My Summer at Jackpine 2
During the second half of my internship at Jackpine, I continued to run test cases, but I was also working on a new task: recreating software assets. Let me explain: Jackpine’s main product is a web application called CONS3RT, which allows users to combine operating systems, softwares assets, test assets, and other tools and then automate the running of them on virtual or physical machines. It basically lets you create a separate computer system without the hardware or manual work that consists of only what you need. Jackpine has lots of civilian customers, but the biggest customer is their the Department of Defense (with interactions centered at Hanscom Air Force Base, the location of their second office). The way it works is there are three different CONS3RT sites: the cons3rt.comsite, the HmC site, and the QA site. The cons3rt.com site is commercial site for all non-government customers use, while the HmC (Hanscom milCloud) site is for the government. The QA site is for quality assurance that the developers use for things like running test cases, testing updates, generally breaking the site, etc. The problem with this system is that while the non-QA sites have plenty of software assets and systems built by users ready for use, the QA site doesn’t have access to these. The developers needed more assets from HmC to be brought into QA to test with but didn’t have the time to recreate them. Who will recreate these assets? Enter Owen, lunch-bringer intern extraordinaire.
The way I would recreate software assets was somewhat complicated. I couldn’t just copy and paste them from one site to another. I had to go through the builder on the QA side and follow the steps used to create the asset’s system that was in HmC. I then would download the content from the HmC asset, upload them to the new system in QA, add in the correct information and details, and then repeat with six more assets for one asset bundle. This process alone took several days due to several errors, both on my part and due to the way the server handled large downloads. Some of the files required some double checking and fiddling with, which could be done in a fairly basic programming language called Bash that I learned a little bit about. I then had to launch it on a virtual host (essentially a separate virtual computer) and remotely access the virtual host to test the software. The main way I would remotely access virtual machines was with a program called SSH, short for secure shell. With SSH, I was able to access asset bundle. It was meant to launch a new server or connect to an existing server from the virtual host it was downloaded on. Getting that program to work was tricky too, but eventually, with some help, I got the programs to all cooperate.
There were a lot of roadblocks along the way, such as a power outage during my last week which lead to everyone working from home (which is why I don’t have any photos) to actual roadblocks (13 different detours over four months) to learning to ask for help. This was easily the biggest lesson that I learned. Most of the things I had to work on were new to me, so I became stressed when I realized I didn’t know how to accomplish the tasks I was assigned. It took me a while to realize that no one expected me to know how to do these; they expected me to ask for help. When I did realize this, my job became much easier and a great deal less stressful.
Ultimately, I had an amazing experience at Jackpine and I’m very grateful to have been given the opportunity to work there this summer!
