Microsoft Host Integration Server 2028 Launches as Standalone Product, Extends Mainframe Connectivity to Linux and Hybrid Cloud

Microsoft announced on December 16, 2025, that BizTalk Server will reach end of life, and as part of that shift, Host Integration Server (HIS) 2028 will launch as a standalone product, decoupled from BizTalk for the first time in over 20 years. HIS has historically been bundled with BizTalk Server, providing connectivity between IBM mainframe and midrange systems and Microsoft-centric application stacks. The new standalone SKU addresses growing enterprise demand for modernized host integration that aligns with hybrid cloud workflows, updated developer tools, and stricter security requirements.

What Changed

For more than two decades, HIS has provided core integration capabilities for enterprises running IBM z/OS and IBM i (midrange) platforms, including SNA connectivity, 3270/5250 terminal emulation, Transaction Integrator (TI) for IBM CICS and IMS workloads, IBM DB2 database connectivity, and IBM MQ message integration. Previously, HIS was only available as part of a BizTalk Server license, which limited its availability to customers who also purchased BizTalk's integration capabilities, even if they only needed host connectivity.

HIS 2028 focuses on three core themes: platform modernization, expanded connectivity surfaces, and product cleanup to remove legacy dependencies. Below is a breakdown of the key updates and deprecations.

Platform Modernization

• Upgrade to .NET 10, aligning with current Microsoft developer workflows. This is the first version of HIS that runs on Linux, though this support is limited to non-SNA features (SNA connectivity remains Windows-only for this release).
• Designer experience migrates from legacy Visual Studio versions to Visual Studio Code, which is cross-platform and widely adopted by modern development teams.
• Integration with Microsoft Foundry, which allows customers to build agents that use mainframe and midrange data for automated workflows.

Modern API and Connectivity Surfaces

• New REST APIs for the DB2 managed provider and Transaction Integrator workloads (CICS/IMS), replacing older proprietary interfaces for these components.
• Microsoft Entra ID support for identity management, replacing legacy on-premises credential systems for host access.
• Azure Arc enablement for the HIS Gateway, which extends Azure management and governance tools to on-premises HIS deployments.
• Expanded support for newer versions of IBM middleware: DB2, MQ, IMS, and CICS, ensuring compatibility with current IBM host platforms.
• New IMS DB managed provider, filling a gap in previous HIS versions that only included DB2 and MQ providers.
• NuGet packages for Linux-compatible components, simplifying dependency management for .NET projects using HIS.

Product Cleanup and Deprecations

Microsoft removed several legacy components to simplify engineering, improve security, and align with modern infrastructure patterns:

• Removal of Visual Studio 2017 and 2019 support, as the designer tooling moves to Visual Studio Code.
• Removal of 32-bit support across all components, which simplifies engineering, testing, and security patching, as 32-bit architectures are no longer widely used in enterprise environments.
• Deprecation of the ODBC provider and DB2 Entity Provider, as newer managed providers offer better performance and compatibility with modern .NET versions.
• Removal of WMI and WCF support, reducing reliance on legacy Windows components that are no longer maintained by Microsoft.
• Streamlining of the SNA Gateway, removing unsupported protocols and older UI paths to reduce attack surface and engineering overhead.
• Removal of all BizTalk adapter support, including the WCF Channel used by BizTalk Adapters, aligning with BizTalk Server's end of life.
• Deprecation of DrdaClient, as the new MsDb2Client and MsIfmxClient providers offer tailored functionality for DB2 and Informix databases respectively.
• Removal of Enterprise Single Sign-On (ESSO) to reduce dependency on legacy Windows identity components.

Provider Comparison

To evaluate HIS 2028, it is useful to compare it to prior HIS versions and competing mainframe integration tools.

HIS 2028 vs HIS 2020

HIS 2020 was Windows-only, required Visual Studio 2017 or 2019 for designer tasks, lacked support for .NET Core or later, had no native REST APIs for core components, and relied on legacy Windows components like WMI, WCF, and ESSO for management and identity. It also had no integration with Microsoft Entra ID or Azure Arc, making hybrid cloud management difficult. HIS 2028 addresses all of these gaps, with the addition of Linux support for non-SNA workloads being a major differentiator for enterprises running mixed Windows-Linux environments.

HIS 2028 vs Competing Tools

• IBM z/OS Connect: IBM's native mainframe integration tool, which offers tight integration with IBM host platforms but limited support for Microsoft Azure or .NET workflows. It also requires IBM-specific licensing and expertise, whereas HIS 2028 is designed for teams already familiar with Microsoft development and management tools.
• MuleSoft Anypoint Platform: A multi-cloud integration tool with mainframe connectors, but it is a general-purpose integration platform with higher licensing costs than a standalone HIS SKU, and less deep integration with Microsoft's identity and management ecosystems.
• Open-source mainframe connectors: Options like open-source DB2 connectors for .NET offer lower upfront cost but lack enterprise support, SNA connectivity, and the broad set of integration features (TI, MQ, 3270/5250) included in HIS 2028.

For enterprises with existing Microsoft stacks and IBM host workloads, HIS 2028 provides a lower-friction path to modernizing host connectivity than migrating to a new integration platform, as it retains the core HIS features teams already know while adding modern capabilities.

Business Impact

The launch of HIS 2028 affects several groups of enterprises, with specific migration and planning considerations for each.

Affected Organizations

• Enterprises currently using HIS 2020 (or older versions) bundled with BizTalk Server, who need to maintain host connectivity after BizTalk reaches end of life in December 2025.
• Organizations running IBM mainframe or midrange workloads that are modernizing applications to Azure, Linux, or .NET 10, and need supported connectivity between legacy host systems and new apps.
• Teams managing hybrid environments with on-premises mainframes and cloud-based applications, who need consistent identity and management across both.

Migration Planning

• Licensing: HIS 2028 is a standalone SKU, so customers previously licensing HIS via BizTalk will need to transition to new standalone licensing. Microsoft has not yet announced pricing for the standalone HIS 2028, but enterprises should budget for this change ahead of BizTalk's 2025 end-of-life date.
• Component replacement: Teams using deprecated features (ODBC, WMI, WCF, ESSO, 32-bit components) will need to refactor applications to use new HIS 2028 components before upgrading. For example, applications using the old ODBC DB2 provider must switch to the new REST-based or managed DB2 provider.
• Developer workflow changes: Teams using legacy Visual Studio versions for HIS designer tasks will need to migrate to Visual Studio Code, which may require training for staff unfamiliar with the tool.
• Linux adoption: For organizations wanting to use HIS on Linux, note that SNA connectivity is not supported on Linux in this release, so Windows servers will still be required for SNA workloads.
• Security and governance updates: Adopting Microsoft Entra ID and Azure Arc for HIS management will require aligning host access policies with existing enterprise identity and Azure governance frameworks, which may involve coordination between mainframe, identity, and cloud teams.

Hybrid Cloud Benefits

HIS 2028's Azure Arc and Entra ID support allows organizations to manage HIS gateways alongside other Azure resources, apply consistent policy enforcement, and centralize audit logs for host access. This reduces credential sprawl, as mainframe access can use the same Entra ID identities as cloud and Windows workloads, and simplifies compliance reporting for industries with strict audit requirements (finance, healthcare, government).

Preview Access

Microsoft is currently onboarding customers to the HIS 2028 preview, with general availability planned for 2026. Enterprises can sign up for the preview at HIS 2028 preview signup to test Linux compatibility, new REST APIs, and Entra ID integration ahead of general release.