Summary Bullets:
- API services have become the key component of today’s mobile and cloud offerings.
- Two significant integration platform announcements by IBM and Software AG (respectively) are shored up by API services.
API services remain one of the key pillars of today’s cloud-based and mobile app development technologies. Behind many of the recent integration, mobile, and PaaS announcements is a strong API story, because a key requirement of developers’ integration efforts is ensuring connection between new apps and accessing data routines. Furthermore, a key requirement of IT/DevOps’ involvement in the management of app development/deployment is in ensuring APIs can be accessed and exposed for maximum use and efficiency.
Take two integration platform leaders, IBM and Software AG, both having API-related announcements in the past week.
IBM’s recent Bluemix Local announcement has a significant API component behind it. The new hybrid cloud offering is about seamlessly developing and running particular workloads on various parts of the cloud; whether migrating apps from an existing system or building new apps and utilizing APIs to power other mobile and IoT apps, IBM’s new hybrid cloud story remains consistent. A key component to IBM’s integration and PaaS efforts is the recent acquisition of API management provider StrongLoop. (Please see IBM Bluemix Local Rounds Out Hybrid Cloud Model, October 1, 2015.)
Software AG’s recent buildout of its agile development platform also includes a critical API story. Software AG webMethods Agile Process Platform, which will be bridged with AgileApps, provides large enterprises with a unified design/development platform. It provides more app development functionality out of the box to support departmental projects without needing to build analytics, rules logic, and workflow tasks from scratch. The platform is part of Software AG’s Digital Business Platform, which includes emerging technologies to help enterprises achieve digital transformation. Key technologies include API management and a new API portal to help IT provide external partners with access to a company’s APIs via the cloud. (Please see Software AG App Dev/Assembly Enhancements Further Its Digital Transformation Message, October 9, 2015.)
Application platform providers will continue to build out their API services as a key component of their cloud offerings as more mobile application development projects are fulfilled via platform services.
IT Connection 