By leveraging Host Integration Server, organizations can use these Microsoft services to tap into IBM tools such as IBM z/OS 2.3, IBM i 7.3, IBM CICS 5.4, IBM MQ 9.1, and IBM DB2 for various platforms. If you want to check out all the integrated services, check out Microsoft’s document here. HIS is not a new Microsoft solution, but it has not received a new version since HIS 2016. In a blog post, Microsoft explains exactly what HIS can provide to customers: “Microsoft Host Integration Server (HIS) technologies and tools enable enterprise organizations to integrate existing IBM host systems, programs, messages and data with new Microsoft server applications. “HIS allows IT administrators to securely and efficiently connect new systems to existing systems using industry-standard High Performance Routing (HPR) and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) over Internet Protocol (IP). This reduces operating expenses and total cost of ownership while supporting existing and new computing workloads.”
Availability
HIS 2020 is available from the Microsoft Evaluation Center. Here you can also update from HIS 2016 to HIS 2020 through a migration tool that Microsoft has made available. It is worth noting users running 32-bit or 64-bit installations will need to use different MSI packages. Microsoft points out HIS 2020 only supports 64-bit machines.
