Our web site is powered by the HUBzero software stack. HUBzero was specifically designed to help a scientific community share resources and work together with one another. Users can upload their own content--including tutorials, courses, publications, and animations--and share them with the rest of the community. But each hub is more than just a repository of information. It is a place where researchers and educators can share data and simulation tools online. Users can launch simulations and post-process results with an ordinary web browser--without having to download, compile, or install any code. The tools they access are not just web forms, but powerful graphical tools that support visualization and comparison of results.

How Does Invertnet Differ From a Web Site?

At its core, Invertnet is a web site built with many familiar open source packages--the Linux operating system, an Apache web server, a MySQL database, PHP web scripting, and a content management system. This stack builds upon that infrastructure to create an environment in which researchers, educators, and students can access collaborative environments, software creation tools, virtual workspaces, streaming media. Specifically, we define Invertnet as a web-based collaboration environment with the following features:

• Interactive simulation tools, hosted on the hub cluster and delivered to your browser
• Simulation tool development area, including source code control and bug tracking
• Animated presentations delivered in a light-weight, html5 or Flash-based format
• Mechanism for batch uploading and sharing of resources
• 5-star ratings and user feedback for resources
• User support area, with question-and-answer forum
• Integrated Metrics and Statistics about users and usage patterns