Software giant Microsoft Corp. made known some details related to its Host Integration Server 2004. It is designed to enable businesses to integrate their existing IBM mainframe and midrange systems with new Windows-based products. The solution represents a part of the Microsoft Windows Server System.
The Host Integration Server 2004 incorporates newly-developed Transaction Integrator design tools that run in the context of the Visual Studio .NET 2003 integrated development environment. Through the use of these tools Windows developers are enabled to wrap existing host line-of-business applications as XML Web services or Microsoft .NET server components that are usable in a service-oriented architecture (SOA) solution.
Host Integration Server 2004 will be offered in two variants. The Standard Edition of Host Integration Server 2004 will contain core host access services such as network, data and security integration technologies, while the Enterprise Edition will comprise the application integration capabilities in Transaction Integrator and the message integration functionality in the MQSeries and Microsoft Message Queuing bridge in addition to the aforementioned features.
Both editions of Host Integration Server 2004 are planned to be accessible to the public from the very beginning of September. The Standard Edition will be offered for $2,499 (U.S.), while the Enterprise Edition - for $9,999 (U.S.).
