In This Issue: Keystone Wall Plate, 1 Port, White | Do you Need the Latest Server? | News to Start Your Day
Happy Tuesday & Happy Watermelon Day! It’s been pretty hot out lately and since watermelon is 92% water, it’s pretty satisfying in the summer heat. Is anyone else reminded of fun summer picnics and fairs when they take a bite of some delicious watermelon?
The CK Daily – Bring on the Fall Weather
Good morning and happy Tuesday! Can you believe we have already made it to August?!
It’s wild how fast time moves these days. It was oppressively hot here last week and I think that has just pushed me over the edge from enjoying Summer to wishing it was Fall! Although we are still very much in the dog days of summer around here, I am certainly excited that we’ve made it to August! We are now officially 1 month away from college football (Go Dawgs!) and hopefully about a month away from a little relief in the temperatures!
It does tend to stay pretty warm here even late into the Summer, but I’d be thrilled to at least get some cool mornings! I love living in a part of the country where we get a change of seasons. What about you? Are you looking forward to Fall as well?
Rebecca
Product Spotlights & Updates
Happy Tuesday! Today we’re taking a look at one of our Keystone Wall Plates, KEYPLT-1-WH! If you’re looking to create permanent video, voice or data outlets using F, BNC, RCA, S-Video and fiber connections this is perfect for just that!
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.
Grab one this week for 25% off!
Do you Need the Latest Server? – CK Learning Center
Data centers aren’t cheap. Just the cost of power requirements for keeping your equipment running can be staggering. Adding the cost of new servers can often feel like too much. If you have high demands and a tight budget, you need a way to get more power and performance for every dollar spent. For most applications, the easiest way to do this is to look at refurbished servers and parts.
The Iterative Cycle of Technology
Computer hardware is an interesting market. Over time, consumers tend to get more value for each dollar spent, but used goods still drop in price like a used car. It all boils down to the iterative process of developing technology. Every year, newer and better parts are released, but they rarely provide dramatic improvements over the previous generation. Here’s an easy example. The first 3.0 GHz processor was the Pentium 4 released in 2003. Today, many servers are running 3.0 GHz processors. Even at the highest end, you’re looking at 5.0 GHz clock speeds. That’s an improvement of 67 percent in 15 years. That means on average, computer components are gaining less than five-percent performance every year.
Now, there is more to a processor than just the clock speed, but overall the rate holds true. Last year’s processor can do all of the same work as this year’s. It’s only every several years that a real breakthrough happens.
Server Lifespan
So, buying refurbished lets you save money and have parts that are comparable to something brand new, but performance isn’t the only consideration. Servers work hard, and you need something that will last. Well, there’s good news on that front too. Most high-end servers are built to last 5 to 10 years. Despite that, elite data centers (like Google) like to rotate their equipment on a cycle of two to three years. You can buy a refurbished server with seven or more years left on its shelf life that can still hang with brand new equipment.
Modular Technology
If you were just buying refurbished servers as is, you could save a lot of money without sacrificing performance, but the modular nature of servers gives you a lot more opportunity. Data centers have to adapt and adjust hardware on a daily basis. This has led to server design that is easily tweaked and customized. This gives you the freedom to upgrade components instead of entire servers. That can extend the life, value and performance of your refurbished equipment. Best of all, those modular parts can also be refurbished.
In truth, there are few applications that require a brand-new server. Even the most stressed and taxed data centers on the planet are running equipment that is an average of two to three years old. If your demands are any less than this, you can maximize your return on investment by purchasing refurbished.
You can read this article from the CK Learning Center here.
Today’s News to Start Your Day:
- Google announced it will build its own smartphone processor, called Google Tensor, that will power its new Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro phones this fall. Google will no longer use Qualcomm.
- Amazon launched a smart soap dispenser on its site that has lights on the top that slowly count down 20 seconds, so you know if you’ve washed your hands for the CDC-recommended minimum amount of time.
- The United States has hit the Biden administration’s goal of administering at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose to 70 percent of American adults.
- Western Europe and China’s Henan province — a key transport hub and home to several major businesses — are grappling with the aftermath of devastating floods. The disasters have damaged railways used for the delivery of goods and raw materials in both regions. This may result in fewer discounts for the peak upcoming online shopping season.
- Legacy beer brands like Bud Light and Corona are trying to position their hard seltzer to edge out the category’s first movers, White Claw and Truly. Both brewers launched hard seltzers in early 2020. By splashing their seltzer cans with the familiar Corona and Bud Light names, Constellation and AB InBev are appealing to consumers who have an established relationship — or at least knowledge of — their products, building on years of marketing their beers.