CablesAndKits Blog

Happy Monday! 🦃 Thanksgiving is just 3 days away! Let’s kick off the week with gratitude—what are you most looking forward to this holiday? The countdown is on!

In This Issue: Thankfulness, Traditions, and Turkey Day Excitement! | Deal of the Day | Keystone Wall Plate | Crossover Cables | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Thankfulness, Traditions, and Turkey Day Excitement!

Happy Monday and Happy Thanksgiving week!

Only 3 more days until the official Turkey Day and the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season. Over the weekend we went grocery shopping in preparation for Thanksgiving. I’m looking forward to going to my parents house for a Thanksgiving feast. We typically have a light breakfast and while having breakfast one of my favorite traditions is watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV with the family, before heading out. It’s one of my bucket list items to go and see the Parade in person, maybe when the kids are a little bit older!

Looking back on a pretty wild year, full of it’s ups and downs, I’m still very thankful for the things that are happening in our life. I’m thankful for my family and friends, new hobbies, and I’m grateful for you all that read and support the CK and read the CK Daily! We could not do this without you! I hope you have a great Thanksgiving and spend some time appreciating and reflecting on the things that are near and dear to your heart.

And as always~I hope you have a great day and a wonderful week!

Cris

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Deal of the Day

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Keystone plates offer maximum versatility because you can add, reduce or simply change the connections needed on the plate. They offer the best way to install the variety of today’s wiring and cabling. This is the perfect solution for terminating your in-wall wiring.

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Learning Center Article – Crossover Cables for Professionals: Achieve Reliable Networking Solutions

In today’s highly connected world, efficient and reliable networking is the foundation of professional settings like offices, labs, and data centers. A key part of any well-running network is the crossover cable. These cables are specifically designed for direct device-to-device connections, without needing extra hardware like switches or routers.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• How to recycle unused electronic products? Read more here.
• Krispy Kreme launches 3 new holiday doughnuts — and 1 returning favorite.
• Say goodbye to the Earth’s second moon as it leaves before Thanksgiving.
• McDonald’s launching revamped value menu in New Year: here’s when.

Hello all, and happy Friday! 🌿 It’s National Relaxation Day, so let’s embrace a moment of calm to wrap up the week right. Whether you unwind with a good book, a cup of tea, or just a few quiet moments, take some time for yourself this weekend. Here’s to a peaceful day ahead!

In This Issue: Thanksgiving Prep: Let’s Make It Easy and Delicious! | Deal of the Day | HP DL380 Gen10 Server Series | Firmware vs Software | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Thanksgiving Prep: Let’s Make It Easy and Delicious!

Happy Friday! Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and it’s time to get those plans in full swing. Whether you’re hosting a feast or contributing a dish to the table, preparation is the secret to stress-free success!

Start by finalizing your menu—turkey, stuffing, sides, and don’t forget the pie! Create a shopping list (check your pantry first for hidden gems!) and pick up those essentials early to avoid last-minute chaos. This weekend is also perfect for tackling non-perishable prep, like setting the table or prepping make-ahead dishes.

And remember, Thanksgiving isn’t just about the food—it’s about the joy of gathering with loved ones. So, keep it simple, add a personal touch, and savor the moments that matter most. 🦃

What’s your favorite Thanksgiving dish to enjoy and/or prepare?

The CK Team

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Deal of the Day

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Boost network performance with the HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10 server. Powered by dual Intel® Xeon® Gold 6154 processors and 256GB of DDR4 RAM, it’s built for scalability and reliability. Featuring (8) 1.2TB 10K HDDs, this server is perfect for demanding workloads and supports Windows 2022.

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Learning Center Article – Firmware vs Software

We all have to fight with computers sometimes. When they work, they’re incredibly powerful and useful, but when they don’t work, life gets frustrating in a hurry.

That leads down the rabbit hole of troubleshooting, and in that world, you’re going to come across a lot of terms. Some that show up a lot include firmware and software. What do these terms really mean? Are they the same? Different?

This quick dive will tell you everything you really need to know about firmware vs software.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Toronto’s magical new Christmas market has a Scandinavian-inspired bar and winter train rides.
• Taco Bell returns fan-favorite treat for the first time in five years.
• Visit the merriest bar in Minneapolis this holiday season – Jingle Bar – and step in a wonderland with dazzling decor and festive fun!
• Dairy Queen is bringing back these holiday blizzard flavors for the winter.

Happy Thursday! 🧡 Thanksgiving is just a week away, and we’re grateful for the chance to celebrate. As we wind down the week, let’s look forward to good food, great company, and a little time to relax. Have a wonderful day!

In This Issue: The History of Thanksgiving | Deal of the Day | Cisco Blank Faceplate | Ultimate Guide to SFP 10GBASE, SFP 40GBASE, and QSFP 40GBase Modules | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – The History of Thanksgiving

Happy Thursday! Our team is gathering today to join together for some Thanksgiving festivities. As we prepare to do so, we wanted to share some of the history of Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is more than turkey, pie, and football—it’s a celebration of gratitude and togetherness rooted in history. The tradition traces back to 1621, when the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Native Americans shared a harvest feast after a challenging year of survival and cooperation. It was a gesture of unity and gratitude for a successful harvest.

Fast forward to 1863, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday, inviting Americans to set aside the last Thursday of November as a time to give thanks and reflect. Today, Thanksgiving remains a cherished time for family, friends, and feasting, an opportunity to appreciate life’s blessings, big and small.

Let this Thanksgiving remind us all to pause, reflect, and share gratitude with those who matter most. 🦃

The CK Team

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Deal of the Day

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Product Spotlights & Updates

This Cisco compatible ISR 4000 NIM slot faceplate is specifically constructed to cover the NIM slot in Cisco’s 4000 series integrated services routers. This allows your router to improve airflow and run better for a longer period of time. This Cisco accessory is compatible with a variety of models.

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Learning Center Article – Ultimate Guide to SFP 10GBASE, SFP 40GBASE, and QSFP 40GBase Modules

In today’s fast-paced digital world, having a solid and efficient network is crucial. Whether you’re running a small business or a large enterprise, picking the right transceiver modules can significantly boost your network’s performance and reliability.

This guide will simplify the essentials of SFP 10GBASE modules and SFP 40GBASE modules and many more.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Black Friday deals have officially launched at Amazon. Now’s the time to get started on your holiday shopping, as we’re seeing huge discounts on TVs, tablets, apparel, toys, headphones and everything in between.
• Starbucks x Wicked merch: Items list, where to buy, price, and more details explored.
• This Massachusetts shop is offering free coffee for dancing customers.
• Amazon Echo Spot (2024) review: The smartest clock radio ever.

Happy Wednesday, everyone! 💪 We’re halfway through the week, so let’s keep that momentum going! Take a moment to celebrate your progress and keep pushing toward those goals. You’ve got this!

In This Issue: Holiday Traditions | Deal of the Day | RCA Cable | What Is a Domain Controller? | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Holiday Traditions

Happy Wednesday!

I hope everyone is having a great week.

As we head into the holiday season, with Thanksgiving just around the corner and Christmas shortly after that, one thing I love hearing about is all the traditions people partake in. In our family, there are several traditions we’ve cherished through the years—some we still do to this day, and others we no longer continue, either because family members are no longer with us or we’ve updated the tradition.

One of my favorite traditions used to be every Christmas Eve at my grandparents’ house. My grandfather would play the piano, my dad would play the trumpet, and, when I got old enough and learned how, I played the flute. My older brother also joined one year with his trumpet, and we’d play Christmas carols together, hosting a mini-concert at home for the family. It’s something we did every year growing up that I will never forget. I vividly remember sitting in my great-grandma’s lap, singing along to the songs, and feeling so excited the year I finally got to play my instrument because I had learned how!

When my grandfather passed away, the tradition stopped, but this year, I want to try something similar with my little one. I plan to learn a song or two on the guitar to sing with him. Of course, it won’t be the same, but it will still spark the same memories of singing and playing all those years ago.

What traditions do you have or still hold onto today? I’d love to hear about them!

Ashley

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Deal of the Day

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Our audio Y Cables are the ideal solution for adapting your audio connections to meet your application needs. Audio Y adapter cables allow you to split a signal or adapt from one connection to another.

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Learning Center Article – What Is a Domain Controller?

One of the most important aspects of managing a business network is security. Many businesses store sensitive information — such as contact information for customers and clients. If third parties could easily access that information, it could create dangerous liabilities for your business.

So, how do you protect it all?

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Comcast to spin off cable networks as subscribers flee the bundle. Read more here.
• Big Lots’ Adorably Festive 4-Pack of Stoneware Holiday-Themed Plates Is Selling Fast at Just $8.
• Dunkin’ Unwraps New Spiked Latte Inspired by Fan-Favorite Holiday Flavor.
• Pie, meet donuts: Krispy Kreme releases Thanksgiving pie flavor ahead of holidays.

Happy Tuesday, animal lovers! 🐾 Today is National Pet Day, so let’s give our furry (or scaly!) friends some extra love. Whether they’re curling up beside you or just being their adorable selves, pets make our lives brighter. Show your pets some love today!

In This Issue: Embracing Gratitude and Joy This Thanksgiving Season! | Deal of the Day | Snap-In Flat Spacer Blank | All About 400G QSFP-DD | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Embracing Gratitude and Joy This Thanksgiving Season!

Good Morning & Happy Tuesday! Hope everyone is having a great start to the week! Can you believe Thanksgiving is just over a week away?!

This time last year, I was struggling to feel grateful. Life felt heavy, and I really had to work at recognizing and appreciating the blessings in my life. This year, life is still super heavy in many ways, but thankfully, I’m seeing the good more clearly. I’m definitely feeling super grateful these days and it’s been a really nice shift.

Looking ahead to this week and next, I’m feeling excited and thankful for everything going on. Last night, I had dinner with some friends I hadn’t seen in forever, and later this week, we’ll have our CK Thanksgiving. Thursday evening, I get to catch up with some of my favorite former coworkers, and then I’m heading to North Carolina for the weekend. Next week, I’ll wrap it all up by celebrating Thanksgiving with my family and then shifting right into Christmas-mode!

It’s a lot packed into a short time, but it’s all good stuff, and I’m so grateful for it all. I hope this week brings you plenty to be thankful for as well!

Rebecca

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Deal of the Day

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Optimize airflow and enhance the look of your equipment rack with the Kendall Howard 1U Snap-In Flat Spacer Blank. This easy-to-install blanking panel covers open rack slots, supporting better air circulation for cooler, longer-lasting networking equipment. Perfect for racks with fan systems, this spacer helps maintain an organized and professional appearance.

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Learning Center Article – All About 400G QSFP-DD

When working with data centers, large enterprise networks, or anything else with comparable data demands, you need the best hardware. You can skip looking through bargain bins. You need the type of equipment that pushes the envelope of what engineers can produce at scale.

Naturally, this involves fiber optics for the backbone of your communications, but what kinds of fiber connections will you use?

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• Kit Kat Launches Festive New Santa Treat, the Brand’s First Seasonal Shape.
• Study reveals two drinks that protect body against stress and eating fatty foods. Read more here.
• Walmart hikes its outlook again as shoppers spend more outside the grocery aisles.
• McDonald’s is bringing back its Christmas menu for Winters 2024: Items list, where to buy, and more explored here.

Happy Monday and Happy National Compliment Day! Take a moment to share a kind word with a friend, family member, or colleague today. A little compliment goes a long way to brighten someone’s day. Let’s start the week with lots of smiles and positivity!

In This Issue: Stepping Out, Leveling Up, and Finding Joy in New Challenges! | Deal of the Day | Cat5E Ethernet Cable Pull Box | Installing Ethernet Cables | News to Start Your Day

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The CK Daily – Stepping Out, Leveling Up, and Finding Joy in New Challenges!

Happy Monday!

Five weeks left until Christmas, are you ready? But don’t forget about Thanksgiving which is next week! Time feels like it’s flying by, it’ll be 2025 before we know it.

I’ve talked a little bit about the Pokemon Trading Card game here and the past Saturday I managed to go to a cup with 18 players. A cup is a small tournament typically consisting of five single swiss rounds of gameplay lasting 30 mins each round, and then if you are lucky and make top 4, you get to play in the finals consisting of 1 hour long best of three rounds. I was very lucky and fortunate to win enough games to compete in the final round and ended up losing to a very worthy opponent. I’ll take second place any time! My brain was cooked as the kids say at the end of the day, but I definitely had fun and learned a lot that day and made some new friends. I’m really enjoying the competitive side of the game and hope to eventually win a cup and maybe attend one of the larger Regional tournaments which typically have over 2000 competitors.

It was definitely outside my comfort zone going to an event like that with near complete strangers, but it was well worth it. I think as I get older it gets a little harder to go out and meet new people and hang out. A shared hobby seems to have broken the ice a bit. I plan to have the opportunity to do so again. I hope you have the opportunity to do the same!

Also I hope you have a great day and a wonderful week!

Cris

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Deal of the Day

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Product Spotlights & Updates

Buying cable in bulk provides installers and administrators the ability to run custom lengths and long runs of cable on the fly without having to measure and order appropriately. Bulk cable can also reduce the cost of standard patch cables by allowing cables to be cut and terminated at pennies a cord.

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Learning Center Article – 5 Key Factors to Keep in Mind While Installing Ethernet Cables

It’s time to install the Ethernet. That means your network planning should be in a good place, and you’re ready to plug in devices and get things running.

For simple networks, this can be a straightforward task that doesn’t take too long or run up costs. In more complicated networks, even installing Ethernet cables can be an ordeal.

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Today’s News to Start Your Day:

• The Most Useless Tech Included in Today’s Kitchen Appliances. Learn more here.
• Melt in Your Mouth, Not in Your Jacket: M&M’s Launches Snack-Friendly Winter Wear.
• 24 stylish Christmas home decor delights even the hardest-to-buy-for homebodies should have on their wish list.
• Coca-Cola has announced the return of a nostalgic soft drink brand originally founded in the 1930s. Known for its unique flavors like mandarin pineapple and fruit punch, Barrilitos was discontinued years ago to make way for other imported beverages.