Maximizing Value
Cloud-based Solution Simplifies Database Management
By moving to an Oracle database running in the Oracle-engineered Exadata Cloud@Customer System in 2023, Texas A&M University has saved nearly $700,000 to date, with an additional $700,000 expected over the next two years. The total savings is anticipated at $1.4 million over a four-year period. Due to high availability, this engineered system lowers maintenance costs and improves service excellence as Technology Services can patch Linux OS and Oracle software in real-time, without affecting university community members. The division’s application administrators still apply Banner student information system patches, but these teams no longer have to coordinate with the operating system and Oracle patching. The key to saving costs was leveraging the new Exadata technology and Oracle’s pricing model to support the university’s needs more efficiently.
New Signature Software Saves Texas A&M
Texas A&M University recently switched to Adobe Sign for digital signatures after the previous vendor significantly raised its pricing. The cost savings will be $300,000 over the next two years. As a cloud-based service, Adobe Sign was readily accessible through the university’s existing Adobe Creative Cloud agreement.
This project supported the migration and integration of data and workflows to Adobe Sign for users across the university community. Many hands-on onboarding sessions were held to support those efforts, and the transition resulted in cost savings and an improved user experience.
Digitizing Q-drop Leads to Workload Reduction
In fall 2022, Technology Services launched a Q-drop automation process in conjunction with the Offices of the Registrar and Student Success. Automation of this process will result in perpetual savings of time and money.
Over the last academic year, there were 22,096 Q-drops and 601 withdrawals. In the past all of these were processed manually by the Registrar’s office. This manual business process could consume an estimated 5,524 personnel hours of work activity to complete. Last academic AY 22-23 $181,627.53 annual cost reduction in advisor workload resulted. We anticipate that over the next academic year the estimated hours saved will be 5,536 and the $193.398.88.
In addition, automating this business process removed seven out of eight steps students had to complete using the manual, paper-based approach. The new method saved students an estimated 22,096 hours of administrative activity.
Security Metrics
Security metrics comparison week of Aug 6 to first week of classes:
- NetID Authentication events: 543,000 → 1,140,000 (110% increase)
- NetID account lockouts: 24,853 → 36,403 (32% increase)
- Attacks blocked at firewall: 55.7M → 95M (71% increase)
- Email inspected for spam, phishing, and viruses: 21.1M → 25M (18% increase)
- Malicious email blocked: 12M → 12.4M (3% increase)
- Threats/attacks triggering investigation: 190 → 265 (28% increase)