Case Study: ANSYS achieves global, device-agnostic access to engineering simulation for students with Nutanix

ANSYS brings engineering simulation to students with Xi Frame and Azure

ANSYS, the industry leader in engineering simulation software, wanted to extend its free educational offerings to students worldwide but faced a device compatibility challenge: their Windows‑based tools couldn’t run on Macs, Chromebooks, tablets and other non‑Windows devices (23% of engineering students use Macs). Rewriting the software wasn’t practical, so ANSYS needed a way to deliver full simulation apps to any device without installation.

ANSYS partnered with Xi Frame, Nutanix and Microsoft Azure to stream Windows applications in a browser for a Cornell/edX MOOC, “A Hands‑on Introduction to Engineering Simulations.” The cloud solution scaled instantly to support thousands of users, letting nearly 1,000 students run ANSYS Student software from Macs and Chromebooks with no downloads or installs; learners and faculty praised the immediate access, and ANSYS is now using the same approach for additional educational initiatives.

ANSYS

Giovanni Petrone

Senior Manager for Cloud Initiatives