My name is Jesu Petar Maglutac, but people usually call me “Pepe” (a common nickname in the Philippines). I currently work at Samsung R&D Institute Philippines (SRPH), one of the many global R&D centers under Samsung Research (SR), the advanced R&D hub of Samsung’s DX division. Our center is in Metro Manila, Philippines. SRPH is actively engaged in developing various solutions related to Cloud, Web, Server, and Data Intelligence.
Within the SRPH organization, I work as the Head of the Samsung Pay Group and Project Leader of the Payment Global Project. I also lead a subgroup working specifically on data engineering for Samsung Wallet US Analytics. My role mainly involves ensuring the smooth operation of the Samsung Wallet US Analytics system, particularly guaranteeing that all analytics reports on our server remain accurate and up-to-date. Currently, my group is working closely with SR in Korea and America to make sure that Samsung Wallet users in the United States will have the best user experience by providing a high-quality application. In addition, because I have a background in DevOps and Infrastructure, I regularly investigate our cloud infrastructure’s condition and help ensure that our infrastructure runs smoothly.
My research interests include Distributed Systems, Networking and the Internet, and Big Data. I have a research background in Networking and Distributed Systems, particularly Software-Defined Networking (SDN). As part of my research on SDN, a patent I have worked on regarding Cooperative Multi-Antenna Systems has been filed locally and abroad (United States and Korea). My recent research has also included Distributed Systems and Big Data. My most recent study has been on a system for creating efficient indexed caches for heterogeneous database systems, and I have also been involved in research initiatives on the deployment of containerized and dynamic data grid applications.
My research interests have always involved one main goal: enriching users’ experiences through the Internet. Although my roots have been in lower-level Internet Architecture and Networking, because of the current shift in trend to a more Data-Driven Internet, I feel that my research into Big Data and Distributed Systems will help organizations and users create more value from the data sent through the Web. Through my research, I hope to develop systems that could use data more efficiently and provide services with better availability for end users.
One of my most rewarding moments is when my project group contributes to releases of services such as Samsung Wallet, Samsung Pay, and Samsung Money, as we know that what we have created was able to reach end users and make an impact on their daily lives.
Another thing I consider one of my biggest research achievements in SRPH was my involvement in the research collaboration project between Samsung and the University of the Philippines from 2017 to 2019. I was heavily involved in conceptualizing the proposals submitted for this project, contributing the part that aims to develop a personally identifiable information (PII) filtering system using SDN and Network Function Virtualization technology. With this project, I was able to combine both my research background outside of Samsung, my experiences, and my analysis of the company’s business needs to formulate a project that was eventually formed as entirely new research. This not only helped SRPH as an organization, as this was our first-ever collaboration project with the academe, but also contributed to the overall research quality of public institutions in the Philippines. Based on my idea, a PII filtering system that can be implemented on multiple cloud platforms was developed, and a paper entitled “An SDN/NFV-Enabled Architecture for Detecting Personally Identifiable Information Leaks on Network Traffic” was also published in the International Conference on Ubiquitous and Future Networks Conference (ICUFN 2019). I feel proud when I think back on my involvement in this endeavor.
Personally, my most significant achievement has been the completion of my Master’s Degree from Keio University in Japan. Looking back, it has given me direction in my research career and continues to influence my research ideas and targets. It has also allowed me to think of topics on a more global scale, a constant reminder of just how much I still need to learn to continue working on my research.
My vision is to empower SRPH as a strong research institution for Cloud and Data Intelligence. Currently, very few organizations perform research in these fields in the Philippines, and I feel that my work at SRPH can pave the way for more institutions to invest in R&D of the Philippines. I hope that, through my research, our global colleagues and partners could recognize the vast potential the Philippines has in terms of technological research and development. I believe that my work can help foster a culture of R&D, which would eventually help realize my goal of conducting research that can enrich users’ experience through the Internet.