Cisco Systems Inc. today introduced a router-based system intended to simplify access to remote host-based database applications.

Cisco Transaction Connection, which Cisco developed jointly with StarQuest Software Inc., lets users and servers on IP networks access E-commerce data, dynamic Web content, decision support systems, and data mining applications on IBM DB2 databases connected to networks based on IBM's Systems Network Architecture protocol.

IP data requests sent to Cisco routers running the Transaction Connection software are translated into SNA messages and forwarded to the host. The system is intended to replace expensive and hard-to-manage Windows NT gateway systems and proprietary software that is otherwise required to access host-based databases.

Using Transaction Connection, users can access DB2 from Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Visual Studio, MicroStrategy Inc.'s DSS Server, and other desktop applications that support Open Database Connectivity.

Transaction Connection is available immediately, with prices starting at $200,000.