We have sold products to several different NASA offices. The first NASA order in CK history was in 2006, and the most recent was this year.

Total subject change here, but have you guys seen the Avatarify app? I had way too much fun with a few family pics tonight. Download and tinker with it if you need a good laugh.

Hope you guys have a great (and warm) weekend!

Christin

Product Spotlights & Updates:

Happy Friday! We told you in January that this year would bring a lot of new products, and I am excited to share another new product with you today! We recently added quite a few new server SKU’s to our catalog, but one series in particular that I’m super excited about is the HPE ProLiant ML350p Generation 8 series of Tower Servers! These servers deliver exceptional performance, availability, and expandability for a wide variety of users including data centers, remote branch offices, and small to mid-sized growing businesses! Here are some quick high-level features:
     – (2) Intel Xeon E5-2600 or E5-2600v2 Processors
     – (6) or (8) Hard Drives (300GB – 900GB)
     – (24) DIMM Slots
     – 32GB – 192GB RAM
     – (4) Fans
     – (2) Power Supplies (460W – 750W)
Take a look at the various configurations that we have to offer to find the one that is just right for you! As always, our products come with an included LIFETIME WARRANTY! And yes, that even applies to servers! Consider it your insurance against having to worry about any components failing… we got you!

All About 100G Transceivers and Uses in Data Centers – CK Learning Center

As networking continues to evolve, it has become apparent that data centers are going to do all of the heavy liftings, regardless of who the network serves. In fact, that’s already the case. Networking hubs handle virtually all digital traffic before requests eventually filter down to individual users. Because of this, data center networking is only going to demand more from its hardware and design. Meeting the needs today and tomorrow will require 100G transceivers. This guide was designed to help you better understand and navigate the world of these transceivers.

What are 100G Transceivers? 

As the name suggests, 100G transceivers are devices that operate fiber optic transmissions at data rates up to 100 Gbps. They come in a range of designs and applications, and as of the start of 2019, 100G transceivers were handling more than half of all-optical data center transmissions. Note the lack of qualifiers on that statement. If it runs on fiber optics in a data center, it probably touches a 100G transceiver.

100G transceivers have seen massive upgrades and adaptations over the last three years. Utilizing an array of connection types and design philosophies, they can provide those 100G rates at distances up to 40 km. Depending on the transceiver, you can get up to 24 fiber lanes. Data rates per lane usually start at 10 Gbps and can get up to 28 Gbps. To put it as simply as possible, 100G transceivers are the hubs for some of the fastest digital communications that are currently available.

Where are they Best Used?

Considering the variety of transceiver designs, there are plenty of places to integrate them into a network. The common theme is pretty obvious. 100G transceivers are irreplaceable in dense data networks. As you already read, they’re already being utilized in the bulk of data centers, and the amount of traffic they handle in each center continues to grow.

In a less generic sense, 100G transceivers are ideal for networks that simultaneously handle large numbers of channels. The scalability of the transceivers enables them to connect more nodes per transceiver than any alternative. They shine at their absolute brightest in the most cable-dense environments.

How do different 100G Transceivers Compare?

Any network that requires this equipment won’t tolerate a substitute. When looking at 100G networking, the real question is which transceiver should be used. That’s easier to answer when you breakdown and compare the four most common model types.

CXP

CXP transceivers are great for short-range 100G applications. They come in 12 or 10-line designs, and they support up to 12 Gbps per line. They are hot-swappable and are designed for a small form factor which makes them a popular choice in high-density networks.

QSFP28

High-density networks are a common theme among 100G transceivers. QSFP28 also has a small form factor for this purpose, but it operates on lower power consumption than other popular 100G designs. This is achieved by limiting the communication to 4 lines per cable and ratcheting the data rate per line up to 25 Gbps. In some cases, that speed can be boosted up to 28 Gbps, making QSFP28 the fastest data-per-line 100G design.

CFP

CFP is one of the older 100G formats, but it has been regularly updated to keep up with newer technology. You can often find three varieties of CFP — CFP, CFP2 and CFP4 — in modern data centers. Across these variants, CFP data rates range from 40 Gbps to 100 Gbps per transceiver. They support single and multi-mode fiber, and they utilize 10 X 10G and 4 X 25G lines. The form factors are each a different size, so CFP offers the most choice in cost vs scalability. CFP is particularly good for networks with dramatically different needs inside of the same data center as they are cross-compatible, and each interface is optimized for different demands.

CPAK

The last big player in 100G transceivers is CPAK. This is the transceiver designed by Cisco, and it is intended to be a bridge between the different formats and protocols in the world of fiber optics. It’s as universal as you can get, providing rates from 40G to 100G, and CPAK transceivers connect via SC, LC and MPO. CPAK even supports MPO 14-wire fiber in a 12-core array. This makes CPAK a heavy contender for future-proofing data center networks.

Those are the basics of 100G transceivers. They represent the present and foreseeable future of data centers, and their usage is only going to grow. With each format catering to a different specialty, optimizing cost and performance in 100G networking doesn’t have to be an insurmountable task.

This article is from the CK Learning Center. 

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 9,314,206 active COVID cases, 18,704,956 have recovered and there have been 505,317 deaths. 
  • Some 2021 Ford F-150 hybrid pickup owners in Texas are using it to power their homes during the winter storm that’s left millions without electricity and heat. The truck’s PowerBoost onboard generator “gives you the ability to use your truck like a mobile generator,” according to Ford. A Texas resident reported that he used the truck’s onboard generator to power appliances in his home for three days until his power was restored. 
  • Delivery costs have been rising across the country and are expected to continue as the pandemic drags on. With competition like Amazon Prime’s speedy shipping, mid-sized retailers are at risk because many don’t have the capacity to keep up with increased demand for deliveries. Holiday surcharges that shipping carriers implemented are not expected to be going away any time soon. 
  • Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are working on a new coronavirus relief bill expected to include new direct payments of $1400 per person. The legislation is currently on pace to be finalized in early to mid-March, at which point the government would start deploying the money. The payments would be based on the same income thresholds as the first two checks. Individuals with up to $75,000 in adjusted gross income, heads of household with up to $112,500, and married couples who file jointly with up to $150,000 would get full payments. 
  • Governor Brian P. Kemp of Georgia, announced the Cottrell, an industry leader in manufacturing and assembling over-the-road car haulers and equipment, will establish a second manufacturing facility in Gainesville. This will serve as the company’s North Campus, adjacent to their existing South Campus in Hall County. Cottrell will invest $125 million in the new 500,000-square-foot facility, which will also create new jobs. 
  • The U.K.’s Supreme Court upheld a ruling that Uber’s drivers should be classified as workers rather than independent contractors. Uber insists its drivers are self-employed and that it acts as more of an “agency” which connects them with passengers through an app. The ruling potentially jeopardizes Uber’s business model in the U.K. and has major implications for the country’s gig economy. 

CEO Daily Update – 2.18.2021

by

Today’s Topics: Lessons from a Builder | Cisco Catalyst 2960-X Switch | What is Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing Technology? | News to Start Your Day

Happy Thursday!

Get a charge knowing that today is National Battery Day! Observed each year on February 18th, today serves to appreciate the convenience batteries provide to our everyday lives!! Fun Fact: Benjamin Franklin first coined the term “battery” in 1748 to describe an array of charged glass plates.

Whoa! Can you believe we are almost at the end of February already?! 

For me personally, it has really flown by and has pretty much been a blur. There is never a lack of items to do and focus on here at CK, but as you know I have also been working on selling my house, packing, buying/building a new house, and just trying to live and stay sane in between all of that. To illustrate the speed at how fast life and things move, below is a pic of what the new house looked like on January 9th and then what it looked like yesterday when I went by for the pre-drywall inspection. My jaw dropped when I looked at the pics side by side and knowing it has only been 39 days in between the pics.

While I was there at the inspection yesterday the Building Manager for the community just happened to be in the neighborhood and stopped by and walked through the inspection with us. My agent was in shock that a builder would take time to do that and actually interact directly with the buyer. (He gave me his card and cell number as well.) She said in her experience that builders usually try to avoid the buyers and agents as much as possible. Haha! It was very interesting talking with him about the new house, how they are building it, and his views on the building process and after. Couple of things I learned and walked away with from the builder as we talked:

  • Efficiency breeds speed and success – just because something moves fast doesn’t mean it is a bad job. The inspector was very impressed with the level of work that had been done. Build the process and then let the process do the job for you.
  • Treat others the way you would want to be treated / Put them in “your” shoes – Don’t just try to put yourself in another person’s shoes to see how they might feel, put them in your shoes and let them experience how you would feel or what you would want out of the exact situation. If it was you experiencing or buying something, you would want it to be easy, go smoothly, and be the best possible.
  • The job doesn’t stop when the house is finished – that is just the beginning of the job. When we provide a service, sell an item, or interact with a client/customer, it is all about relationship. The sell/service is just the beginning of the relationship. The real job comes after that with supporting, helping, and making sure the customer is happy with their decision for the long term.

I personally was blown away by the amount of time, and level of conversation, that the builder of a multi-million dollar housing agency took to have with me yesterday. That left a lasting impression on me as a buyer and as a person. The last thing my agent said to me was that we hit the jackpot with this builder. That’s probably the way every customer should feel when they interact with a business or company every time, if not they will find the jackpot somewhere else.

I know many of you are feeling the effects of the crazy weather that is plaguing most of the country. I pray that y’all are staying warm and safe. Hopefully, you will get some relief very soon.

Jason

Product Spotlights & Updates:

Let us introduce you to the WS-C2960X-24PS-L. This LAN Base Switch is a workhorse! It has 24 PoE ports, (12 PoE+ ports at 30 Watts or all 24 PoE ports at 15.4 Watts), all 24 ethernet ports are Gigabit, and it also has 4 SFP ports. We recommend the GLC-SX-MMD if you are in need of SFPs.  This is also a stackable model that allows you to stack 8 switches together into something we coined the “octostack” – it kind of reminds us of the megadesk scene from The Office. You’ll need an optional stack module (don’t worry we carry them) in order to gain access to the stacking capabilities. 

This Switch is perfect for all kinds of environments from a small branch office with a few phones, a few APs, and a dozen computers to larger campuses. This reliable and robust piece of equipment will be the envy of the other networking devices in your rack. Grab one or eight! It’s time to get your office connected!

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

No matter what kind of network you maintain, you always have the same demands: more speed, less cost, and larger capacity. For any network with heavy demands on data and/or distance, this always results in implementing fiber optics. This is a technology that grows and shifts every day, and it can be exhausting to stay on top of the mountains of information out there. To help with that, a few simple explanations of popular fiber optic tech can make your life a lot easier. In that effort, today’s lesson is on CWDM technology. It’s one of several fiber optic cable choices, and it can fill many roles.

What is CWDM? 

The acronym stands for Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing. As the name states, it is a form of multiplexed fiber optics, so CWDM networks can send simultaneous, two-way communication. The term “coarse” refers to the wavelength spacing between channels. CWDM utilizes laser signals that differ in increments of 20 nm. A total of 18 different channels are available — with a wavelength range from 1610 nm to 1270 nm — and 8 can be utilized in a single system. Since each channel is capable of data rates of 3.125 Gbps, the aggregate ability is 10 Gbps for any CWDM cable.

Sometimes, it’s easier to understand the value of a piece of technology by comparing it to alternatives. In wavelength division multiplexing, DWDM (Dense WDM) is the other popular choice. DWDM has a wavelength spacing of 0.4 nm. That enables a denser packing of signals (hence the name) and can produce much higher data rates — up to 100 Gbps. The primary difference between CWDM and DWDM is that chromatic spacing. While DWDM can send and receive more information, the smaller differences reduce the tolerance of the signal and require far more precision in the laser design. This is why DWDM is much costlier per foot of cable than DWDM

Where is CWDM Best Used?

With high data rates, a low cost, and a good transmission range (up to 60 km), CWDM shines in many instances. It’s best at city-level applications. Many broadband internet providers build the bulk of their infrastructure on CWDM lines. Large campuses and data centers also benefit from integrating CWDM.

One of the often-overlooked advantages of coarse WDM is its compatibility with both GBIC and SFP connections. This makes it ideal for upgrading legacy systems that still use the older interface.

To summarize, CWDM is ideal for fast and long networks that don’t need more expensive speeds. It’s also ideal for a gradual upgrade of older systems.

The most important thing to remember is that you never have to marry a cable choice. Networks are living animals, and you’ll always find various niches within the design. CWDM can be your flexible line that keeps your options open, but you can still utilize other cable designs where the need arises.

This article is from the CK Learning Center. 

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 9,354,057 active COVID cases, 18,597,664 have recovered and there have been 502,545 deaths. 
  • Amazon’s aircraft fleet is on pace to have doubled in size between May 2020 and June of this year. It’s one of several moves that signal a broader expansion of Amazon’s air cargo operations. The company recently posted job listings for maintenance managers and staff to oversee contractors, indicating Amazon Air is “one step closer to being set up to run like an airline.”
  • Power outages in Texas from the winter storm reveal a broader crisis: Climate change is fueling more frequent and destructive weather disasters that are overwhelming existing U.S. infrastructure. Utilities have begun rolling blackouts to east pressure on strained power systems and meet the high demand for heat and electricity amid freezing temperatures. Extreme weather events caused 67% more major power outages in the U.S. since 2000, according to an analysis of national power outage data by research group Climate Central. 
  • Walmart’s fourth-quarter earnings missed Wall Street’s expectations, as it tries to turn pandemic gains into sustained momentum and higher profitability. The big-box retailer’s e-commerce sales in the U.S. grew by 69% and its same-store sales in the U.S. grew by 8.6%. Walmart CEO Dough McMillion said it will boost the wage of U.S. workers, raining the average for hourly employees to above $15 per hour.  
  • The United States needs to rapidly deploy Covid-19 vaccines and ramp up its surveillance before highly contagious variants take hold or the virus mutates again and makes the pandemic even worse, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said. Three variants first identified in the U.K., South Africa and Brazil have given researchers some concern.  The variant first found in the U.K. has proven to be highly transmissible and early data suggests it could be more deadly. 
  • Facebook announced that it will now debunk common myths about climate change, further leaning to the arbiter of truth role that the company once renounced. The company said it plans to rely on experts from George Mason University, the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, and the University of Cambridge to identify and debunk climate change myths. Facebook has introduced these information hubs and relied on them as a key part of its tactic to combat the widespread problem of misinformation on its services. ​

CEO Daily Update – 2.17.2021

by

Today’s Topics: The Net | Yealink Wireless Headset Adapter | What Do I Do with my Tax Refund? | News to Start Your Day

Happy Wednesday!

Happy Ash Wednesday! Today signifies the beginning of the Lenten season for Christians. It’s also National Random Act of Kindness Day! Always remember, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” -Aesop.

Do you guys remember that movie, The Net, with Sandra Bullock? It was a 1995 release about a computer analyst who gets caught up in some underground government stuff when she tries to debug a computer program (stored on a 3.5-inch floppy disk no less) and sees something she shouldn’t. It was pretty good, just not a film that aged well with the tech being so outdated now.

There’s a funny phenomenon here in our household with movie memory. Craig can recall lines from movies he’s seen years ago. If it was funny, it is even more likely he remembers it. Don’t ask him what he had for dinner two nights ago, how long we’ve been married, or where that paper he brought home yesterday – but if you need a movie quote, he’s your guy. Me, on the other hand, I retain more than the average information about daily life. Phone numbers, account numbers, where to find a copy of the deed to that house we owned in 2001 – no worries, I’ve got you. But if you ask me about a movie I saw last month, I am not very likely to remember that “really funny part” that Craig so easily recalls. It is like my brain has decided movies are non-important information and must not be stored in long-term storage. Anyone else like this?

All that to say, I have been reminded several times recently of this movie from 1995. I didn’t remember too many details about it until I watched the trailer just now, but I did remember that Sandra Bullock’s character was basically a recluse. She only left her house very occasionally and even had her groceries and food delivered. That’s nothing for us now, but my homebody self was pretty impressed with it back in the day. The times I have recalled the movie lately, I have kind of chuckled because I have become that girl. I leave the house once or twice a week, otherwise, you’ll find me homeschooling, at my computer, in the kitchen, or reading. Hopefully, no one sends me a 3.5-inch floppy with a secret program to decode…

Chat with you tomorrow,

Christin

Product Spotlights and Updates:

Today’s spotlight brings you to the Yealink EHS36 Wireless Headset Adapter. 

This unobtrusive device allows you to connect your Yealink phone to a wireless headset. It’s so small you could even tuck under a phone footstand so it’s out of view. The unit is also easy to install and all you need to do is to connect the EHS36 to the EXT port of your Yealink phone and connect your wireless headset base to the EHS36. 

One of the best features of this wireless headset adapter is something that could be easily overlooked is that the adapter gives you the ability to answer and end phone calls directly from the headset. There’s no need to walk back to your phone just to push a button to answer or end a phone call. 

The EHS36 is designed for most Yealink phones (see the EHS36 product page for a complete listing) and is fully compatible with Jabra, Plantronics, and Sennheiser brand wireless headsets. Grab one today and boost your phone call productivity!

What Do I Do with my Tax Refund? – Dave Ramsey Blog

Last year, the IRS reported giving out more than $305 billion in tax refunds, with the average refund clocking in at almost $2,500.1 With all the spending possibilities out there, how do people typically spend their tax refund?

It might surprise you to learn that most Americans said they planned to put their tax refunds into savings last year.2 That’s a much more responsible option than wasting it on some spending splurge. But while we’re all for building up a cash cushion, saving your refund for a rainy day may not be the best way to get ahead financially this year—especially if you’re still in debt.

Other folks from the survey (34%) planned to use at least part of their tax refund to pay off debt.3 Based on the average American household debt totals, we ran some numbers to find out what would happen if you used your entire refund to pay down your debt. We knew the results would be positive, but you may be surprised by how much you could actually save with this one simple step.

Crush Debt Faster with your Tax Refund 

Student Loans

The average student loan balance is more than $35,000.4 Let’s say your balance is $35,000 at a 6% interest rate. With a monthly payment of $400, you’ll pay on that student loan for around 10 years and shell out more than $46,000 total in principal and interest.

Let’s say you put your $2,500 tax refund toward your student loan balance. Using a student loan payoff calculator, you can see that doing this will help you pay off your loan almost a whole year sooner and save more than $1,800 in interest.

Now, let’s take things a step further. A $2,500 tax refund doesn’t mean you hit the jackpot. It’s simply the government returning your money—money you could have been using all year long to pay extra on your debt. Don’t wait until next year to get your money back. Work with a tax advisor to adjust your withholding today so you can bring home an extra $200 a month ($2,500/12), starting with your next paycheck!

Use that $200 to pay extra each month on the remaining balance of your student loan debt. With this method, you’ll pay it off in about five years instead of 10. And you’ll save over $5,500 in interest!

That’s how you put a tax refund to work! Here’s how that same scenario can work on your other debts:

Credit Cards

Households with debt currently owe an average of more than $14,500 in credit card debt.5,6,7 Yikes! At the minimum payment of 4% of the balance, and with a 15% interest rate, it’ll take you 13 years to pay that off. But if you apply $2,500 to the balance when you get your refund check and add that $200 to your monthly payment after adjusting your withholding, you’ll knock that sucker out in no time and save yourself thousands of dollars in interest!

Car Loans

The latest research shows that the average used car loan is almost $21,000 at a nearly 10% interest rate.8 Most people finance their cars for five years, although the average term is creeping toward six. With your one-time $2,500 payment followed by your increased monthly payments of $200, you’ll pay off your wheels two years sooner and save nearly $3,000 in interest!

Home Loan

As home prices continue to rise around the country, the average mortgage balance has swelled to over $202,000.9 Using our mortgage payoff calculator, you can see that with your tax refund and an increased monthly payment of $200 (from your newly adjusted withholding), you’ll pay off your home nearly three years early and save more than $12,500 in interest!

Roll Your Tax Refund Into Retirement

As long as you have at least $1,000 in a starter emergency fund, there’s no reason not to use your tax refund to pay down your debt. For those of you who are out of debt and have three to six months of expenses saved for emergencies, use our investment calculator to see how your tax refund can do great things for your retirement account.

With an initial investment of your $2,500 tax refund followed by monthly contributions of the $200 you gained after adjusting your withholding, you could add nearly $789,000 to your nest egg over 30 years! That’s a total of almost $75,000 of your money and more than $714,000 of growth. This is one simple way to catch up if you’re feeling behind on your retirement savings goals.

This article is from the Dave Ramsey blog. 

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 9,401,811 active COVID cases, 18,479,418 have recovered and there have been 499,991 deaths. 
  • Japan launched its coronavirus vaccination campaign Wednesday, months after other major economies started giving shots and amid questions about whether the drive would reach enough people quickly enough to save the Summer Olympics, already delayed by the pandemic. Despite a recent rise in infections, Japan has largely dodged the kind of cataclysm that has battered other wealthy countries’ economies, social networks, and health care systems. But the fate of the Olympics, and billions of dollars at stake, makes Japan’s vaccine campaign crucial. 
  • Millions of residents in Texas were still in the dark Wednesday with no indication when their service might return as another winter storm moved across the southern part of the nation. In all, between 2 million and 3 million customers in the energy capital of the U.S. had no power two days after historic snow and single-digit temperatures created a surge in demand for electricity for heat. 
  • Sri Lanka reopened its borders with a requirement unlike any other country that had opened before it – one that neither grants travelers free rein of the island nor boxes them into a hotel room for two weeks. Sri Lanka Tourism Chairperson Kimarli Fernando referred to it as a “new concept” developed by the tourism authority – which allows tourists to travel the country in “bio bubbles,” or roving semi-isolated groups that let travelers sightsee without mixing with the local population. The rules apply for the first two weeks of their stay. 
  • Amazon had bought Selz, an Australian company that makes tools that enable businesses to more easily launch their own online stores. Amazon quietly acquired the e-commerce platform on January 15th but didn’t publicize the acquisition. Selz said in a blog post that it will work with Amazon to “build easy-to-use tools for entrepreneurs.”
  • The White House on Tuesday issued its first official statement on the Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the West African country Guinea. The World Health Organization announced last week that it had confirmed new cases of Ebola in Butembo, a city in North Kivu Province in the DRC. Separately, officials in Guinea confirmed over the weekend the reemergence of Ebola in N’Zerekore, in southern Guinea. 

CEO Daily Update – 2.16.2021

by

Today’s Topics: Doodles | BOGO FREE Hand Sanitizer | What are KN95 Masks? | News to Start Your Day

Happy Tuesday!

February 16th is National do a Grouch a Favor Day and also National Almond Day! I think this calls for the perfect scenario to turn the grouches upside down! Go and grab your favorite pack of almonds and give it to them as a snack. I’m sure giving them the most heart-healthy snack on the market is sure to make their day better…don’t ya think?

I was recently reminded of a fun CK memory – and maybe the beginning of version 2.0 of that memory. I forget how this particular thing was started, maybe just a random request. A customer placed an order and put in the comments that they wanted a drawing on the box. Remember how I told you we like to do things that are memorable? We like to bring an unexpected online shopping experience and have fun doing it. Our creative guy in marketing at the time (we miss you, J!) was pretty good with freehand drawings, so we filled the customer request. It was shared with customers and others started asking for the same. It wasn’t often but enough to be a fun memory for us. 
 
Yesterday one of our managed account reps, Mandy, shared a picture her son had drawn. It was a picture of Switch – have you met Switch yet? He’s our mascot of sorts. I’ll tell you more about him sometime. For now, he makes an appearance on stickers and in some small places on the website and marketing materials. Here’s our stickerand also Mac’s version of Switch. Great job, buddy! 

So now version 2.0 of this is on the table – a Doodle Day for all the CK kids (and big kids) to come draw on some of the boxes we send out that week? Emailed artwork from CK kids and grownups alike? We are considering it. For now, I think Mac is willing to fill a few requests 😉
 
Until tomorrow,

Christin

Product Spotlights & Updates:

Just a reminder! We are still running BOGO FREE deals on some of our safety supplies and have just added our hand sanitizers to the list. Buy a 5 pack of either the 3.38oz or 8oz hand sanitizer and get another 5 pack for free! 

It is always good to stock up on hand sanitizers and continue to wash/sanitize your hands. These hand sanitizers adhere to the guidelines provided by the FDA and kill harmful germs in just seconds. 

The 3.38oz gel tube hand sanitizer contains 75% Ethyl Alcohol and contains an alcohol-based formula which is quick-drying and effective. The 100mL tube also contains moisturizer and Vitamin E to keep your hands smooth and healthy. 

The 8oz gel flip-top antiseptic hand sanitizer contains 70% Ethyl Alcohol and is fragrance free. This bottle also contains aloe vera which has antibacterial properties and ensures your skin to stay hydrated. Both hand sanitizers are small and perfect to carry with your everyday belongings and/or during travel!

What are KN95 Masks? – CK Learning Center

Choosing the right face mask for your safety (and the safety of those around you) can be confusing. What do all those different numbers and letters mean? And which type of masks do you really need? One of the most common masks available is the KN95, which you can find in our Safety Supplies section. Here’s some information about what a KN95 mask is, how it’s different from other types of masks, and a few recommendations on how to choose the best mask for your needs.

What is a KN95 Mask?

“KN95” is a designation for Chinese-made filtering facepiece respirators that meet China GB2626-2006 performance standards. Filtering facepiece respirators (FFR) are disposable face masks that are subject to a variety of regulatory standards, with different countries and regions having their own specific designations. The standards that KN95 masks are subject to include physical and performance characteristics that they are required to meet.

According to a 3M technical bulletin (PDF) from January 2020, KN95 respirators must meet the following performance standards:

  • ≥ 95% efficiency
  • Flow rate of 85 L/min
  • ≤ 8% total inward leakage
  • ≤ 350 Pa inhalation resistance
  • ≤ 250 Pa exhalation resistance

This is not an exhaustive list but provides some of the key standards that masks must meet under GB2626-2006.

How is a KN95 Mask Different from an N95 Mask? 

In the United States, FFRs are regulated by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The N95 respirator is the most common of seven types of FFRs approved for use in the U.S., and specific types of N95 masks are cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as “surgical N95 respirators.” This means that they are approved for use in a healthcare setting. Note that not all N95 masks are cleared for surgical use.

The underlying difference between a KN95 mask and an N95 mask of any type is the performance standards that they were designed to meet. While KN95 masks meet Chinese standards, N95 masks are required to meet United States NIOSH-42CFR84 performance standards, which are closely comparable. Both, for example, are required to have filter performance that is at least ≥ 95% efficient. The FFP2 (Europe EN 149-2001) respirator meets similar European standards.

Due to shortages of N95 face masks in the U.S., the FDA authorized the use of non-NIOSH-approved N95 respirators, including (as of April 3, 2020) KN95 respirators from China, when needed.

Why are people concerned about KN95 masks? 

The greatest concern surrounding KN95 masks is whether they are suitable for hospitals and health care settings. Due to the potential for close contact exposure to those who are ill, it’s critical that these masks meet all performance standards to protect those who use them. A mask that meets KN95 standards should perform very similarly to an N95 mask, blocking 95% of particles, including bacteria and viruses. These masks should be tight and well-fitted, creating a seal around the nose and mouth to minimize leakage as much as possible.

What is a Medical Mask? 

Medical or surgical masks differ significantly from filtering facepiece respirators. These disposable masks are designed to be loose-fitting, unlike FFRs, and while they are fluid-resistant and effective at filtering out some airborne particles, they do not provide the full protection that an FFR offers. The FDA offers a useful comparison between surgical masks and N95 respirators at https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/personal-protective-equipment-infection-control/n95-respirators-and-surgical-masks-face-masks.

Surgical masks are regulated by the FDA under 21 CFR 878.4040. They are designed to block large particles and spray or splatter, preventing them from reaching the nose or mouth.

Should I Wear a KN95 Mask? 

The CDC does not recommend that the general public wear N95 masks; due to the limited supply, these FFRs should be reserved for healthcare workers and first responders.

In everyday situations, including going to a non-medical work environment or store, other types of face coverings – including KN95 masks, 3-layer protective masks, and cloth face masks – are recommended. Wearing a mask that fits closely to the face can help reduce the spread of viruses to others, particularly when other social distancing practices are followed as well.

KN95 masks that meet all regulator standards provide more protection than homemade cloth masks, but they should be used correctly. Use caution when donning or removing a mask; touching the outer surface after the mask has been worn could transfer germs from the mask to your hands. Always wash your hands before putting a mask on or taking it off so that you do not spread any germs from your hands to your face; wash your hands again after removing the mask. A KN95 respirator is designed for a single use and should, ideally, be discarded after use or if it becomes soiled.

This article is from the CK Learning Center. 

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 9,461,762 active COVID cases, 18,359,110 have recovered and there have been 498,209 deaths. 
  • In a year without parades, Mardi Gras in New Orleans is all about house floats. The house floats movement was born on November 17, 2020, the same day the city announced there would be no parades during the upcoming Carnival season due to Covid-19. The house float movement has given birth to a mini economy, putting laid-off musicians and artists back to work, saving businesses, and fundraising for New Orleanians in need. 
  • More than 3.8 million households in Texas were in the dark Tuesday morning, as record-low temperatures boosted demand for power and heat that pushed the state’s electric grid to its limits. Rolling blackouts, typically seen on 100-degree summer days, were imposed in Texas. The frigid weather was part of the massive winter blast that brought snow, sleet, and freezing rain to the southern Plains, across parts of the Ohio Valley and the Northeast. 
  • Parler, popular with American right-wing users but which virtually vanished after the U.S. Capitol riot, re-launched its social media platform on Monday and said its new platform is built on “sustainable, independent technology.” In a statement announcing the relaunch, Parler also said it had appointed Mark Meckler as its interim chief executive, replacing John Matze who was fired by the board this month. 
  • A proposal for 73 townhomes and 26,400 square feet of retail space at a key entrance to Flowery Branch, Georgia is set to go before City Council Thursday, Feb. 18. The 11-acre development would be at 5519 McEver Road at the Gainesville Street/G.C. Crow Road intersection. The commercial part would face the intersection, with the homes behind it. “This property is a gateway to our downtown and adding a mixed-use project to this corner will help the continued development of downtown while providing services to the McEver Road corridor,” a city staff report says. 5519 McEver Road LLC  is seeking to rezone the land from agricultural to highway business and residential.
  • Elementary students in Los Angeles may return to their public school classrooms as early as this week as the number of new coronavirus infections in the county continues to drop. In a statement, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said it told the school district – the second largest in the country – that the county’s case rate would meet the state’s requirement of 25 per 100,000 on Tuesday, allowing for reopening of elementary schools.