Panduit RJ45 Jack Blockout Device
Filed under: Network Products, Power and Data Ditribution
It seems like the topic of computer and data security keeps popping up in conversation lately, and I just realized that up to now, I’ve tended to look at things from a strictly “computer protection” angle. You know, computer locks, USB port blocks, laptop security screens, lockable CPU cabinets, that kind of thing. It’s pretty obvious that no one wants a thief taking off with their laptop or stealing personal information off a hard drive, but what do you do when you want to secure an actual network infrastructure?
There are always passwords, firewalls and other software-based preventive measures that can be taken, but if you’re running a fairly large facility that receives a lot visitors or is frequently accessed outside of normal business hours, it’s smart to have physical protection in place as well. This is the part where I tell you about Panduit® RJ45 Jack Blockouts.
If you’re worried about viruses and worms being uploaded to your network or sensitive data being stolen from it, then you’ve got to think about limiting network access points. I’m talking about actually controling the number of RJ45 jacks that can be plugged into. Take a walk around your company’s offices, and you’ll probably find a pretty high number of data ports that are just sitting there, unused and not doing a darned thing. Remember that old saying about idle hands being the devil’s playground? Well, in the same way, idle RJ45 jacks can be a network vandal’s playground. Ruin a data thief’s fun by cutting down on the possibility of illicit network access - just snap Panduit’s RJ45 blocking devices into the empty jacks throughout your offices or facility.
Jack blockout devices work just like plugs, except they don’t just pull out when you want them to. In order to be removed, they need to be “unlocked” with a special tool, which can be left in the hands of your IT people for safe keeping. Insertion and removal of the data port block is completely safe for the jack, and won’t wear down its contacts or cause other degradation, even though multiple uses.
USB Bluetooth Dongles
Dongle? What the heck is a “dongle?”
If you’re a Bluetooth veteran, you’re probably already dongle-savvy, and can both read and speak the word without giggling or wrinkling your forehead in confusion. But if you’re a bit of a tech rookie and find your mind spiraling downward, imagining all sorts of fun and colorful definitions, let me interrupt your train of thought before it gets too out of hand, and set the record straight. A dongle is a type of hardware that plugs into a computer, and basically unlocks a particular software program and allows it to be used. In the case of these particular Black Box USB dongles, the technology in question is Bluetooth.
Designed to look almost identical to a standard USB flash drive, a Black Box Bluetooth dongle plugs into your computer’s USB port, and enables it to interact with other Bluetooth devices located within a certain range. It lets you create an instant, wireless personal network – pretty cool. And in these days of data theft paranoia, these dongles are safe to use, thanks to their built-in encryption and user authentication programming.
Depending upon what type of range and how much security you want your Bluetooth network to have, these USB dongles are available in two models: Class I, which has a 100 meter range (great for covering an office or your entire home), or Class II, which enables a contained, hacker-protected network within a tighter 10 meter range. They’re also conveniently compatible with just about any computer: whether you’re a desktop or laptop, Mac or PC, Black Box has you covered.
The Stevie Awards
I know it isn’t my usual bag, but today I’m going to shake things up a bit and talk about a recent experience rather than a product. Did you know that CableOrganizer.com is a woman-owned business? On Friday, November 13th, our President and CEO, Valerie Holstein, was up for a Stevie Award for Women in Business (for Best Entreprneur), and since she wasn’t able to travel to the awards ceremony, I got to go to Manhattan in her place. Not too shabby.
Both the Stevie Awards ceremony and accommodations were at the justifiably-famous Marriott Marquis, just off of Times Square. I remember the first time I stepped in there as a kid, during an NYC outing with my Dad (I grew up about an hour away). We rode the glass elevators for a few minutes (popping ears!) and then went on our merry way, but the place was so unlike any hotel I had ever seen that I never forgot it. Fast-forward 20 years, and I finally got to check in for an actual stay. I have to say, Times Square itself seemed gaudier and more grotesque than ever, but it’s pretty sweet to stand in a silent, well-appointed hotel room looking down at the theater district from 37 floors up. Well done, Marriott Marquis. Well done indeed!
Being that I was attending the dinner stag (can you say that if you’re a woman?), I was a little nervous about striking up conversation with my mystery dinner companions, but needn’t have been at all. I end up sitting between a very friendly PR rep for Cargo Cosmetics (with whom I enjoyed lighthearted chatter about makeup, sushi joints, and our mutual annoyance with poor e-mail grammar), and a very lovely and comfortable-to-converse-with couple, Susan and Scott, who were not only the heroic parents of 5-year-old triplets, but also in high hopes of Susan walking away with a much-deserved Blog of the Year award. At the end of the night, neither Susan nor I got to take the stage and accept a Stevie Award in our respective categories, but I did find out that not only were she and her husband based in Florida (like CableOrganizer), but that Scott had actually formerly been in IT, and had blogged about what a terrific source CableOrganizer.com was for network equipment. That’s still a win in a my book, and just goes to show that even in the Big Apple, it’s still a small world after all.
Platinum Tools EZ-SnapJack
Filed under: Network Products, Power and Data Ditribution
Waaaaaaaaaaay back in the day (okay, so it was only this past February), I talked about an EZ RJ45 plug that saved tons of time for installers because you slide all 8 wires into a wide, unpartitioned slot, instead of inserting each wire into its own individual channel. Believe me – I did a couple of comparison terminations myself, and the EZ version was practically fun compared to the standard RJ45 plugs. The hands-down winner. Well, I’ve just met the EZ RJ45’s soul mate: Platinum Tools’ EZ-SnapJack™, otherwise known as the keystone jack that’s about to rock your world.
If I remember correctly, I actually giggled with glee as I witnessed my first demo of this product. Now, I’m no jaded, punchdown-weary telecom tech, but I have done a few jack terminations at work and in the Learning Lab at CEDIA Expo 2008 (just a quick aside – if you get the chance, go). And while keystone punchdowns are no big deal, they definitely land on the time-consuming side of things.
Not anymore – well, not as long as you’re using EZ-SnapJacks™. These things work exactly the same way as the EZ RJ45 connector, in that you just arrange the 8 wires into the correct sequence, slide them into an alignment sleeve, and then trim the ends. From there, all that’s left to do is pop the prepped cable into the open jack, snap the top down (which, by the way, is the action that acts as the actual “punchdown”), and you’re done. It’s complete and utter laziness, but in the most positive and productive sense of the word. All I have to say is: way to save time on the job.
Panduit® Mini-Com® Snap-In Port Identification Icons
Filed under: Cable Identification, Network Products, Power and Data Ditribution
Don’t get me wrong – labeling network data ports and phone jacks is a great thing, especially if you have a situation where the two are grouped together. Unless you want to stick to the old phone and data jack color codes (which many people don’t do anymore for decor reasons), the two can be just about impossible to tell apart at a glance, so labels can be pretty important. But then again, they can look so, well… networky. That is to say, extremely technical. Let’s admit it – there are probably times, now and then, when you just don’t want to see printed labels all over your wall jacks. And do you know what? I can’t blame you for that. Neither can Panduit®, which is why they developed Mini-Com® Snap-In Port Identification Icons.
Instead of relying on bold lettering to tell you which jack is which, Panduit’s® Mini-Com® port ID plates rely on subtle icons to clue you in. A computer means “data,” and a phone means “voice.” Super easy. And since the icons are molded-in and not printed on, they don’t scream for the attention of people who are passing by – they just sort blend in until you need them. Another nice thing about Mini-Com® snap-in icons is that they’re available in 12 different colors – neutrals to further blend in with your room’s color scheme, or brighter hues that fit in with just about any color code. And have I mentioned that they’re fast and inexpensive to use? No labels to print, no backings to peel off – you just snap a plate into the icon slot of a Mini-Com® module, wall plate, surface mount box or patch panel, and your work is done.
Cable-Mgr. PRO-10 Series Cable Trays
Filed under: Network Products, Raceway, Duct and Conduit
It’s another sunny South Florida Friday morning, and you know what that means: product training. I just sat in on a meeting with Vutec, and got to learn a little more about their top-of-the-line cable tray line, the PRO-10 series. I know what you’re thinking: “cable trays are cable trays,” right? No so in this case.
While there’s not much that visually sets these trays apart from their competitors, CM-10 cable baskets require only a single ratchet tool for assembly, and come complete with all of the necessary connection hardware. We’ve found that the included hardware has been a huge benefit to our customers, some of whom have had the frustrating experience of ordering hundreds or thousands of feet of cable tray from a competing brand, only to find that they have to put their installation on hold until they can order bolts and splice washers separately.
The second major plus of using the PRO-10 series is that these cable trays act as a continuous ground-conductor when connected, without any need for additional grounding splices. This is achieved through the interconnecting grounding points, which are masked during powder coating so that they remain paint-free, allowing metal-to-metal contact where they meet.
Benefit number 3 is that PRO-10 trays require no custom bending. Because their angled accessory trays allow you to make 30, 45 and 90-degree turns by just dropping in the piece you need, the exhausting and time consuming process of removing wire rungs to create a bend is eliminated. This not only results in significant labor savings, but also allows the tray to maintain its structural integrity and full weight capacity, which would have otherwise been compromised and greatly reduced (respectively). Because no bars need to be removed, the angled trays are just as solid as the straight sections.
Corning UniCam® Connectors
Today’s featured item is a product line that every fiber optic field installer out there can appreciate – Corning UniCam® Fiber Optic Connectors. Terminating optical fibers can be a tricky and messy business that requires a lot of careful cleaning and polishing, as well as epoxy to secure the connectors onto the fibers. Good fiber terminations are almost entirely dependent on proper cleaning and end-face polishing, which make optimum light signal transmission possible.
Attaining perfect results when terminating out in the field can prove extremely challenging, because the environments in which the technicians are working aren’t controlled. They may not have a clean surface to work on, and there may also be a high level of environmental contaminants. Time is also of the essence-the more time it takes to terminate fiber optic cables, the higher the installation bill is. Fortunately, Corning came up with an excellent solution.
UniCam® multimode connectors offer the absolute fastest termination time in the industry – only 2 minutes per fiber! While you can never skip the cleaning step, UniCam cuts out the time-consuming polishing and epoxy, so in the long run you save money on polishing films and adhesives, as well as on labor! The secret is in the connector’s design: it’s been described as a mini fiber pigtail, and contains a factory-installed that is fully bonded to the ferrule. When the fiber being terminated is precisely cleaved and fit into UniCam’s patented alignment mechanism, both the fiber and the stub are protected against contaminants and other environmental factors.
Snake Tray® 501 Series for Walls
Filed under: Network Products, Raceway, Duct and Conduit
Today I’m going to talk about Snake Tray’s 501 Series, a very popular line of cable trays that have been specifically designed for use on walls. If you’re thinking that all cable trays are pretty much the same, think again. With minimal tool and hardware requirements, these zinc-plated cold rolled steel trays are quick and simple to install, and can be custom-bent in seconds with your bare hands. While it’s pretty common to see industrial cable trays suspended from the ceiling via brackets and threaded rods, 501 Series Snake Trays are equipped with built-in mounting rings (or “Snake Eyes”), which eliminate the need for hanging brackets.
Because it’s so easy to customize the shape and configuaration of 501 Series Snake Trays, they’re great for use in tight spaces where you may not have the room to accommodate suspended trays. These Snake Trays provide excellent support for telecommunications cables, whether they’re standard copper or fiber optic. As a matter of fact, the 501 Series does the job so well that it’s often specified for university, Fortune 500, and US Government installations.
In addition to the convenience and space efficiency of Snake Trays, you’ll also find that they save a significant amount of money. Because of their minimal hardware and the fact that tray segments take only 15 seconds to connect (versus up to 10 minutes with competitors’ trays), 501 Series Snake Trays can reduce installation costs by up to 85%! Snake trays also nest together for shipping, which can noticeably lower your freight expenses.
The Snake Tray 501 Series is compliant with EIA/TIA, NEC and NFPA standards, and often ships from inventory within just one day.
EZ RJ45 Connectors
How would you like to make your job easier without sacrificing the quality of the final results? If you’re an IT tech who does a lot of cable terminations with RJ45 or RJ11/12 connectors, our EZ connectors will help you do just that. I learned to terminate Cat5e cable with these, and let me tell you, they’re incredibly easy to use. Unlike standard RJ45 connectors that require you to feed each wire into it’s own separate channel (which can be very tricky and time consuming), the EZ connectors have just a single slot into which you push all of the wires (which have been previously arranged into the proper lineup for a T568A or T568B wiring scheme).
Aside from how easy they make it to actually feed the wires in, EZ RJ45 connectors also greatly increase your chances of having accurate terminations, thanks to the fact that when the wires emerge through the front of the connector,you can double-check the order they’re in prior to crimping.
Neato
Filed under: Network Products, Server Racks and Enclosures
If you’re an IT professional who feels anxiety and tears welling up whenever you have to troubleshoot amidst the waterfalls of tangled patch cords hanging off your server, take heart. One of our favorite rack-mount cable managers, the Neat Patch, does away with network cable insanity and leaves you with rows of neatly ordered patch cords, none of which stick out beyond the edge of your server rack. I’ve seen the Neat Patch in action on our own servers, and the end results are really amazing. So what sets this cable manager apart from the rest?
To begin with, it does away with excess. The folks at Neat Patch had the epiphany that you don’t actually need 6 feet of cable to make a connection between patch panel ports that are only 1 foot apart! As a matter of fact, a 2-foot patch cable does the trick — not only does it achieve the connection, but leaves you with enough cable to form a single bend-radius-protecting loop, which is tucked into Neat Patch’s storage compartment, a recessed, rackmounted trough that’s installed between the two patch panels being connected.
But that’s not all. As a finishing touch, cover panels snap into place to cover the patch cord loops, and you’re left with beautifully organized, perfectly traceable connections — not to mention lower blood pressure.