The HUBzeroR platform enables scientists to build off one another’s research by providing a robust collaborative platform to allow them to share the software they created and utilized for their work. Customized tools, code, and data were no longer forgotten after a research effort was complete. HUBzero enabled researchers to offer their tools for anyone to use and modify so they could continue to collaborate long after the initial project concluded. Early versions of HUBzero focused on providing researchers a Linux based environment to host their software. Our group realized there was growing interest in HUBzero hosting commercial, licensed software, which often requires Microsoft Windows, so we began to investigate how we could integrate Microsoft Windows into HUBzero. A key partner, the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI) joined the effort. In this paper, we discuss the approach of our solution and associated learnings.
