<PAGE>

   As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 22, 1997
                                               Registration No. 333-
 
                                    FORM S-8

            REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                           HDS NETWORK SYSTEMS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

           Delaware                                     23-2705700
(State or other jurisdiction of           (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 incorporation or organization)

                               400 Feheley Drive
                      King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                             1995 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                          Arthur R. Spector, President
                           HDS Network Systems, Inc.
                               400 Feheley Drive
                      King of Prussia, Pennsylvania  19406
                    (Name and address of agent for service)
                                 (610) 277-8300
         (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                                   Copies to:

                           Nancy D. Weisberg, Esquire
                           McCausland, Keen & Buckman
                    Five Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 500
                              100 Matsonford Road
                           Radnor, Pennsylvania 19087
                                 (610) 341-1000


================================================================================

                        Calculation of Registration Fee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                          Proposed     Proposed 
                                           maximum      maximum  
                                          offering    aggregate     Amount of  
   Title of Securities   Amount to be     price per    offering   registration 
    to be registered      registered      unit/(1)/   price/(1)/       fee     
    ================      ==========      =========   ==========       ===
                                                            
    Common Stock,           500,000        $8.5625    $4,281,250      $1,297 
    $.001 par value                    
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    /(1)/  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee
           pursuant to Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act of 1933 based upon
           the average of the high and low sale prices of the Common Stock on
           the NASDAQ National Market on January 17, 1997, which was $8.5625 per
           share.
<PAGE>
 
     Pursuant to General Instruction E to Form S-8, except for Part II, Item 9,
     the contents of the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-8
     (Registration No. 33-93942), are hereby incorporated herein by reference.


     Item 8.  Exhibits.
              -------- 

              4.1*  1995 Stock Option Plan, as amended as of December 3, 1996.

              5*    Opinion of McCausland, Keen & Buckman.

              23.1* Consent of McCausland, Keen & Buckman (included in 
                    Exhibit 5).

              23.2* Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP.

              24*   Power of Attorney (see signature page of the Registration
                    Statement).
              -------------------------------------------
              *     Filed herewith.

               
     Item 9.  Undertakings.
              ------------ 

          (a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

          (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

              (i)   To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
     the Securities Act of 1933;

              (ii)  To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
     after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent
     post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
     represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the
     registration statement.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or
     decrease in the volume of  securities offered (if the total dollar value of
     securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any
     deviation from the low or high and of the estimated maximum offering range
     may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission
     pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and
     price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate
     offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in
     the effective registration statement.

                                       2
<PAGE>
 
              (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
     plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement
     or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

     provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if
     the registration statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8 or Form F-3, and the
     information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
     paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the
     Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
     Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the
     registration statement.

          (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
     Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed
     to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
     therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed
     to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

          (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
     any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
     termination of the offering.

          (b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
     determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of
     the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
     Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an
     employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the
     Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the
     registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
     relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such
     securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide
     offering thereof.

          (c) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to deliver or cause
     to be delivered with the prospectus, to each person to whom the prospectus
     is sent or given, the latest annual report to security holders that is
     incorporated by reference in the prospectus and furnished pursuant to and
     meeting the requirements of Rule 14a-3 or Rule 14c-3 under the Securities
     Exchange Act of 1934; and, where interim financial information required to
     be presented by Article 3 of Regulation S-X is not set forth in the
     prospectus, to deliver, or cause to be delivered to each person to whom the
     prospectus is sent or given, the latest quarterly report that is
     specifically incorporated by reference in the prospectus to provide such
     interim financial information.

          (d) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
     Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and
     controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions,
     or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
     Securities and Exchange commission such indemnification is against public
     policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the
     event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than
     the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director,
     officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense
     of any action, suit or

                                       3
<PAGE>
 
     proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
     connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will,
     unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by
     controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the
     question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as
     expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such
     issue.

                                       4
<PAGE>
 
                                   SIGNATURES

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
     registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it
     meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused
     this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
     thereunto duly authorized, in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, on the 22nd
     day of January, 1997

                                    HDS NETWORK SYSTEMS, INC.


                                    By:  /S/ ARTHUR R. SPECTOR
                                        ---------------------------------------
                                          Arthur R. Spector, Chairman, 
                                          President and Chief Executive Officer



                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

          KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each individual whose signature
     appears below constitutes and appoints Michael G. Kantrowitz and Scott
     Holland, and each or either of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact
     and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and
     in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and
     all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration
     Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other
     documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
     Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of
     them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and
     thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as
     fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby
     ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any
     of them, or their, his or her substitutes or substitute, may lawfully do or
     cause to be done by virtue hereof.

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
     Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
     capacities and on the dates indicated.


 
     By:   /S/ARTHUR R. SPECTOR                          Date:  January 22, 1997
          ------------------------------------------                            
            Arthur R. Spector, Chairman, President
            and Chief Executive Officer (Principal
            Executive Officer)

                                       5
<PAGE>
 
     By:   /S/SCOTT HOLLAND                              Date:  January 22, 1997
          ------------------------------------------                           
            Scott Holland, Vice President-Finance
            and Administration (Principal Financial
            Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)


     By:   /S/MICHAEL G. KANTROWITZ                      Date:  January 22, 1997
          ------------------------------------------     
            Michael G. Kantrowitz, Executive Vice
            President and Director


     By:   /S/HOWARD L. MORGAN                           Date:  January 22, 1997
          ------------------------------------------
            Howard L. Morgan, Director


     By:   /S/JOHN M. RYAN                               Date:  January 22, 1997
          ------------------------------------------
            John M. Ryan, Director


     By:   /S/CARL G. SEMPIER                            Date:  January 22, 1997
          ------------------------------------------
            Carl G. Sempier, Director


     By:   /S/JAMES W. DIXON                             Date:  January 22, 1997
          ------------------------------------------                         
            James W. Dixon, Director

                                       6
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "HDS NETWORK SYSTEMS INC", "cik": "0000894743", "assigned-sic": "3571", "irs-number": "232705700", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-20185", "film-number": "97509088"}, "business-address": {"street1": "400 FEHELEY DR", "city": "KING OF PRUSSIA", "state": "PA", "zip": "19406", "phone": "6102778300"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "400 FEHELEY DR", "city": "KING OF PRUSSIA", "state": "PA", "zip": "19406"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "INFORMATION SYSTEMS ACQUISITION CORP", "date-changed": "19930108"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 22, 1997
                                               Registration No. 333-
 
                                    FORM S-8

            REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                           HDS NETWORK SYSTEMS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

           Delaware                                     23-2705700
(State or other jurisdiction of           (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 incorporation or organization)

                               400 Feheley Drive
                      King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                             1995 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                          Arthur R. Spector, President
                           HDS Network Systems, Inc.
                               400 Feheley Drive
                      King of Prussia, Pennsylvania  19406
                    (Name and address of agent for service)
                                 (610) 277-8300
         (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                                   Copies to:

                           Nancy D. Weisberg, Esquire
                           McCausland, Keen & Buckman
                    Five Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 500
                              100 Matsonford Road
                           Radnor, Pennsylvania 19087
                                 (610) 341-1000

================================================================================

                        Calculation of Registration Fee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                          Proposed     Proposed 
                                           maximum      maximum  
                                          offering    aggregate     Amount of  
   Title of Securities   Amount to be     price per    offering   registration 
    to be registered      registered      unit/(1)/   price/(1)/       fee     
    ================      ==========      =========   ==========       ===
                                                            
    Common Stock,           500,000        $8.5625    $4,281,250      $1,297 
    $.001 par value                    
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    /(1)/  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee
           pursuant to Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act of 1933 based upon
           the average of the high and low sale prices of the Common Stock on
           the NASDAQ National Market on January 17, 1997, which was $8.5625 per
           share.
Pursuant to General Instruction E to Form S-8, except for Part II, Item 9,
     the contents of the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-8
     (Registration No. 33-93942), are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

     Item 8.  Exhibits.
              -------- 

              4.1*  1995 Stock Option Plan, as amended as of December 3, 1996.

              5*    Opinion of McCausland, Keen & Buckman.

              23.1* Consent of McCausland, Keen & Buckman (included in 
                    Exhibit 5).

              23.2* Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP.

              24*   Power of Attorney (see signature page of the Registration
                    Statement).
              -------------------------------------------
              *     Filed herewith.

               
     Item 9.  Undertakings.
              ------------ 

          (a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

          (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

              (i)   To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
     the Securities Act of 1933;

              (ii)  To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
     after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent
     post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
     represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the
     registration statement.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or
     decrease in the volume of  securities offered (if the total dollar value of
     securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any
     deviation from the low or high and of the estimated maximum offering range
     may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission
     pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and
     price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate
     offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in
     the effective registration statement.

                                       2
(iii) To include any material information with respect to the
     plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement
     or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

     provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if
     the registration statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8 or Form F-3, and the
     information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
     paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the
     Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
     Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the
     registration statement.

          (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
     Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed
     to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
     therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed
     to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

          (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
     any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
     termination of the offering.

          (b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
     determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of
     the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
     Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an
     employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the
     Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the
     registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
     relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such
     securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide
     offering thereof.

          (c) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to deliver or cause
     to be delivered with the prospectus, to each person to whom the prospectus
     is sent or given, the latest annual report to security holders that is
     incorporated by reference in the prospectus and furnished pursuant to and
     meeting the requirements of Rule 14a-3 or Rule 14c-3 under the Securities
     Exchange Act of 1934; and, where interim financial information required to
     be presented by Article 3 of Regulation S-X is not set forth in the
     prospectus, to deliver, or cause to be delivered to each person to whom the
     prospectus is sent or given, the latest quarterly report that is
     specifically incorporated by reference in the prospectus to provide such
     interim financial information.

          (d) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
     Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and
     controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions,
     or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
     Securities and Exchange commission such indemnification is against public
     policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the
     event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than
     the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director,
     officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense
     of any action, suit or

                                       3
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
     connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will,
     unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by
     controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the
     question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as
     expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such
     issue.

                                       4
SIGNATURES

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
     registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it
     meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused
     this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
     thereunto duly authorized, in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, on the 22nd
     day of January, 1997

                                    HDS NETWORK SYSTEMS, INC.

                                    By:  /S/ ARTHUR R. SPECTOR
                                        ---------------------------------------
                                          Arthur R. Spector, Chairman, 
                                          President and Chief Executive Officer

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

          KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each individual whose signature
     appears below constitutes and appoints Michael G. Kantrowitz and Scott
     Holland, and each or either of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact
     and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and
     in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and
     all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration
     Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other
     documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
     Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of
     them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and
     thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as
     fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby
     ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any
     of them, or their, his or her substitutes or substitute, may lawfully do or
     cause to be done by virtue hereof.

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
     Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
     capacities and on the dates indicated.

 
     By:   /S/ARTHUR R. SPECTOR                          Date:  January 22, 1997
          ------------------------------------------                            
            Arthur R. Spector, Chairman, President
            and Chief Executive Officer (Principal
            Executive Officer)

                                       5
By:   /S/SCOTT HOLLAND                              Date:  January 22, 1997
          ------------------------------------------                           
            Scott Holland, Vice President-Finance
            and Administration (Principal Financial
            Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)

     By:   /S/MICHAEL G. KANTROWITZ                      Date:  January 22, 1997
          ------------------------------------------     
            Michael G. Kantrowitz, Executive Vice
            President and Director

     By:   /S/HOWARD L. MORGAN                           Date:  January 22, 1997
          ------------------------------------------
            Howard L. Morgan, Director

     By:   /S/JOHN M. RYAN                               Date:  January 22, 1997
          ------------------------------------------
            John M. Ryan, Director

     By:   /S/CARL G. SEMPIER                            Date:  January 22, 1997
          ------------------------------------------
            Carl G. Sempier, Director

     By:   /S/JAMES W. DIXON                             Date:  January 22, 1997
          ------------------------------------------                         
            James W. Dixon, Director

                                       6