LinkSprinter 200 by Fluke Networks

Being an Information Technology guy and a Technology Director for my school district, I spend a lot of time frequenting pages like Macworld.com and Networkworld.com. I usually am looking for ways to better implement technology in our school as well as finding quality tools to use at work.

Last week, I stumbled across a Twitter post from the group LinkSprinter (@LinkSprinter). Well on Tuesday I received a Tweet from them saying I had been chosen as a lucky giveaway winner of their LinkSprinter 200, a network tester. I corresponded with them through direct messages and was informed they would be shipping the network tester to the school.

Fast forward to Thursday. Just before lunch, a package arrived for me at school. I opened it up and there to my surprise, was my new network tester! My LinkSprinter 200 had arrived and QUICKLY at that! I opened up the package and found a personal handwritten from Team LinkSprinter reading:

"Garrett - Congrats on winning your LinkSprinter 200! Once you've gotten to use the device for your newest networking project, let us know and we can set up a call to do a blog post on it. Don't hesitate to reach out with any questions. Hope you enjoy & happy testing!"

Thanks,
Team LinkSprinter
#networkprogiveaway

Here is an attached picture of the LinkSprinter 200!

I followed the directions and activated my LinkSprinter 200. Once it was activated, I activated its wireless signal and connected it to my iPad. I ran several tests just to experiment with the new LinkSprinter 200. Here are the five things the LinkSprinter 200 tests for:

Once the LinkSprinter 200 was activated, here is the activation screen showing the activation of the tester. The model and serial number, as well as where reports are sent when cables are tested on the network.

When a network cable is tested, the tool automatically sends a report to your email or wherever you'd like it sent. Here is where mine are sent to my work email.

Lastly, here is the email with results of network cable tests as they show up in the detailed email reports.

I'd like to thank Fluke Networks as well as LinkSprinter for this new and valuable network testing tool. This will come in so handy for my next network project here at work! Thank you again!!!

+Fluke Networks
@Linksprinter 

iPad Initiative Launched!!

This summer, the purchase of numerous iPads was approved for classroom use in the district. The iPads that were purchased were implemented into an “iPad initiative” in the R.L. Wright Elementary school. Each classroom was given five iPads to use. Normally, most classrooms break down into “centers” which are groups of kids that are working on the same task and able to share resources and devices. 

Also approved this past summer was the adoption of the new reading curriculum for the lower K-6 grades as well. This new reading curriculum can be web based with their “leveled readers” which are reading materials suited for each grade level. The leveled readers are available on the iPads so students are able to break down into their centers and read the same material designed for in class. 

By placing the iPads in the classrooms, students have more access to devices than in the past. In the past, using a standard 20 student classroom, FOUR classrooms shared a cart of 20 computers. This worked out to only 5 computers a classroom. This year, a new computer cart was added to the elementary classrooms as well as the iPads in each classroom. Currently, each classroom has access to 10 laptops and 5 iPads, tripling the number of devices in students hands. The feedback from teachers is that the use of the iPads and laptops is going up and devices are being used with classroom instruction and especially with the new leveled readers with the new reading textbooks. 

How the term "networking" has changed for me.

When I graduated from Washburn Institute of Technology in May 2010, the term "networking" had a very well-defined explanation to it. Networking was the skills a person had to complete an electronic circuit from Point A to Point B. That "networking" could consist of routers, serial cables, hops, and switches. I could look at a network rack with cables strewn everywhere and trace from Point A to Point B and isolate a problem and slowly re-trace the problem so it could move from hop to hop and complete the circuit.

Years later when I applied for my job at Sedgwick Public Schools, the term "networking" was on my application as I had the skills to work on networks and maintain them and that I had the qualifications to do so. I had studied hard while in school and my "networking" skills paid off as I landed my job with the school district.

As I enter my third year as Technology Director for Sedgwick USD 439, my knowledge of the term "networking" has VASTLY expanded this summer. I have wanted to expand my knowledge and skill set and also to attend several professional development seminars.

PodStock. People this event is the real deal! I met so many new connections and learned so much over the course of just two days. From amazing people like Kevin Honeycutt to Ginger Lewman to John Martin to Anibal Pacheco to even my own co-worker Nick Krahn. The knowledge that is distributed and shared at this conference is amazing. This year my "networking" changed from a physical set of tools and skills to expanding my connections and levels of knowledge. To develop strong connections leads to amazing collaboration and shared ideas. The power of knowledge is amazing and incredible.

My goal for this year is to continue to expand my "network"!

Polara Golf Balls......Fixing Your Slice (The illegal way!)

So you're out on the golf course and your mood just isn't in the right spot. You've missed the fairway from the tee box all day long. You need a great drive on the final hole of the day which happens to be the longest par 5 on the course. With water left and out-of-bounds to the right, you need to keep it straight. Time to go with the safe club and not driver right? Wrong. Reach into that bag and grab yourself a Polara golf ball my friend!

I promised a fellow golfer I would put this "tech review" together on the Polara golf ball review. I had heard of the Polara golf ball from a television commercial I saw. Deemed the "anti-slicing and anti-hooking golf ball" that could keep your drives up to 75% straighter. Instantly just hearing that for any golfer makes something in the brain want to know more about the golf ball. Let's start with the basics.

First off, the Polara golf ball is NOT USGA conforming. The line of Polara golf balls is aerodynamically asymmetrically designed. There is a special dimple pattern to the golf ball that makes the flight of the ball so straight. The USGA banned such golf balls from tournament play and also made a revision in the rule in 1981.

I went out to a local sporting goods store and purchased two sleeves of the Polara golf balls. One was a red sleeve of the XDS line, and a green sleeve of the XD line. The red sleeve said it was to have more distance, speed, and spin. The green was for distance and speed.

As you can see from the picture, Polara makes sure their name and design stands out on the golf ball. As a golfer with about a 7 handicap, I chose to try to play the red sleeve of balls first. Before I begin, let me give you a little on where I was before hitting the red sleeve of balls. Off of the tee box with my driver, a TaylorMade R7, I usually play a soft draw from left to right (as I am a left handed golfer). If I find the fairway, usually with roll-out of the ball, my average drive is about 270 yards. 

I played the red sleeve of balls first. There is only one thing you have to do to get the golf ball lined up correctly. Simply line up the arrow on the golf ball with your "target" and swing away. My results are as follows:

Hole 1 - Fairway 260 yards

Hole 2 - Fairway 263 yards

Hole 4 - Fairway 257 yards

Hole 5 - Fairway 259 yards

Hole 6 - Left rough 245 yards

Hole 8 - Fairway 253 yards

Hole 9 - Fairway 255 yards

I played the entire front 9 using the red line of XDS Polara golf balls on the tee box. Here is what I have discovered. The design of the golf ball does indeed straighten out your flight of shot. The ball flies almost dead straight! However, there was a significant loss of distance from my regular line of golf ball that I play. Am I ok with giving up distance for fairway play? Yes, but I also am a gambler and like to cut corners and shape shots for set-up shots into greens. I was pretty impressed by the XDS lineup. 

Overall review: The Polara red XDS lineup worked well. They do indeed work. My grade B+

Starting with the back 9, I switched over the the XD Polara golf balls in the green sleeve. Playing the same setup on the golf ball, with the same driver in hand, are my results.

Hole 10 - Fairway 279 yards

Hole 11 - Fairway 282 yards

Hole 12 - Fairway 277 yards

Hole 14 - Fairway 266 yards

Hole 15 - Fairway 278 yards

Hole 16 - Right rough 288 yards

Hole 18 - Fairway 281 yards

I played the entire back 9 using the green sleeve of XD Polara golf balls. My conclusions....the ball again does what it is supposed to. It does fly straight. I actually noticed that this ball stayed up on distance with my current line of golf ball that I played. In fact, on 16, I drove thru the fairway to the right rough on the par 5. There seems to be an increase in forward spin that really makes the ball run-out on tee shots. I was very impressed with the XD lineup.

Overall review: The Polara green XD lineup worked great. They worked. My grade A

Overall, the Polara golf ball does as is shown. The design of the golf ball does indeed cut down on hooks and slices. The ball flight is indeed straighter than what you would expect. However, no matter what, the golf ball does NOT meet USGA rules and is illegal in tournament play. For your average every day "hacker" these golf balls would be an excellent buy. It's always easier to play from the fairway!

I gave the Polara golf balls a hack. Maybe you should too! I might even have to pull one out the next time I play my Dad just to make sure I beat him!

Microsoft to release Windows Blue to fix Windows 8 errors/glitches

Microsoft announced earlier this week that it will be reversing course with Windows 8 due to customer complaints and the "steep learning curve" of adapting to the new version of Windows. Why has Microsoft finally had to come to the conclusion of admitting it's software just wasn't what they were expecting?

When Windows 8 was released, Microsoft had hoped to create an operating system that would be touch-screen compatible and user friendly to keep up with the touchscreen operating systems on the ever popular iPad and iPad mini from Apple. Microsoft was hoping to be a very aggressive competitor to Apple with tablet sales.

However, Windows 8 rolled out a new user interface design that many users had never dealt with before. Users complained that the new interface was hard to navigate and the learning curve was very difficult to pick up on. The most prominent feature missing in Windows 8 was the "Start" button in the lower left hand corner. Consumers did not like the "desktop feel and design" missing from Windows 8 and wanted the Start button back since most navigation began there.

Was it also slumping sales that forced Microsoft's hand? Studies on the market and sales show that PC sales are down drastically as the sales of tablets and touchscreen devices continue to soar. A more mobile than ever population is moving away from a PC desktop environment. While Microsoft claims that Windows 8 is still a good competitive operating system to use for consumers, studies show that out of almost 2 million tablet devices running Windows 8 or a similar version called RT, it only gives Microsoft just 2% of the total market.

Windows is quickly falling behind in competing and had to make a drastic change. Will the new design of Windows "Blue" be able to save Windows 8 and make it more user friendly? Blue is scheduled to be released and hit shelves just before this year's holiday season. Will it be holiday cheers or holiday jeers this year for Microsoft? Time will tell...

Adobe Killing their "Cereal-Box" software of Creative Suite

It is official. There will be no Adobe Creative Suite 7 or better known as CS7. Adobe is "killing" their production of the boxed software as the company moves toward a cloud based service. That's right all you Adobe fans, get ready to see PhotoShop CC not PhotoShop CS.

Adobe is moving away from their Creative Suite towards their Creative Cloud software. Adobe hopes to allow for better and easier upgrades thru their cloud service. Why the changes with Adobe?

Adobe is wanting to move away from boxed software as every day, companies are moving to cloud services. It will also allow Adobe to change their licensing fees and how upgrades are rolled out. The next release of Adobe software will not be a boxed software, but will be a Creative Cloud software. The new Adobe software will be both Windows and Mac compatible and for those customers who are current CS6 customers, you should be getting special low pricing for the new Creative Cloud service.

Will the movement away from a software suite to a cloud suite work as well as Adobe hopes? Will change be good or bad for Adobe? Only time.....and happy customer input and reviews....will tell.

LightSpeed Systems Web Filter

This past fall, I began to explore ideas for a new web filter to replace the old one in place at USD #439. I spent hours researching and asking around on what other districts were using. Using resources of online research, asking members of the ESSDACK "NERDS" group, and asking others on the state list-serv for Technical Directors, I had narrowed my selection down to the BottleRocket from LightSpeed Systems.

Many students in our district had known for years how to bypass the old web filter by making the webpage a secured webpage (https://). A good chunk of bandwidth was being used by students streaming music, videos, and other bandwidth consuming apps. I chose the LightSpeed BottleRocket for several reasons.

With the BottleRocket, using an (https://) would no longer bypass the filter. Anything that uses an https:// is redirected back to the original domain website. P2P applications are restricted and I also had control to block all proxies that students were using as a backdoor to websites they wanted. Another big complaint was all the time students wasted on social media sites. The BottleRocket allows me to specify certain websites that the district would like blocked. We are using that to our advantage. Another big feature is that group policies can be set within the web filter administrative console. We had a "Staff" group that allows staff members access to YouTube videos they use in class and also to streaming music sites such as Pandora so they can listen to music while they work.

The BottleRocket also allows for mobile web filtering to be extended to other devices on the network. Web filtering is extended to phones, iPads, and any other device with Internet access that connects to the wireless network within our district. I have been very impressed with the BottleRocket thus far and continue to work to fine-tune our web filtering here at USD #439.

One of the biggest advantages for me in using the new BottleRocket is the reports that you can access. There is real-time reporting that can show you current web activity, you can search and filter results by device IP address, and you can also see what top blocked domains and categories are. When a teacher came to me to see why a website wasn't coming up, I was able to search by IP address off her computer and find her web searches in the reports, found the website, and was able to re-assign the website to a new domain making it available to be used. This tool has been a HUGE plus for our use here at USD #439.

I am also very, very happy with LightSpeed tech support. I have had to call to get two issues worked on that I was unable to call. The first ticket I created, tech support called back within five minutes with a fix and the second issue they called back within 15 minutes. Needless to say, customer support is top notch with LightSpeed. We are currently running our filter on a three year contract with unlimited tech support and help.

I would highly recommend the BottleRocket to anyone out there looking at web filtering options for their company or business. You won't be disappointed!

You can find more information on LightSpeed products here:
http://www.lightspeedsystems.com/