Every year, Bishop & Associates surveys distributors’ customers to learn which distributors provide the best service, product lines, added value, and more.  This year, Bishop & Associates’ survey names Heilind as Best Distributor. For the third time in as many years, Heilind Electronics was chosen as the best connector distributor in a Bishop & AssociatesRead More

The Direct Attach method removes the jack and patch cord from a typical Ethernet connection on the far end and attaches the device directly to a modular plug on the end of the horizontal Ethernet cable. Karl Griffith of Graybar explores the benefits of this solution. Graybar has identified an alternative method for network connectionsRead More

Top-of-the-rack architectures offer a clear access-layer migration path to an optimized high-bandwidth network and cabling facilities architecture that features low capital and operating expenses and supports a “rack-and-roll” computer deployment model that increases business agility. This article is excerpted from a white paper published by Cisco. Forward-looking IT departments are preparing their data centers forRead More

Unscrupulous sellers have found many ways to cut costs on cables, drawing customers in with the low price. L-com shares the “Seven Deadly Counterfeit Cable Sins” and advises how you can avoid them. What scares you more than a faulty, overrated, counterfeit cable? If you’re like us and work with cables on a daily basis, thenRead More

In a new Q&A, Heilind’s David Goforth discusses the trends in cabling for the computer/peripheral market right now. Q: How strong is the computer/peripheral market for your cable and wire suppliers right now? How has this changed in the last five years or so?  A: Price declines have been offset by the growth in theRead More

Optical connectivity now offers I/O options, such as Molex’s optical interfaces designed to support up to 400Gb/s. /Demand for higher port density and bandwidth has stimulated the introduction of high-performance optical I/O connectors that support up to 400Gb/s links. Manufacturers such as Avago Technologies, FCI Electronics, Samtec, and TE Connectivity offer a variety of opticalRead More

As wireless and mobile technology advances in the silicon world, interconnect suppliers are developing products for higher speeds and bandwidth with reduced footprints. Dave Jakubowski of Avnet shares his point of view on developing technologies to support the Internet of Things. In thinking about the evolution of electronics — we first had wired devices, thenRead More

Need some tips for installing fiber optics on the factory floor? Relcom shares its tips on how to specify fiber optic connectors for industrial applications. This information is provided by Relcom. Fiber optic cable connects to the station’s transmitter and receiver by specialized connectors. There are a number of different types of fiber optic connectors,Read More

Connectors are frequently selected based on purchase price without fully considering the costs linked with using them. What do connectors really cost? This article is contributed by APEX Electrical Interconnection Consultants. For more of its “Connector Basics” series, click here. Have you ever purchased the lowest-priced item, only to find out that the cost toRead More

The focus of this year’s Hannover Messe industrial fair was “Industry 4.0 – The Next Industrial Revolution,” as the exhibitors presented the best and most innovative products and systems they had to offer. Hannover Industry Messe took place from April 7-11, 2014, and the Netherlands was chosen as the official partner country for the show. TheRead More

The first standard for 40G structured cabling, IEEE 802.3ba, only covered fiber optics and short-reach copper twinax. Now an active task force is developing a copper twisted-pair standard. Here is a look at the technology and potential market for copper 40-Gigabit Ethernet. While the TIA touts its premise wiring standards as “application non-specific,” the industryRead More

So, how big is web traffic? The numbers in this world wide web traffic report are almost beyond comprehension. Cisco estimates that in 2013, world wide web traffic reached an average monthly volume of 55.6 exabytes. One exabyte equals 1,000 petabytes. A petabyte equals 1,000 terabytes. Confused? These are incredibly large numbers! To give itRead More