It’s rare… to come to work during the Christmas season and have a true Christmas celebration. Never have I been a part of a company that celebrates with such authenticity. Not only in camaraderie amongst co-workers but also in the true spirit of Christmas. I mean, we had a real-life Santa come by and I think everyone took a picture with him! (some of the pics below!) And on his way out, he reminded us of what Christmas really is about, the birth of Jesus. I am just thankful that [Read more…] about Merry Christmas!
Thanksgiving – CablesAndKits Style!
Wow…where did this month go? (I think the better question might be, “Where did this year go?” ) Time certainly flies when you are having fun, and the CablesAndKits family sure has had some fun this year.
Today, as an office family, we stopped to celebrate Thanksgiving. Of course it is not a holiday around the office without a little craziness included, so we also had a Turkey Calling contest as well. This was hilarious to watch and listen to, as well! Congrats to our winners Mandy and Jon!
As you can see from the pictures below, we had all kinds of food to stuff ourselves with, and most of us regretted going back for the second (and some a third) plate-full. [Read more…] about Thanksgiving – CablesAndKits Style!
Untangling Network Cable Types
(This blog is an updated and extended version of a post, by our CEO, we released in September 2009)
If you’ve ever installed a network, either for your home, office or business, you’ve probably asked yourself- With so many different types of network cabling, what do I really need? Is it a CAT5, 5E, 6, 6A, shielded or unshielded, UTP or STP? Do I need a patch/straight through cable or a crossover cable? With so many different kinds of network cables to choose from, which one is right for your needs?
What types of network cable are available currently?
Cat5 has been replaced by Cat5E as the general standard networking cable in new installations, with the improved signal carrying capacity being the primary reason. A Cat5 cable can support Ethernet and Fast Ethernet. Cat5E (Cat5 enhanced) supports Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, and Gigabit Ethernet speeds over short distances and is backward compatible with Cat5. Cat5E cable also has improved durability, due to improvements in the quality of the PVC protective jacket. It is more than suitable for most data cabling requirements.
Cat6 is one of the newest versions of network cabling, and is very similar to Cat5E, but specifically designed to consistently deliver 1 Gigabit Ethernet. It is used in installations where a Cat6 Certified Network is required.
While Cat5E and Cat6 can support Gigabit speeds, Cat6A (Cat6 Augmented) is certified to 10 Gigabit speeds and is backward compatible with the all the existing standards, and is suitable for industries utilizing high-performance computing platforms to support very high bandwidth-intensive applications. 10G/Cat 6A applications would be server farms, storage area networks, data centers & riser backbones.
Compassion in Action
This past Saturday the employees here at CablesAndKits had an opportunity to do something really amazing! Susan, our HR coordinator extraordinaire, notified us of an opportunity to serve our community along with an organization called Compassion in Action / 12Stone. What better way to spend a beautiful, October, Saturday morning and afternoon than serving the Gwinnett County Special Needs School?!?!?
Our team met at 12Stone around 8am to sign in and change into the t-shirts that the organization provided us. Then we met in the auditorium for some motivational music and speaking. As I entered the auditorium, I was taken back with the amount of people (around 2,200 to give you an estimate) that all chose to spend their Saturday morning serving others in our community through several different projects. For me, personally, it was one of the most incredible things that I have ever been involved with, and that is an understatement. [Read more…] about Compassion in Action
Plug into Power Cord Know How!
Navigating the jungle of terminology, acronyms and part numbers can be daunting in the field of telecommunications. Anyone attempting to determine and buy cabling can attest to this. Improper data cabling will cause a logical error. With power cables, using the wrong type can cause physical failure such as fires and electrical shock. The stakes are higher. Luckily the abundance of documentation and regulation assure that anyone seeking direction to deploy the correct cord can find the information they need to choose the right cord and avoid common pitfalls, damage and injury that comes with electrical failure.
Common Terminology:
Amperage (amp): This term refers to the amount of electrons that are moving in the circuit. This is also “how much” electricity there is.
Voltage: This refers to how much force is behind the electrons, or how fast the electrons are moving.
Attributes:
When choosing a power cord there are (3) main attributes to be aware of:
Interview and First Impression of CablesAndKits
I was recently given the opportunity, as a “new guy”, to give my first impression of CablesAndKits concerning the interview process. I guess, since it is still fresh in my mind, I can show you in vivid, accurate portrayal the events that occurred…or at least try to.
My first interview at CablesAndKits was your standard phone interview. Susan asked me a few questions and set up an actual interview with me the following week. I’ve been through several phone interviews before and this was your standard “get to know you before I meet you interview”. Everything after this interview wasn’t so standard.
The first interview I had with CablesAndKits was a group interview with the HR Manager, Susan, the Business Development Manager, Chris, and Alicia, one of the members of the sales team. The first thing I notice during the interview is that I am WAY overdressed. Here I am in a charcoal black suit and a red tie while the people around me are wearing jeans and tennis shoes. In the back of my mind I was wondering [Read more…] about Interview and First Impression of CablesAndKits