Texas A&M Picks Dell Technologies for Secure AI Platform
Quick Reads
- Texas A&M’s Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) has selected Dell Technologies to build IGNITE, a secure AI and high-performance computing (HPC) platform.
- The project is funded by the State of Texas to support federally sponsored and academic research.
- IGNITE will run on AMD Instinct MI355X GPUs and is expected to become one of the world’s largest AI deployments in higher education.
- Dell PowerEdge XE9785L servers and the Dell AI Data Platform will power the infrastructure.
- The platform will be hosted at an Equinix data center in Dallas, Texas.
- The project offers valuable lessons for African universities seeking secure and scalable AI research infrastructure.
The Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) has chosen Dell Technologies to design and build IGNITE (Innovative Growth in Next Generation AI Technology Ecosystem), a next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) platform.
Backed by funding from the State of Texas, the platform will provide secure, large-scale computing resources for engineering, scientific research, national security, and other advanced research programs.
Built for Large-Scale AI Research
IGNITE is designed to support research projects with different security requirements on a single shared platform.
The infrastructure will be powered by liquid-cooled Dell PowerEdge XE9785L servers equipped with AMD Instinct MI355X GPUs. Once deployed, it is expected to rank among the largest AI installations in higher education worldwide.
The system will also include Dell PowerRack infrastructure and the Dell AI Data Platform, powered by Dell PowerScale storage, to deliver fast and reliable access to research data.
To ensure long-term reliability and scalability, Dell Managed Services will oversee the platform’s day-to-day operations as research demands continue to grow.
The entire deployment will be hosted at an Equinix International Business Exchange (IBX) data center in Dallas, Texas.
Supporting High-Impact Research
TEES serves as the official engineering research agency for Texas A&M and leads federally sponsored programs across fields such as:
- Artificial intelligence
- Healthcare
- Energy
- Robotics
- Advanced materials
- National defense
With IGNITE, researchers will have the computing power needed to develop advanced AI models, accelerate scientific discovery, improve robotics research, and support mission-critical defense projects.
A Shared Platform with Strong Security
One of IGNITE’s biggest advantages is its shared infrastructure model.
Instead of maintaining separate computing environments for every project, the platform uses policy-based, Zero Trust security controls. This allows researchers, students, and external collaborators to safely share computing resources while protecting sensitive data.
The approach reduces infrastructure costs without compromising security, making it easier to support multiple research programs simultaneously.
Leadership Perspectives
Dr. Robert H. Bishop, Vice Chancellor and Dean of Texas A&M Engineering, said the new platform will significantly expand the university’s research capabilities.
“This platform we’re building with Dell Technologies expands what we can take on, supporting increasingly complex, secure research for years to come.”
Dr. Vince Kellen, Chief Information Officer of The Texas A&M University System, said the partnership with Dell Technologies, AMD, and Equinix will accelerate scientific discovery while helping prepare the future workforce.
Fran Bogle, Senior Vice President for Higher Education and Healthcare at Dell Technologies, added that IGNITE provides the computing foundation needed to compete for future federal and state-funded research programs while protecting sensitive research data through robust security controls.
Building on an Existing Partnership
IGNITE is the latest milestone in Dell Technologies’ long-standing relationship with the Texas A&M University System.
Dell already powers several of the university’s HPC systems, including:
- FASTER
- Grace
- ACES
- Launch
Beyond research infrastructure, the partnership also supports engineering education by providing technologies that help train future scientists and engineers.
Why This Matters for African Universities
The IGNITE project offers valuable lessons for universities across Nigeria and the rest of Africa.
Many institutions are competing for international research grants and collaborative scientific projects. However, limited access to secure, scalable AI infrastructure remains a major challenge.
A shared, policy-driven AI platform like IGNITE demonstrates how universities can maximize expensive computing resources while supporting multiple research teams with different security requirements.
As AI becomes central to scientific research, institutions that invest in secure, high-performance computing infrastructure today will be better positioned to attract funding, build global partnerships, and drive innovation in the years ahead.
