Item: IBM API Connect
Rating: 10
Author: Verified User

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

I head the software Implementation team and our product requires to be integrated with the client's ERP. Every client has different ERP and they want the integration to be either one way or two way. In either of the cases to meet the client's requirement we tend to build the APIs for passing the data to the ERP. IBM API Connect helps us build and ship the APIs in the least amount of time. We also have some already existing APIs and to manage the entire lifecycle of the API we use the IBM software.

Pros and Cons

It supports various API standards like REST, GraphQL, SOAP, etc.
Enterprise grade security to safeguard the APIs
Predefined test cases to test the APIs via AI

The implementation is a bit tedious and complex
The product documentation is not user friendly because of which the adoption can take time for somebody who is not familiar with the environment.
Analytics module not include in the basic license

Return on Investment

Time to build and ship the APIs reduced significantly
The predefined test cases helped us save manhours spent by a developer which eventually resulted in faster project delivery
The performance of the API response time improved

Usability

It is easy to get a hang of the basic functionality in no amount of time. The complete interface is quite intuitive for a developer and overall friendly. Additionally, the support is really good and the support team at IBM are product champions and consultants who helped us at every stage to ensure a faster adoption.

API Security

Security is a critical requirement for our business as we serve clients across the world. The authorization using OAuth, OpenID, etc helped us build the trust with our clients. The encrypted gateways ensured the multi layer data protection, which is of great importance considering our product offerings are around finance.

Alternatives Considered

Amazon API Gateway and Azure API Management

There are two main reasons for choosing IBM over others. 1) Pricing 2) The conversation during the sales stage. The team at IBM understood our requirements and acted as consultants instead of sales people. They genuinely focused on providing a solution to our pain points which reflected during the implementation and continued after go-live in the form of technical support.

Key Insights

Do you think IBM API Connect delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with IBM API Connect's feature set?

Yes

Did IBM API Connect live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of IBM API Connect go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy IBM API Connect again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Notion, Airtable, Quickbase

Likelihood to Recommend

It offers a seamless end to end experience when it comes to API management, right from designing, testing, to deployment. In our case we were looking for platform that is scalable and can handle large volume of requests in the least amount of time. It also boasts a large community of developers which made it an obvious choice considering we have a huge clientele base, which involves developments and management from both the ends.

The BEST API Management Solution for Enterprises

Overall Satisfaction with IBM API Connect