While some beta testers and potential customers see Cisco Systems Inc.?s new Application-Oriented Networking (AON) technology simply as a hardware-based XML translator or a business-to-business gateway, it is those things and more, according to Cisco Chief Technology Officer Charles Giancarlo.

AON will work with XML and ?multiple? protocols to lessen the network infrastructure needed to link disparate transaction protocols, Giancarlo said in an interview. He and Cisco marketing officials said AON will offer three core capabilities: message handling, application security and visibility into network events.

Giancarlo called it the ?first and only network-embedded system for intelligent application message routing ... to make networks and applications work together as an integrated system.?

AON will have hardware and software components, according to Cisco documents. A Catalyst 6500 AON Services Module will fit into a blade slot of the Catalyst 6500 data center switch, complete with a dual-processor hardware acceleration for message parsing and Secure Sockets Layer termination. A smaller Cisco 2500/2800/3700/3800 Series AON Network Module with a single processor and without the hardware acceleration capabilities of its cousin will fit into Cisco Integrated Services Routers used in branch-office locations.

Cisco is also developing a stand-alone appliance with functions similar to those of the modules, but no details were available. Management tools are part of AON, including the AON Development Studio, which is designed to be used by applications developers to set application infrastructure policies. The AON Management Console will be used by network managers to manage AON devices and to deploy application infrastructure policies written by developers.

Pricing has not been announced. Products are generally expected to be available before the end of the year.