Week Ten
August 1st - August 5th, 2011
This week went by way too fast. It was pretty uneventful at work. I spent most of the week
trying to finish up the extended abstract for a poster submission.
The deadline was Friday August 5th, my last day at CSU.
On Monday, we finally announced the release of BGPmon version 7.2.1! The code was there
since last week, but we wanted to test out that downloading the compressed files and
installing them
would actually give us a working BGPmon. For the first time this summer, the rolling over
of the production servers to a newer version of BGPmon didn't give any major problems.
What a relief.
As for the last part of the week, I spent it meeting with the BGPmon / 6Watch Team
to discuss future
directions. For BGPmon, I was only able to give a bit of input. Most of the meeting was for
them to decide the next phase of development for the system. However, for 6Watch, there is
still about a month and a half before the deadline to submit a paper to the PAM Conference.
I still want to contribute to results for the paper. I imagine getting a few more tasks from
Dan (at my request) and working remotely. Getting a publication at a conference will
definitely set me apart on applications to graduate school. It's exciting, but I also know
that it is definitely not easy, especially because I will be so busy trying to wrap up my
last semester at Texas State.
So, looking back on the entire summer, I am very sad to leave Fort Collins, CSU, NetSec,
Colorado... everything. I experienced a spectrum of things this summer ranging from
disappointment to excitement. Working in the NetSec Lab, going to meetings, and discussing
projects really helped me get a firmer grasp on what life in graduate school might be like.
Of course, this summer wasn't a complete picture of graduate school life, I mean, there were
no classes to take. But I think it's about as close as it can get while still an undergrad.
I think what I'll miss the most is standing around the electric kettle with co-workers,
drinking tea, and discussing very random topics: grad school, married life, customs,
traditions, country norms, and overall frustration. They definitely made me feel welcome
from day one. The comaraderie between the NetSec folks and their individual discipline and
drive will be sorely missed. Who knows, maybe I will see them again at a conference or even
back here at CSU one day. The future has too many paths to decide on one right this instant.
I plan on applying to graduate school this semester. But plans are just intention to follow
a path. Historically, a good portion of my plans changed. For now, I am happy that I got
the opportunity to be a part of this dreu experience. As for graduate school, I don't know,
right now I feel that I am capable of one day earning a Masters or PhD. But I might just
take a year or two and start that process later.
Now it's time to get on the saddle and ride all the way back to Texas. It'll be a long
journey, but this has to be only the beginning...
As I leave the magnificent and gorgeous state of Colorado to head back home to Texas, I look towards the mountain and catch a glimpse of the sun setting on the Rocky Mountains. This scene makes me realize that you can always find the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. In my case, it's the light at the end of the mountains. This summer experience at Colorado taught me so many things... It's such a bittersweet ending...
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