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Archives for March 2021

CK Daily – 3.09.2021

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Today’s Topics: Winnebago on Wheel! | Colored Power Cords | What is the difference between OS2, OM1, OM2, OM3, OM4, and OM5? | News to Start Your Day

Happy Tuesday!

Meatballs are probably a gift from the heavens – early recipes for meatballs are found in ancient Chinese, Arabic, and Roman texts – and every culture seems to have its own version! What’s your favorite recipe? Let’s all rejoice, today March 9th, in honor of National Meatball Day!

Happy Tuesday!

Anyone else a habitual Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! viewer like myself? 

If so, you probably saw the Winnebago they were showcasing on Wheel, I believe it will be on there all week, and that is darn near a dream vehicle. Back in 2018, my wife and I took a Camper van (if you don’t know what this refers to, check them out!) around the circumference of Iceland and we fell in love with this type of vehicle. Cozy sleeping arrangements, moveable tabletops, a sink, and a safe place to retreat to at your favorite campsites. My favorite part though? They aren’t intimidating to drive on the mountains, through switchback turns, or in heavy traffic because they are normally your average-sized van/big truck. 

Do you have any experience with any sort of vehicle like these? Maybe a DIY version? Would love to hear your experiences.

Looking forward to escaping again,

Corey

Product Spotlights & Updates:

Today we will highlight our colored power cords! Colored power cords are a great way to identify and trace power cord runs in nearly any application. Installers, technicians, and managers can easily identify attributes (amperage, voltage redundancy) by a quick visual check and color identification. When power redundancy is required, using colored power cords to identify UPS and PDU origination is instant. Whether the cords are used in a basic or dense installation, these colored cords save time and money. We have a variety of power cords in different colors, lengths, AWGs, and connectors! Our colored power cords are also on sale, so grab them soon! 

What is the difference between OS2, OM1, OM2, OM3, OM4, and OM5? – CK Learning Center

What is the difference between OS2, OM1, OM2, OM3, OM4, and OM5?

When it comes to fiber-optic networks, there are a lot of options in how a network is designed. Ultimately, the demands of the network will determine which cable is best for any given job, but you need to have a clear understanding of the different fiber cables in order to make that decision. While the complete list of design differences could fill several books, you can understand the key variations in design in a few minutes. This quick guide will highlight the characteristics of OS2, OM1, OM2, OM3, OM4, and OM5 fiber cables.

OS vs OM Fiber

The first difference to understand is the one that exists between OS and OM cables. The briefest explanation is that OS cables are all the single-mode fiber, and OM cables are multimode fiber. If that provides enough clarity, feel free to skip to the next section.

For those who like more details, there are a few key design differences between the cable types. These differences mostly scale to the single- or multi-mode functionality. OS cables have much thinner cores than their OM counterparts. An OS cable, like OS2, will usually have a 9-micron core while OM cables can be over 100 microns. Additionally, OM cables are designed to work across shorter distances and with less-expensive transmission parts.

OM Fiber Cables

If multimode fiber is the right build for a network, there are still important decisions to make. For the most part, the cables come in five separate designs (named OM1, OM2, OM3, OM4, and OM5 respectively). OM1 might be the older, slower guy on the market, but it is no less common in modern applications. It utilizes a 62.5/125-micron core and is known for its cost efficiency for short runs. The other three designs all work with a 50/125-micron core.

The next major difference is in transmission. OM1 and OM2 both use LED transmitters. These are great for their low cost, but the LED transmitters limit bandwidth. OM1 and OM2 cables hit top speeds of around 1Gbps. OM3, OM4, and OM5 cables utilize laser-optimized multimode (LOMMF) transmission. This is more expensive, but it enables higher bandwidths, and these cables can get speeds up to 10Gbps (OM3), to 40Gbps (OM4), and up to 100Gbps (OM5).

Other, subtler differences can be found among these varying cables, but in terms of application, this is the bulk of the story.

OS Fiber Cables

As for OS cables, they come in OS1 or OS2 builds. OS1 is a bit antiquated. It is designed for distances less than 2km, and it hits a top transmission speed of 10Gbps. For jobs in that range, there are usually OM designs that are more cost-effective. OS2 is the standard for long-range networking. The cables can carry signals up to 200 km, and they can achieve transmission rates in excess of 10Gbps.

The purpose of OS2 fiber cabling is to do work that is best suited by single-mode fiber optics. It’s the easy go-to for long-range, high-speed work.

We like to keep things simple and straight-forward. In almost every case, the best cable will be the one that meets your distance and speed needs at the lowest possible cost.

Still not sure which fiber cable is right for your data center or project? Chat with one of our Fiber Cable experts and they can help you decide and point you in the right direction.

Be sure to check out our new Corning LSZH Fiber cables today.

This article is from the CK Learning Center.

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 8,756,390 active COVID cases, 20,449,634 have recovered and there have been 538,628 deaths. 
  • Chipotle is launching quesadillas nationwide on Thursday as a digital-only menu item. The burrito chain has been testing the items since 2018. Tacos and burrito bowls can be made quickly, but quesadillas need more time for the cheese to melt and the tortilla to turn golden. They knew this would require new cooking equipment and changing up its assembly lines. Chipotle will fill a tortilla with Monterrey Jack cheese and a protein of the customer’s choosing folds it and cooks it in a new custom over. Customers can also choose three salsas or sides to go with it. 
  • Kind is launching frozen smoothie bowls to appeal to consumers who eat their breakfast at home. The coronavirus pandemic has lifted sales of breakfast staples like cereal and Kind’s granola. Kind’s frozen smoothie bowls are meant to be a healthier alternative to other frozen breakfast items and include at least 7 grams of protein and no more than 9 grams of added sugar. 
  • The CDC released its first guidance for people who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19. People who are fully immunized can safely visit other vaccinated people indoors without wearing a mask or social distancing. Vaccinated people can visit some unvaccinated people without masks or social distancing as well. 
  • Target will launch a new food and beverage line in early April. Favorite Day will feature more than 700 products, including premium ice creams and bakery items, oriented around snacking and indulging. Groceries are less profitable than other merchandise that Target sells, but they drive traffic to its stores and websites. 
  • SpaceX is working on an antenna that will connect vehicles like semi-trucks and RVs to its satellite internet network, CEO Elon Musk stated. Musk clarified that the antenna will not be for “connecting Tesla cars to Starlink.” “This is for aircraft, ships, large trucks & RVs.”

CK Daily – 3.08.2021

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Today’s Topics: Bullet Journaling | Kendall Howard Rack Screws & Cage Nuts | What is an SFP & how do they work?  | News to Start Your Day

Happy Monday!

March 8th is International Women’s Day! Today we celebrate the many achievements of all of the wonderful women in our lives. We are surrounded each day by incredible women, let them know you are proud of their success! 

Good Morning! Another new voice here for the CK daily e-mail! My name is Amy Mai and I’m part of the sales and customer service team at CablesAndKits.com.  My role involves a lot of planning and organizing. To keep myself on track of my personal and work life, I use a Bullet Journal. 

If you never heard of a bullet journal, it is a hybrid of a personal journal and a daily planner. The Bullet Journal “explores what it means to live an intentional life, one that’s both productive and meaningful.” I’ve been using this system for almost 3 years already and I can’t imagine going back to a normal planner. The biggest pro of bullet journaling is that it’s 100% customizable! You can pick and choose what spreads you want, how your weekly formats look, how big or small your font will be, the possibilities are endless. This can also be a con for some. It’s very hard to start from scratch. I recommend reading The Bullet Journal Method by Ryder Carroll If you are thinking about starting one. Ryder Carroll is the creator of the Bullet Journal. Why not learn what it is from the creator himself! Here is also a link to Ryder Carroll setting up his own Bullet Journal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfRf43JTqY4&ab_channel=RyderCarroll

I hope you try this out! I look forward to talking to you in my next entry!

Amy

Product Spotlights & Updates:

Happy Monday everyone! Today’s product spotlight will focus on our Kendall Howard Rack Screws & Cage Nuts! Kendall Howard 10-32 rack screws and cage nuts are made with superior quality and are available in bulk quantities. These hardened steel rack screws are used for installing rackmount devices such as cable managers, servers, shelves, networking, and other electronic equipment. The clear zinc cage nuts have a snap-in design which allows the nut to stay securely in place. These cage nuts are commonly used in wall mount cabinets, server enclosures, and open frame racks. The 10-32 rack screws are compatible with the 10-32 cage nuts and some come with a washer to prevent damages to your devices! 

What is an SFP & how do they work? – CK Learning Center

High-end networking demands high-end equipment. You have a plethora of options, but eventually, you have to make decisions on which technology covers each of your applications. When considering all of those options, an understanding of SFP transceivers is pivotal. It’s a core technology that serves as a primary workhorse in many networks. This guide is going to explain all about SFP and its primary uses.

SFP Overview

Starting with the basics, SFP stands for small form-factor pluggable. It’s also commonly called mini-GBIC (gigabit interface converter). SFP is a popular transceiver for three main reasons. First is the small form factor. Its size allows it to be used in tight networking spaces to provide fast communication between switches and important networking components. The second reason for its proliferation is the variety of SFP connection options. SFP works with copper or fiber optics. The networks that can’t utilize SFP are scarce. Finally, SFP is hot swappable. That makes it ideal for expanding or adjusting existing networks without having to redesign the entire cable infrastructure.

SFP Variety

SFP is designed to work with the bulk of modern networks. On the copper side, you will primarily find 1000BASE-T and 1000BASE-TX modules for gigabit Ethernet networking. SFP modules are excellent for bridging communications between switches in compact environments, provided everything is within 100 meters.

On the fiber optics side of the equation, options are massive. SFP modules are made to support singlemode and multimode fiber. It works with simplex and duplex. Wavelength options range from 850 nm to 1550nm. Networking ranges are anywhere from around 500 meters to over 100 km. In all, there’s an SFP module for every job.

SFP Compatibility

SFP compatibility is deceptively tricky. There is not a formal, regulated international standard for these modules. Instead, compatibility is found within the multi-source agreement (MSA). This is an agreement supported by a number of manufacturers that work together to try and provide a reliable means of mixing and matching SFP brands successfully.

The challenge is that, despite the MSA, SFP modules tend to work best when brands are not mixed. It creates an interesting obstacle for optimizing equipment costs. You can follow MSA guidelines and try to use lower-cost parts in different components of your network, or you can simplify compatibility and stay within a single brand. The trade-off is usually between equipment costs and deployment time, but overall, MSA compatibility can be used successfully in most networks.

Applications of SFP’s

With all of this talk about SFP, the inevitable question arises. When is it useful? SFP has a wide reach of applications. For copper modules, the most common use (as mentioned before) is bridging network switches. They provide fast copper connections without requiring bulky equipment.

In the realm of fiber optics, the applications cover anything that might involve high-speed and/or long-range cables. High-definition audio transmission and reception, passive optical networks (PON), multiplexing, and simplex networking are some of the most common uses of this technology. The variability of SFP allows it to provide modules for any of these connections, and it provides a range of options in cost, speed, range, and accessibility.

Advanced SFP

Since the development of SFP, modernized advancements have been added to the mix. Namely, SFP+ and QSFP are now available. SFP+ is a faster version of the same form factor. It supports speeds up to 10Gbps, and it typically works across shorter distances. SFP+ ports are usually compatible with SFP optics, but the reverse is not true. SFP+ cannot operate slower than 1Gbps.

QSFP (quad small form-factor pluggable) is another transceiver with a range of support options. Ethernet, InfiniBand, SONET and fiber channels are all supported. The primary difference between QSFP and SFP is the quad form. QSFP can hit speeds up to 100 Gbps by utilizing four transmission and reception channels. QSFP is the powerful upgrade for systems that require huge bandwidth.

Complete mastery of SFP modules requires more learning that might fit in a single article, but this is enough to get started. What matters is that you understand how frequently SFP modules can be used to bridge communications between devices. From there, it’s a matter of matching the SFP design to the rest of the network.

This article is from the CK Learning Center.

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 8,821,756 active COVID cases, 20,336,656 have recovered and there have been 537,838 deaths. 
  • National Basketball Association commissioner Adam Silver is supportive of the new high school league that pays young players at least $100,000. OTE announced it would be starting in September and pay up to 30 players at least $100,000 if they decide to join. The league is backed by Overtime investors including NBA stars Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony, and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. 
  • California health officials on Friday gave Walt Disney’s Disneyland and other theme parks the go-ahead to reopen at limited capacity from April 1, after a closure of almost a year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Capacity will be limited to between 15% and 35%. Masks and other safety measures will be required and the parks initially will be open only to state residents. Outdoor stadiums and ball parks will also be allowed to reopen at reduced capacity, starting April 1st. 
  • The European Commission cleared Microsoft’s $7.5 billion acquisition of Bethesda parent company ZeniMax on Friday. It’s the biggest gaming acquisition in Microsoft’s history, eclipsing the $2.5 billion the firm paid for Minecraft developer Mojang in 2014. Microsoft plans to push its subscription offering, Xbox Game Pass, by bringing Bethesda’s games to its extensive library of titles. 
  • International benchmark Brent crude futures popped on Monday, moving above $70 a barrel for the first time in more than a year. The surge in oil prices came after Saudi Arabia said its oil facilities were targeted by missiles and drones. A Houthi military spokesman claimed responsibility for the attacks. Oil prices climbed more than 2% earlier in the session, but have since pared their gains with Brent trading up just 0.2% at $69.50 and U.S. crude futures rising 0.2% at $66.22.
  • The House is expected to pass the final version of a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package on Tuesday. The Senate voted 50-49 to approve the plan on Saturday, following a marathon debate of more than 24 hours. The package will bring a new round of payments to Americans battling the economic impacts of the pandemic, and it includes an increase to the child tax credit and an extension of supplemental unemployment benefits through September 6th. 

CK Daily – 3.05.2021

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Today’s Topics: New Names & New Products | Deals of the Week | Understanding Polarity for MPO | News to Start Your Day

Happy Friday!

March 5th holds celebrations of many national holidays, but today is National Day of Unplugging. While that seems a bit difficult when many things we do now are virtual, we challenge you to put aside your technology for at least an hour today and do something you enjoy! A notification-free conversation, a walk outside with your family…the options are endless! 

Good Morning! I know this has been a week full of new voices for the CK Daily e-mail, but don’t worry, I’m the last new introduction (for this week at least!). My name is Rebecca Vassy and I have been with CablesAndKits for a little over 4 years. Crazy to think that it has been that long… it definitely doesn’t feel like it! I am part of the Product Team and my main focus around here is adding new products to our portfolio! We have mentioned before that one of our big initiatives for this year is new product addition, and we are super excited about it! I will probably be asking for some feedback along the way here so that we can make sure to add products that YOU want and need! 

Outside of work, I really enjoy being active and spending time outside! I’m pretty passionate about running and about hiking. Living in Georgia is pretty ideal for both! I’ll be sure to share some of my favorite hiking spots from time to time as well for any locals who might also be interested in getting outside now that the weather is starting to warm up!

That’s all I’ve got for now! Hope everyone has an amazing weekend! 

Rebecca

Did you get the chance to save BIG this week? It’s not too late! Check out our incredible deals of the week! Grab them while you can and before it’s too late! What’s on the menu for this week’s deals? We’re glad you asked. Check them out below!

Understanding Polarity for MPO – CK Learning Center

High-end fiber optics are important to modern networking, but they’re a lot more complicated than some of their older counterparts. If you need the power of fiber, you might be looking into MPO systems. They can hit some of the highest speeds on the market today, but utilizing them requires knowledge. One key piece of knowledge that can help with MPO systems is polarity. Without this knowledge, you won’t get a connection across any of your lines.

What is MPO?

Multi-fiber push-on cables are pre-terminated cables that are designed for very high bandwidth. They start at 12-fiber cables that communicate at 10 Gbps. More advanced MPO cables utilize a 24-fiber design and can achieve 40/100 Gbps connections. MPO cables are designed for plug and play, they are compact and they are extremely common in data centers. The massive increase in internet capacity over the last decade has involved the use of MPO systems all over the place.

What is Polarity?

When it comes to using MPO systems, an issue of polarity arises. Generally speaking, polarity refers to the direction of flow. If you think about magnets, the polarity of the magnet tells you which way the field flows, and that tells you the direction of attraction or repulsion you would get with another magnet. It also determines the direction of an induced electric current, but let’s not wander too far into the weeds.

In fiber optics, polarity refers to the flow of information. In a simple duplex system, information flows from a transmitter (TX) to a receiver (Rx). Since a duplex system has fiber pairs, there are two possible ways to line up the Tx and Rx pair. Only one will work. The standard is that the A strand of one side needs to align with the B strand of the other side. If you match A-A, then no communication occurs. This is the basic idea of fiber polarity.

When you’re utilizing 12- or 24-strand MPO systems, polarity gets a lot more common. That’s why we refer to a standardized methodology to assure proper polarity.

3 MPO Cable Types

Before we get into the methods, it’s necessary to understand the three primary types of MPO cables: Type A, Type B, and Type C. Each cable has a unique design element that defines polarity in the system.

Type A MPO

Type A cables are also known as straight cables. They are the simplest MPO cables to understand. Each cable is sequenced 1-12. Since the cable is straight, the 1 node on each end is in the same spot relative to the sequence. The same is true for each of the fiber lines. But, if you recall the basic polarity example, this means that a Type A MPO cable cannot connect Tx to Rx without something to fix the polarity. We’ll cover that in a minute.

Type B MPO

Type B cables are known as reversed cables. They’re still pretty simple. Whereas Type A cables run in a straight line and the 1 node matches the 1 node on the other end, Type B reverses this. So, you’ll have 1-12 on one end and 12-1 on the other end. That means that a Type B cable can connect Tx to Rx without additional equipment.

Type C MPO

Also known as pairs flipped cables, these are the most complicated of the three. In Type C, each pair of strands is flipped along the run of the cable. That means 1 and 2 swap places, 3 and 4 swap places and so on. You can see why this type of cable requires a little extra though to use effectively.

Types of MPO Methods

Also known as pairs flipped cables, these are the most complicated of the three. In Type C, each pair of strands is flipped along the run of the cable. That means 1 and 2 swap places, 3 and 4 swap places, and so on. You can see why this type of cable requires a little extra though to use effectively.

Now that we have some basics covered, we can talk about ensuring matching polarity in the MPO systems. The methods utilize fiber patch cables. A standard patch cable is known as an A-B cable. It’s a straight cable where AB is on one end and BA is on the other. Conversely, an A-A patch cable does not have this alignment, and it can be used to flip the positions on one side of an MPO connection.

Method A

As you guessed from the name, this method is used for aligning Type A cables. Since the straight cables don’t achieve proper alignment on their own, you need to mix and match your two kinds of patch cables. With an A-B patch on one end and an A-A on the other end, you’ll get proper polarity and everything works. The tricky part is ensuring that you are getting male-female matches across the board. As long as you remember to use one of each patch cable, the limit combinations are easy enough to handle.

Method B

Aligning Type B cables is the easy part of all of this. They don’t require any extra flipping, so use an A-B patch cable at each end.

Method C

Type C cables are interesting. With a 12-strand cable, you can simply use an A-B patch on each end and your polarity is fine. The pair crossing built into the cable takes care of the problem. However, when you upgrade to 24-pair cables, things get exponentially more complicated, and standard patch cables no longer suffice.

40/100 GbE

So far, we’ve discussed polarity methods for 12-fiber cables. Applications that need 24-fiber cables are clearly more complicated. Because position matching has so many options, there isn’t a clear standard to follow. Instead, we can simplify 24-fiber designs with a simplified rule. Stick with Type A cables and use a Type AF cassette. With this cassette, you won’t need the A-A patch cable and things are as simple as possible.

That said, you still need to meticulously check the alignment pins with the cassette to ensure the positions match accordingly. Another rule to help with this is to stick with female cassettes and male-to-male trunk cables. This forces you to employ female-to-female patch cords, and they’re better for avoiding transceiver damage.

Polarity is a simple concept with complicated applications. These rules simplify the equations and can help you save time and stress when installing and operating MPO systems. With polarity conquered, you have access to some of the most powerful networking technology in the world today.

This article is from the CK Learning Center.

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 8,899,859 active COVID cases, 20,093,745 have recovered and there have been 533,641 deaths. 
  • Alabama plans to on April 9th, lift a statewide order requiring people to wear masks in public. Gov. Kay Ivey extended the mask order and other health measures that were set to expire on March 8th to give businesses enough time to institute their own policies. The governor urged residents to continue wearing face coverings, even though the state will no longer mandate them. 
  • As vaccination rollouts gather pace around the world, attention is now turning to vaccines of another kind: vaccine passports. Last week, the International Air Transport Association announced the launch of its new digital travel pass as “the way forward” in resuming quarantine-free international travel. The app, which is being tested by 30 carriers, will allow governments and airlines to collect, access, and share encrypted information related to passengers’ Covid-19 test and vaccination status prior to travel. 
  • Amazon wants to be the National Football League’s exclusive producer of Thursday games starting in 2023, but the NFL may decide to keep certain games on the NFL Network and take less money from Amazon. Amazon is in talks with the league to pay about $1 billion for an entire season’s worth of exclusive games, outside of the local TV markets of the two teams playing. 
  • Facebook announced that it had built an artificial intelligence program that can “see” what it is looking at. It did this by feeding it over 1 billion public images from Instagram. The “computer vision” program, nicknamed SEER, outperformed existing AI Models is an object recognition test. The program achieved a “classification accuracy score” of 84.2% when it attempted a test provided by ImageNet. 
  • Amazon opened its first physical store outside the U.S. in London on Thursday. It is called Amazon Fresh. The store lets customers walk in, pick up what they want, and walk out again without having to pay at a cash register. Amazon Fresh uses the same technology pioneered by the tech giant’s Amazon Go stores in the U.S.

CK Daily – 3.04.2021

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Today’s Topics: Thank You for Calling CablesAndKits! | Server Hard Drives | How to Choose a Rackmount Server | News to Start Your Day

Happy Thursday!

March 4th to the rhythm of life because today is National Marching Music Day! Do we have any musicians or performers in our CK Family? Today we celebrate all the varieties of art forms that bring us “music on the move.”

“Thank you for calling CablesAndKits! My name is Shanyce, how may I serve you?”

Have you ever heard a line like this when calling us? In the world of Customer Service, our main goal is to literally “serve your face off” as we like to say around here. We are here for you! Yes, even you, who has only called us once! 

In an effort to never miss a single call, the Customer Service Team is in the middle of a transition to a new phone system that will help us serve you even better. After taking some time to research, we realized our current system was not sufficient nor up to our own standards, so we quickly decided to pivot to a better system. This new system will allow us to analyze call patterns, lower wait times (no one likes to sit and listen to hold music), and allow our remote team to stay connected and work seamlessly from their home. 

The team and I look forward to the flexibility we will receive by customizing to our customer’s needs, based on best practices, and to, of course, SERVE YOUR FACE OFF! 

I look forward to talking to ya on the phone soon!

Shanyce

Product Spotlights & Updates:

Today’s we’ll be spotlighting server hard drives. Did you know all of our server hard drivescome with an industry-leading advanced replacement lifetime warranty? We carry a wide selection of Cisco, HP, and Dell server hard drives with a variety of sizes and storage capacity. All of our hard drives are fully tested and you’ll get the same great quality as a brand new hard drive at a much lower cost. Each of our refurbished drives are wiped of previous information and are repackaged and ready to use when you receive them. Grab a few today!

How to Choose a Rackmount Server – CK Learning Center

Hosting a server on-premises at your small business comes with many advantages. It gives you full control of the server, software, and elements related to the server such as the ability to add more terminals and grant access to the right individuals inside and outside of the premises. There are several different types of servers and various form factors, however, a rackmount server is ideal for many businesses. Rackmount servers take up a small space in your building and are generally easy to install. These servers can offer increased security and require few resources to get up and running.

There are many rackmount servers out there in the market with different sizes, capabilities, and for different operating environments. Here is a quick guide on choosing the right rackmount server for your business.

Size

One of the most important things to consider when purchasing a rackmount server is size. Will you be putting the server in a pre-existing rack? Will it be free-standing? If you plan to install the server into a rack, size is critical to ensure that it fits properly. Rackmount servers are typically 19” wide and the standard height is 1.75” (1U). They can also come in larger 2U, 3U, or even 4U heights that allow more room for additional processors and other components.

Memory

For most businesses, the server manages all the computer functions including storage and sharing of files. This means that the server is responsible for storing financial and customer data, managing emails, printers, and running software. The amount of memory and storage you will need will vary depending on the specific demands you will be putting on your server. When starting out, consider a server with at least 8GB of memory, at least 1TB storage space and about 8 to 16 processor cores. Think of a core as similar to a CPU. Therefore, a 10-core processor works like ten CPUs combined.

You can always upgrade your server components later on, should you need even more capabilities. When doing so, be sure to ensure that the parts match with those already in the server. They should be from the same manufacturer and for the specified model.

Virtualization

Virtualization is the act of creating many virtual computers, each allocated a slice of the available memory, number of processors, and storage to run a specific function different from the other. A software called hypervisor distributes these resources among the virtual computers to enhance their functionality. Each virtual computer works independently.

The main hypervisors in the market are Microsoft’s Hyper-V and VMware’s vShphere. If you are running all the programs exclusively on the Microsoft platform, the Hyper-V may be a cost-effective option. However, if you need support for other operating systems such as Linux, consider alternatives like vShere or Oracle VM.

Operating Systems

The most common Operating System in servers is Windows. It has been around for a long time and has excellent features for your business. Moreover, you are likely to find many professionals who are skilled in diagnosing Windows-based server applications. However, this OS does not support non-Microsoft applications. If you are likely to use open source software, consider purchasing a server that can allow different OS through virtualization and also check other OS programs such as SUSE, Red Hat, or Ubuntu.

Your Budget vs. The Requirements

Many small and medium businesses are constrained by a lack of adequate funding. If you are in such a situation, you may be looking for the least expensive server in the market. However, it is good to strike a balance between quality and price. Make a projection of your computing power needs for the next five years and pick a server that can handle the requirements until then. It does not need to have all the storage requirements and memory for now, but the available capacity should run for at least three years. This way, you avoid the costs that come with disposing of the server and purchasing a bigger one in the near future. It may be more expensive than buying a high-capacity server today.

This article is from the CK Learning Center.

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 8,922,245 active COVID cases, 20,003,339 have recovered and there have been 531,657 deaths. 
  • President Joe Biden has backed a plan to phase out direct payments more quickly in the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill. The $1400 checks in the Senate’s version of the plan will start to phase out at $75,000 in income for individuals and $150,000 for joint filers and read fully for those who earn $80,000 and $160,000, respectively. The income caps are lower than those passed by the House. Moderate Senate Democrats had called to limit the scope of the payments as the party seeks to pass its rescue plan in the coming days. 
  • A San Francisco start-up called Ample wants to make electric vehicle battery swapping work in the United States following a history of failure by others in the space. When electric vehicles started gaining ground in the early 2010s, Tesla and a start-up called Better Space promised their customer would have the convenient option of battery swapping. Both companies failed to make swapping commercially viable. Ample now operates five battery swap stations in the San Franciso Bay Area specifically for Uber drivers. Participating drivers with supported electric vehicles can exchange a spent battery for a fully charged one in less than 10 minutes. 
  • FedEx announced on Wednesday that it will invest an initial $2 billion toward sustainable energy initiatives, including more electric vehicles and carbon capture research. The investment is part of the company’s new goal to become carbon neutral by 2040. FedEx will give Yale University $100 million to help researchers develop carbon capture technologies. 
  • American rock band Kings of Leon is getting in on the frenzy over non-fungible tokens, widely known as NFTs. The group announced they’ll offer their latest album, “When You See Yourself,” in the form of an NFT, making it among the first bands to do so. Kings of Leon is offering its album package with vinyl and digital download for a token priced at $50. It’ll be released Friday on YellowHeart and open for two weeks starting at noon. After that two-week period, no ore will be made. 
  • Plans are underway to provide a COVID-19 vaccine to thousands of teachers and staff at schools across metro Atlanta and Georgia in the coming weeks.
    Next week, employees of the Hall County School District will receive the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine at a mass vaccination site south of Gainesville. The school system is partnering with the District 2 Georgia Department of Public Health and Free Chapel of Gainesville, which is hosting the event Thursday and Friday at its campus on McEver Road. The vaccine is voluntary for the 3,400 Hall County School District employees.

CK Daily – 3.03.2021

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Today’s Topics: Being Part of the Family | SFP-10G-LR Fiber Transceiver | Are You a Workaholic? 7 Tips to Overcome It | News to Start Your Day

Happy Wednesday!

March 3rd is National If Pets Had Thumbs Day! Yes…It’s a holiday. Now just imagine if all the pets in your life had thumbs…Having a day to fathom all the many things your pet could do is both entertaining and potentially a tale (or is it a tail?) of caution! 

You’re probably curious how you ended up reading the CK Daily after all. I’m sure everyone’s journey was a little different. 

It all boils down to one thing, though. You were welcomed into this family, like I was. CablesAndKits is unlike any business I’ve ever worked with and it is such a fun and energetic bunch. People who genuinely care about total strangers, building the communities around them, and having a driven mentality to succeed. I’m glad to be a part of this family, I hope you are too.

If you’ve read this far, I’ll go ahead and introduce myself – I’m Corey Swann – the Marketing Manager for CablesAndKits. I like to be outside, from playing sports, to hiking, biking, and walking our dog, Timber. I imagine most of my stories here will reflect on a recent weekend adventure. Sometimes, though, the adventure happens right at home, and that’s a beautiful thing. May your day’s adventure be filled with joy and love. 

Corey

Product Spotlights & Updates:

Today we wanted to spotlight a transceiver module that will allow you to go the distance! What distance? The 10-kilometer distance (or 6.2 miles). The SFP-10G-LR was specifically designed for long-range data transmission and supports LC Duplex single mode fiber. It has a wavelength of 1310 nanometers, is hot-swappable, and has Digital Optical Monitoring capability for diagnostics. This module also supports fast data transmission… 10 Gigabits per second to be precise!  While this transceiver is ideal for connectivity needs in large data centers, large campuses, and Metro Area Networks, there’s no minimum distance required, so you could even use this transceiver with a compatible device for a small office. We carry factory sealed Cisco Originals, New 3rd Party, and Refurbished options available for this more than capable transceiver module! 

Are You a Workaholic? 7 Tips to Overcome It – Dave Ramsey Blog

Workaholism: Sure, it’s a buzzword in corporate America, but it’s not just a trendy word or a go-getter attitude. It’s an addiction that can seriously affect both your personal and professional life.

If you think you may be a workaholic, there’s no shame here—but let’s take a closer look at what that means and how to overcome it so you can get healthy and start truly enjoying your job.

What Is a Workaholic? 

A workaholic is someone who feels a compulsion, or an irresistible urge, to work whether they want to or not. It’s not the same as really loving your work, and it’s not the same as being overworked—it’s a legitimate addiction. To put it in more scientific terms, the American Psychological Association defines workaholism as “the compulsive need to work and to do so to an excessive degree. A workaholic is one who has trouble refraining from work.”

When you’re overworked, the problem comes from an outside source (in most cases). For example, your boss might be demanding and putting pressure on you to work overtime, or you might be trying to complete a difficult project with a tight deadline. Being overworked can sometimes go hand in hand with workaholism, but workaholism can also exist in very healthy work environments. Being a workaholic is more about your personal work habits and motivations.

Signs You’re a Workaholic 

If any of this is starting to sound like I’m reading your mail, but you’re still not sure if you meet the criteria, here are some more signs that can help you figure it out.

You spend more time at work than anywhere else. 

There are 168 hours in a week, and a full-time job should take up about 40 of them, more or less. That’s only about 24% of your week! If your work percentage is way more than that—and you’re saying no to other things like important events, sleep, errands or time with your family  so you can get more work done—there may be a problem.

You bring work home. 

“I’ll just finish a few things at home” can easily turn into another three hours of work in your home office after dinner. I get it, folks. There might be some times throughout your career when you really need to hustle and get your project done. But it shouldn’t become a habit.

And these days, it’s easier than ever to constantly check your email and work messages from your phone and not be fully present (even if you’re trying to do something fun), so the habit becomes even harder to break.

You work to avoid unpleasant feelings. 

It might seem like depression, anxiety, loneliness, unresolved conflict, and other stressful feelings can all be avoided by staying late at the office (which can make working overtime start to look really appealing). When you “leave your problems at home,” it’s tempting to avoid going back there to face them again.

But the truth is, those issues don’t just stay at your house anyway. You’re still going to feel the negative effects at work. So it’s better to deal with those issues directly and in a healthy way—by taking them out with someone or seeing a counselor—rather than trying to stuff them down and escape by working more. That’s not sustainable, and it will really take a toll on your body.

Another type of difficult feeling you might be trying to avoid is the feeling of failure. Here’s a common pattern: Work gets stressful and hectic. You don’t want to admit that you can’t finish everything yourself. You don’t ask for help because you’re comparing yourself to your coworkers who never ask for help. The work piles up, and the only way to get it all done in time is by working crazy hours.

In reality, admitting you can’t do it all is really healthy. It doesn’t mean you’ve failed—it means you’re a human being.

You work to feel positive feelings. 

One of the most dangerous things about workaholism is that it’s often rewarded. Work’s a good thing, right? When people see you working late, they might say things like “she’s so diligent” or “he’s a real team player,” and anybody would want to hear that.

But there’s a dark side to affirmation, and it’s a problem when your identity becomes wrapped up in your work. Maybe you want others to think you’re the best at your job, so you work yourself silly trying to please them and get the recognition you crave. Positive feedback can give you a shot of dopamine (in the same way that someone liking your photo on social media makes you feel happy), which can be highly addictive.

But in the long run, being a people pleaser at work will only leave you feeling burned out and resentful.

You can’t remember the last time you took a break. 

I don’t just mean a vacation. Maybe it’s been a while since you actually took a lunch break. You can often be found eating at your desk, even if the employees at your company are encouraged to step away from work to recharge their brains for a while.

Maybe your paid time off usually goes unused year after year, and you struggle with the idea of staying home even when you’re sick. And you definitely haven’t been anywhere close to a beach in a long, long time.

You get stressed when you’re not working. 

One of the reasons why you can’t seem to take a break is because when you try to, you can’t stop thinking about work. You can relax for a little while, but then your mind wanders to all the unfinished tasks or the mountain of stuff you could be getting done if you just—you know—worked a little more.

Those thoughts make you feel stressed, and the only thing that makes you feel better is doing something “productive.” (Note: This is eerily similar to how a person who’s addicted to cigarettes feels on edge if they go too long without smoking.) In reality, the quality of your work and your productivity go down if you don’t take time to rest and recharge.

You don’t like to call yourself a workaholic.

Friends, family members and even your coworkers have pointed out that your work habits are a little extreme, and that they miss having you around. They might’ve even used the word workaholic to describe you. But it’s not how you’d describe yourself. You’re not a workaholic—you’re just a hard worker. Right? Right?

Well, if several of these signs hit home for you, it might be time to face the music and start developing some healthier habits. And please hear me on this: Workaholism shouldn’t be a badge of honor, but it shouldn’t be a source of shame, either. Don’t beat yourself up if you know you have an unhealthy relationship with your work. Just be honest about it and be proud of yourself for taking the initiative to change.

7 Ways to Overcome Workaholism 

This isn’t going to be an easy, overnight fix. But the good news is, you don’t have to fight this alone! There are people and resources who can help and support you along the way as you work toward being healthy and fulfilled in your work. Here are seven ways to start overcoming workaholism:

1. Commit to fixing the problem. 

Step one for anyone struggling with addiction is admitting that there’s a problem. Once you’ve admitted it to yourself and decided that you want to change, you’ll have the momentum to put in the work to make a change. Keep the light at the end of the tunnel in mind. Imagine the less stressed, more engaged, more rested version of yourself and aim for that.

2. Talk to your boss. 

Sit down with your leader and have an honest conversation about the habits you’ve been noticing in yourself and see if you can come up with a plan to change those habits. A good boss won’t want you to have a poor work-life balance, and they won’t want you to feel overwhelmed and exhausted—especially if it’s affecting your job performance.

If there’s too much on your plate, your leader might be able to help by making sure all the work’s divided evenly among the team or deprioritizing some tasks. Or maybe they can just check in every once in a while and hold you accountable to taking a lunch break.

3. Practice setting boundaries. 

This one might be hard at first, but practice leaving work on time, not checking your work email once you get home, and not doing anything work-related over the weekend. You might need an accountability partner for this, or you might need to try putting your phone someplace in your home that’s not easily accessible.

This becomes extra challenging if you work from home—you or someone you love might need to force you to shut the computer off at 5 p.m. It might hurt the first few times, but when you push through and see that nothing bad happens as a result, that’s a step in the right direction.

4. Rest intentionally. 

Here’s another tough one: Carve out time in your schedule to rest. Seriously, put it on your calendar if you have to. Brainstorm some things you used to love to do for fun and be intentional about doing them.

Take your family outside on the weekend. Use that paid time off and book yourself a trip—or just take a few days off to rest at home (but remember that if you’re out of state, you won’t be tempted to sneak into the office).

Again, this one might require an accountability partner who can take your phone away and help you have fun. But whatever you do, make rest a priority. I promise it will make your work better, and it will help preserve your long-term health.

5. Pursue health in all areas of life. 

Speaking of health, take some practical steps toward being healthy in multiple ways, not just with your work. Make sure you’re eating well, drinking enough water, getting enough sleep, and staying active (especially if you have a desk job). Take some time to reflect and be grateful each day. And if you’re a churchgoer, join a small group or find other ways to stay connected to a community. All of those things can help relieve stress that you might otherwise cope with by working more.

6. Seek professional help. 

If workaholism feels like a bigger problem than you’re able to deal with on your own, I highly recommend seeing a trained counselor or therapist. They can help you talk through why you might be struggling with this and give you the tools you need to get better.

They can also help you process any difficult emotions you’re avoiding through work. You might even want to consider going with your spouse if there are things the two of you need to work through as a team.

7. Make sure you’re in the right job.

If you’ve been reading through these tips and thinking, Sure all of that sounds great, but that would never work with my job, then I have news for you: You might need a different job. Maybe you’re in a toxic work environment that’s been contributing to your need to achieve and prove yourself, or maybe you know your boss would roll their eyes at the idea of you taking a vacation. Seriously consider those things and know that no job is worth risking your well-being.

This article is from the Dave Ramsey Blog.

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 8,969,496 active COVID cases, 19,817,532 have recovered and there have been 527,226 deaths. 
  • Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced he is rescinding the statewide mask mandate and allowing all businesses to reopen at 100% capacity. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves similarly announced the end of county mask mandates in his state and the full reopening of nearly all businesses. Both announcements came shortly after CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky warned state officials against lifting restrictions too quickly. 
  • President Joe Biden said Tuesday the U.S. will have enough supply of coronavirus vaccines to inoculate every adult in the nation by the end of May – two months earlier than previously expected. Biden’s announcement came as the White House works to increase the production of Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot Covid vaccine. 
  • Microsoft’s Mesh cloud service will enable developers to build applications in which people can share holograms, speak with one another, make doodles, and appear as virtual avatars. The company assembled a sample app that people can use in its HoloLens augmented reality headset, but the idea is people would be able to participate through other devices, such as PCs, phones, or virtual reality headsets. 
  • Facebook CFO David Wehner on Tuesday provided insight into smart glasses the company is building with Ray-Ban, saying that the upcoming device will not be close to what the tech company hopes to accomplish with augmented reality technology. Facebook did reveal that the smart glasses will be released sometime in 2021. 
  • Lyft is seeing a recovery in ridesharing sooner than it had expected. The company recently shared that improving trends will allow it to narrow losses in the current quarter by more than expected. Lyft expects the recovery to continue into this month and show positive year-over-year growth in ridesharing volume for the second half of March. 

CK Daily – 3.02.2021

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Today’s Topics: New Voices at CK | Push-Pull Connectors | Reasons to Buy a Refurbished Server | News to Start Your Day

Happy Tuesday!

March 2nd is National Old Stuff Day! Today gives notice to all that old stuff and a push of encouragement to try something new! No more “same old, same old” anymore, pull out those old items and put them to new use!

Hello! 

I’ll start by asking who doesn’t love a totally strange message from a stranger about something completely random? Since I’m a stranger to most of you, I’ll briefly introduce myself! I’m Chris McCoy, and I have the privilege of supporting the CablesAndKits team as President. We’re excited to transition the daily email from Craig & Christin and let you all hear from others here! Our goal is to continue having conversations with you and positively impact your day. 

Chris

Product Spotlights & Updates:

The spotlight today will be on our Push-Pull Connectors, an upgraded version of the Uniboot Connector! It has a special tab that allows users to easily insert and remove the connector without accessing the boot. Fiber cables with these connectors have the same type of short boot connector as the Uniboot, but with the special push-pull tab. This connector also allows users to reverse the polarity easily. Another neat feature of these connectors is their unique design which utilizes a 2mm duplex cord for denser cable management. This also helps reduce patching footprint and minimize channel loss with high performance. We have various optical modes and lengths utilizing the Push-Pull Tab, be sure to check them out!

Reasons to Buy a Refurbished Server – CK Learning Center

As your company’s IT manager, you are required to make many decisions when it comes to selecting which technology you will utilize to best fit the needs of your company. One of the decisions you will be faced with is selecting a server that fits your needs for both price and performance. When it comes to shopping for servers, the options and price ranges are nearly endless. You might become overwhelmed and begin to think that you will have to sacrifice either price or performance, however we’ve got good news. You can have the best of both worlds by going with a refurbished server. Here are some reasons this might be the best choice you could possibly make!

Price

Of course, price is an important factor to consider when you are working within a tight budget. Although new servers may have ever-so-slight advantages over refurbished ones in term of performance, most often the differences in performance are minor but the price difference is great. Buying a refurbished server can see you save 10, 20, or even 50 percent per unit. As a smart shopper, you want to get the most out of each dollar and buying a refurbished server allows you to do just that, which means you have more money left over for other IT needs.

Performance

There is a misconception that the refurbished servers’ performance is inferior to new ones. The truth is that the performance of a server is based on the configuration (drives, memory, processors, etc) of the particular server. A new server with the same configuration as a refurbished server should perform exactly the same.

Most IT departments replace their servers, not because they are damaged but because of schedules that they follow or agreements with manufacturers. Consequently, it is possible to get a refurbished server that in excellent shape and can be used for another 5 to 10 years without any issues. Next time you need to replace your server, contact us for a refurbished server that may even see you achieve better performance, and for a fraction of the price.

Maintenance

Maintenance cost is an important consideration when buying a new or refurbished server. One major benefit of going with a server that is one or two generations behind the new ones is the availability of spare parts. Getting replacement parts for refurbished servers can be easy and affordable, reducing maintenance cost and stress that comes with trying to find the correct replacement parts.

Warranty

Many people go for new servers because they trust the brand of the server and they feel confident that they can rely on the warranty (assuming one is provided). However, most warranties offered by other companies are limited to 2-3 years and, in many cases, they even cost you extra money. We’ve got your back, though. Here at CK we offer an industry-best lifetime warranty on all of our servers. That means that if you experience trouble with the server or components in the server, we will make it right!

In Conclusion

Newer isn’t always better. We are huge advocates of refurbished servers because of the many advantages they bring. When you throw in our lifetime warranty, there’s really nothing to lose! We can help you replace your servers stress-free.

This article is from the CK Learning Center.

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 8,969,496 active COVID cases, 19,817,532 have recovered and there have been 527,226 deaths. 
  • Sports drink maker Gatorade is launching its first-ever wearable device, the Gx Sweat Patch. The patch is a one-time-use wearable that analyzes sweat to provide athletes with insights about their athletic performance and hydration levels. It’s Gatorade’s latest product at a time when the sports drink marketplace is becoming increasingly crowded. The patch will sell for $24.99 and will be available online and at Dicks’ Sporting Goods. 
  • Airbnb recently informed travel bloggers that it will shut down its affiliate program at the end of March. Airbnb launched the associated program in May 2020. The program pays travel bloggers and influencers a percentage of guest and host fees for Airbnb stays and experiences they recommend and link to on their website and social media profiles. The decision to end the affiliate program comes after the company last month announced a new marketing campaign aimed at recruiting more hosts to its service. 
  • Delta reduced managers’ pay last year during the Covid pandemic and cut thousands of workers’ hours by 25%. Bonuses range from a few thousand dollars to six figures. The bonuses come as Congress moves closer to passing the third round of airline payroll support. 
  • China’s Inner Mongolia region plans to ban new cryptocurrency mining projects and shut down existing activity in a bid to cut down on the energy-consuming operation. Bitcoin mining consumes an estimated 128.84 terawatt-hour per year of energy, more than entire countries such as Ukraine and Argentina. Inner Mongolia alone accounts for around 8% of all bitcoin mining globally, more than the United States which accounts for 7.2%.
  • All 270 Apple stores in the United States are open for business as of Monday. It’s the first time that all U.S. stores are open since Apple started closing stores in response to the Covid-19 pandemic last spring. The reopening of Apple’s last closed U.S. locations in Texas on Monday marks a milestone as the United States begins to emerge from lockdowns.