The Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) has awarded Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL) a contract to develop a new artificial intelligence and high-performance computing platform known as IGNITE, a project backed by funding from the State of Texas.
The new infrastructure is expected to strengthen advanced research capabilities across multiple scientific, engineering and national security fields.
IGNITE platform to be hosted in Dallas
The Innovative Growth in Next Generation AI Technology Ecosystem (IGNITE) platform will be installed at an Equinix data centre in Dallas.
Dell will deploy PowerRack infrastructure featuring liquid-cooled Dell PowerEdge XE9785L servers powered by AMD Instinct MI355X GPUs. The system will also incorporate Dell’s AI Data Platform for storage, while Dell Managed Services will oversee ongoing operations and support.
The agreement between TEES and Dell was signed during the second quarter of Dell’s fiscal 2027.
Built for secure AI and scientific research
The new computing environment has been designed to accommodate a broad range of research workloads with varying security requirements through a shared infrastructure protected by zero-trust security architecture.
According to TEES, the platform will support projects spanning artificial intelligence, large language model development, advanced manufacturing, robotics, materials science, defence technologies, aerospace research and scientific discovery.
Texas A&M expands long-standing partnership with Dell
Texas A&M officials said the new system will significantly expand the institution’s computing capabilities for future research initiatives.
“This platform we’re building with Dell Technologies expands what we can take on — supporting increasingly complex, secure research for years to come,” said Dr. Robert H. Bishop, vice chancellor and dean of Texas A&M Engineering.
Dell already provides the technology powering several existing Texas A&M high-performance computing systems, including FASTER, Grace, ACES and Launch.
Once completed, IGNITE will operate from an Equinix International Business Exchange data centre in Dallas.
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