IBM API Connect vs. Microsoft BizTalk Server

IBM API Connect is a great tool for interface analysis and for tracking API usage and activity. I can use the IBM API with different products and apps, which further proves its versatility.
Even if IBM API is excellent and helpful, there are situations when its sophisticated features are difficult to comprehend. Additionally, IBM API Connect subscription and licensing can be prohibitively expensive at times.

Incentivized

BizTalk is well suited as middleware. Where you wish to translate an input file into an output file and send it to some endpoint. In our case, we used it to convert and send files to SAP. In many ways, it very flexible, and you can do almost anything you want with it. In many ways, it's a better solution than your SAP XI or PI as middleware, since it's much less expensive, and allows you do interface with non-SAP systems.

Incentivized

• Security. I would say creating and applying scopes to each operation is intuitive and clear.
• Managing multiple path at the same time. Creating new path and operation is straightforward.
• The analytics tab is good to see what APIs have trouble with errors

Incentivized

• It is very user friendly. Users can change rules during run time and change workflow.
• Huge capacity for queueing messages. It supports all types of adapters like Oracle, Salesforce, SMTP, FTP, etc. Also users can built custom adaptors.
• If users want to dynamically deploy their solution without any downtime, this is a perfect solution. BizTalk will be a good fit, especially for public-facing websites.
• Well-proven in the market. I used it when developing a website for Virgin Trains, catering more than 800K user requests per day.
• Helps in load balancing.

Incentivized

• One thing that could be improved is that it requires heavy hardware support. So making it less dependent on the hardware could free up the resources.
• The hardware comes at a high cost which easily cross your budget if you try to scale the business through it.
• It is quite time consuming and complex to setup and requires a technical person to set it up which again can increase the overall cost.

Incentivized

• Microsoft BizTalk is over engineered for some situtations
• Microsoft BizTalk can be frustrating to use as it forces you to use the GUI as opposed to code
• Microsoft BizTalk is very resource intensive to create integrations

Incentivized

BizTalk will always be required at this hospital.

Incentivized

It is an extremely easy platform to manipulate and productively develop. The IBM API Connect features and dashboard are very easy to access, and the navigation strategy is also cost-effective. IBM API Connect offers some capabilities that simplify the entire development operations while providing the most accurate and profitable data results, and the development project management is amazing.

Incentivized

I gave a 7 because this product BizTalk does need time and training to get familiar with the usability and features, it is not that easy to use.

Incentivized

BizTalk Server has been supported for more than 15 years. It is well proven in the market. Microsoft has provided excellent support with technical issues.

Incentivized

Make sure you have everybody and all depts. On board during testing on test server.

Incentivized

IBM API Connect and Apigee are both robust API management platforms. IBM API Connect was selected for its strong integration capabilities, hybrid cloud deployment options, and comprehensive analytics. It aligns well with organizations seeking flexibility and control over their API ecosystems, especially when dealing with complex integration scenarios across diverse environments.

Incentivized

BizTalk was selected here mainly because it is easy to integrate to a .NET application (most of them are Web Service, WCF SOAP, WCF REST and Web API) and many backend databases are Microsoft SQL Server. Another benefit is that the monitoring job is easy to set up and centralize with other .NET application monitoring jobs.

Incentivized

• I consider IBM API Connect as a business capability enabler - the ROI level is practically secondary.
• With this platform at the core, associated architectural framework and guardrails ensure that we can progress with distributed development and automation in autonomous teams - a key factor to deliver required time to market performance.
• At this time, security and trust is key. A flexible yet secure API manager layer is necessary to ensure our relationships with partners and customers.

Incentivized

• A positive impact has been the quicker turnaround time of a part request and that part showing up in SAP using Biztalk as middleware.
• A somewhat negative impact has been the somewhat insufficient error logging/message capture settings that Biztalk provide. This has caused occasional delays when attempted to create parts for the business.
• A somewhat negative impact has been the need to have a specialized developer who understands Biztalk to troubleshoot issues with the Biztalk and SAP interaction when creating parts, and when adding new fields to the parts.

Incentivized