Item: Apache Camel
Rating: 9
Author: Verified User

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

Apache Camel is used to provide a component of our Enterprise Service Bus, we use it for defining message routing and transformation rules, enabling the business to integration disparate on premise applications and cloud services in a robust and relatively low effort way. Our primary pattern for integration that we use is asynchronous messaging exchanged via an Enterprise Service Bus.

Pros and Cons

Rules for routing messages between senders and receivers
Applying transformations to messages
Low cost low effort solution

Open source solution relies on community for support
Lacks graphical user interface for message routing and transformation definitions
Relatively steep learning curve

Most Important Features

Message routing
Message transformation
Maturity

Return on Investment

Enabled business to integrate disparate systems at relatively low cost
Required a relatively steep learning curve for resources to learn
Few expert resources are available on the market leading to senior resources being expensive

Alternatives Considered

webMethods Trading Network, webMethods.io Integration (webMethods Integration Cloud), Azure Service Bus and Azure Logic Apps

If you are looking for a Java-based open source low cost equivalent to webMethods or Azure Logic Apps, Apache Camel is an excellent choice as it is mature and widely deployed, and included in many vendored Java application servers too such as Redhat JBoss EAP. Apache Camel is lacking on the GUI tooling side compared to commercial products such as webMethods or Azure Logic Apps.

Key Insights

Do you think Apache Camel delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Apache Camel's feature set?

Yes

Did Apache Camel live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Apache Camel go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Apache Camel again?

Yes

Other Software Used

webMethods Trading Network, webMethods.io Integration (webMethods Integration Cloud), Azure Service Bus, Azure Logic Apps

Likelihood to Recommend

Apache Camel is a very mature open source solution for implementing enterprise integration patterns, and is good for organizations that are comfortable using open source solutions with only community support that need the ability to route and transform messages between senders and receivers connected to an enterprise message bus solution with no licensing costs.

Apache Camel is a mature low cost open source alternative to commercial messaging layer products

Overall Satisfaction with Apache Camel