The new generation of integration platforms brings Data and APIs closer together in a common approach (1/2)

APIs are frequently highlighted in the integration and middleware fields. However, on their own, they cannot represent the full diversity of integration patterns. Indeed, it is necessary to combine several integration technologies to cover all use cases. For example, we can bring together the two main patterns in the integration market (modular logic supported by API Management and mass logic supported by Data Integration) to form a common integration approach: a second-generation hybrid integration platform .

How does this translate into concrete action? Read our article to find out more!

In the field of integration and middleware, APIs take center stage. However, the API market alone cannot cover the full diversity of integration patterns.

As we discussed at API Days, a combination of an API Manager and an ESB (Enterprise Service Bus) is not uncommon and allows for covering obvious scenarios such as the one shown below:

Combining integration technologies to cover all use cases is a visible topic. The construction of integration platforms demonstrates this: it allows for the coherent and comprehensive orchestration of the company's integration assets, by managing APIs, events, files, services, and data in a common way.

However, the systems integration market itself is evolving, which can impact the very structure of these platforms. To understand the dynamics at play, it is necessary to examine the revenue distribution by segment, projected over 5 years (source: Gartner):

The growth segments are, quite clearly:

• API lifecycle management suites, also known as API Management,

• iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service), for which we published a white paper in 2017 (link) and which we will discuss again soon,

• Data integration solutions, which include Data Virtualization solutions,

• Robotic Process Automation (RPA).

Conversely, the declining segments are:

• Indeed, ESB, quite clearly,

• To some extent, Managed File Transfer, pure B2B solutions and Business Process Management Suites (BPMS)

This decline is underway and we can indeed estimate that it is initiated by the dominance of API Management solutions, but also of iPaaS, with two quite different logics:

• API Management remains a technical subject handled by dedicated centers of expertise, which include architects and developers.

• The goal of iPaaS is to make integration accessible to a wider audience, based on a large number of application connectors, a graphical assisted development process with minimal programming knowledge, and accessibility in the Cloud.

This 5-year projection shows a likely decommissioning of ESBs, which will eventually disappear, but they are still part of the existing business environment and we will have to get used to them for a few more years.

However, if we look at the growing segments, which will structure the composition of the platforms in the long term, we can hypothesize that iPaaS will remain an autonomous, marginal technology, connected to platforms but not very integrated, because it addresses a specific category of users, with a less strong need for governance.

We can then see that the integration market revolves around:

• Based on a modular logic supported by the Management API,

• From a mass logic driven by data integration.

The real challenge for platforms lies in bringing these two major patterns together to form a common approach to integration, a second-generation hybrid integration platform, which can be represented as follows:

The Service/API and Data approaches are distinct and remain so in this representation. However, they are federated by other levels: ingestion, security, and, most importantly, integration scenarios. We will detail the description of the different levels of this platform later in this article. Stay tuned!