Illovo Sugar Malawi, a leading sugar manufacturer in the country, has donated state-of-the-art Information Technology (IT) equipment to Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST).
The donated IT equipment are high-end HP ProLiant DL380P G8 servers, NETAPP FAS2240-2 and Quantum Scalar i40 Premium storage systems as well as an Adler Rack 43U server rack.
Speaking during the handover ceremony at MUST in Thyolo on Monday, Illovo’s Communications and Stakeholders Relations Manager, Olive Kawelama said the donation will provide the university with access to state-of-the-art technology that will enhance the learning experience for students.
“The servers and rack will help the institution better manage its data, leading to more efficient and effective operations. We are confident that this equipment will be useful to the university and that significant cost would have been saved, which can be allocated to other areas,” said Kawelama
According to Kawelama, the servers serve as the backbone of an organization’s IT infrastructure and are designed to handle data-intensive workloads such as those required by universities, research institutions, and corporations.
“By donating these servers to the science and technology university in a developing country such as ours, we are providing the institution with the tools it needs to improve its data management, which will enhance its research capabilities and ultimately contribute to its success,” said Kawelama
On his part, MUST Deputy Vice Chancellor Professor Jonathan Makuwira commended Illovo for the donation. He said the servers will help the institution in the storage of data among others.
According to Professor Makuwira, lack of equipment in the country’s institutions of higher learning remains a challenge to impart hands-on experience to students saying the donation will assist ICT and Drone academy students to appreciate theory into practice.
“We are grateful for the donation and the servers will help us as an institution to manage our information. Most importantly, the equipment will allow our students to appreciate the dynamics of ICT and advance MUST’s agenda to provide high quality skills in ICT,” said Professor Makuwira
Illovo Malawi, which is one of two sugar producers operating in the country, supplies more than 60% of its total sugar sales into the domestic consumer and industrial markets, and a portion of the balance exported regionally within the sub-continent.
