Discussions about advanced technologies in information technology infrastructure can become abstract or even philosophical at times without understanding the tangible benefits they provide to the people using the applications. One of the more compelling stories of the benefits provided by new technology comes from a University near Puebla, Mexico. Fernando Thompson, chief intelligence officer at Universidad de Las
Américas Puebla,explained the challenges facing him in today’s increasingly competitive global economy.

“We have to supply the technology that our researchers need, and it has to be at the same level of the United States. We belong to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in the United States. We’re not on United States soil, but we belong to that association,” Thompson said. 

Thompson told his story to theCUBE host Rebecca Knight (@knightrm) and guest host Keith Townsend (@CTOAdvisor), of theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s mobile live streaming studio, at this year’s Dell EMC World in Las Vegas, Nevada.

From hours to minutes

One of the first deployments of new technology on Thompson’s campus centered around the use case for student class subscription or enrollment.

“During the subscription, we announced on a special day, and a special hour … you can get into the system and subscribe. Four years ago, that took one hour or 45 minutes. But with the change that we made, now it is a matter of two minutes,” Thompson said.

At the heart of the University’s new computing power are Dell’s latest offerings for data management and computing.

“If you can go to our new data center, you will realize that it’s only Dell and EMC right there. … And right now, we are using just 40 inches of disk. And I have more performance, I have savings on air conditioning, savings on electricity,” Thompson said.

Moving forward, Thompson plans on expanding the research and development capabilities of his University by improving its underlying technology infrastructure.

“We don’t have a super-computer at our university, but we have a deal with another university, and they have a super-computer. So, what we do is to supply the connection of the computer to send information and to receive information immediately so that the graphics can have the information in real time,” Thomson stated.

Watch the complete video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s independent editorial coverage of Dell EMC World 2017. (* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for Dell EMC World. Neither Dell nor other sponsors have editorial influence on content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE Media