IBM API Connect - Leaders in the API Management Space
March 20, 2017

IBM API Connect - Leaders in the API Management Space

Praveen P | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with IBM App Connect

IBM App Connect is used for exposing business APIs to external consumers and other partner applications in a secure manner. It provides an integrated platform for running, creating and managing APIs. It is also integrated with IBM App Connect Professional (f.k.a IBM Cast Iron). The APIs developer in Cast Iron can be exposed securely through API connect.
  • Securely expose APIs to Intranet/Internet
  • The pn-premise set up of API Connect is fairly easier compared to Apigee.
  • The development of API proxy is fairly easy.
  • The development and the transformation capability is not so great. I believe IBM is looking to incorporate some of features of IBM App Connect into API Connect.
  • The authentications features are no way close to CA API Management (f.k.a Laye r7).
  • The development experience is not as good as Apigee's.
  • The GUI should be improved. Maybe the product team should see the other API management tools in their offering.
  • It helped our organization seamlessly integrate the on-premise services with partner organization.

IBM API Connect is positioned ahead of Apigee in the Gartner report. But in my opinion the development experience and the data transformation capability is way better in Apigee and it’s a proved solution and has a huge client list. (I have worked on an American Express implementation where the Apigee platform supported millions of transactions).

The analytics features are not available in the free Bluemix version of API Connect. Whereas it is available in Apigee. The security features in Layer 7 (now known as CA API Management) are way better than Apigee or IBM API Connect.

They are one of the market leaders in the Gartner's report. Since it uses Datapower as the gateway, an organization which uses DP as a gateway can easily integrate IBM API Connect to their ecosystem.
From my research, the cheapest version of a cloud subscription is more [expensive] than Apigee. I think Apigee's cheapest is around ~300-400 USD/ month.

IBM App Connect Feature Ratings

Pre-built connectors
6
Support for real-time and batch integration
5
Data quality services
6
Data security features
6
Monitoring console
5

Using IBM App Connect

3 - 1. Integration of services and business functionalities across different business verticals
2. Daily, Monthly and Weekly data loads and feeds.
3. File Handling
4. Securely exposing Web Services (REST and SOAP) to applications outside the ecosystem.
5. Bulk data loads in Salesforce.com
4 - 1. People who have hands on experience in the IBM Middle ware technologies like IBM Message Broker, IBM Integration Bus, IBM Data Power, IBM DataStage, Jitterbit, Dell Boomi and other ETL products
2. Good understanding of Application integration concepts, Web Services (SOAP and REST)
3. Understanding of XML, CSVs, JSONs
4. Understanding of the endpoints and their functioning like Salesforce.com, SAP, Oracle (At least the basic concepts)
  • Salesforce.com integration. IBM App Connect has pre built connectors for different endpoints (Like Oracle, SAP, Peoplesoft etc) which will save lot of development time
  • File Handling in different data formats like JSONs, XML, CSVs and Fixed Length and scheduling of Data loads and feeds
  • Web Service Integration (RESTful and SOAP)
  • User friendly Web Management Console access through a browser for monitoring purpose
  • Handling huge files for daily, weekly, and monthly data load jobs
  • Integrating Oracle with Salesforce.com
  • Integration of web services
  • Continue using for dataloads and for web service integration
It is the best on-premise application to cloud integration in the market. I guess IBM is planning to integrate IBM App Connect with the IBM API Connect solution.

IBM App Connect Support

Usually, the IBM Ops team provides a resolution or a response for 80% of defects raised in my project. There is one which has been open on their end for more than 3 months. With literally no response even after multiple follow-ups.
ProsCons
Quick Resolution
Knowledgeable team
Support understands my problem
Problems left unsolved
Escalation required
Not Sure - It s always better to avail premium service as you can be assured to get someone from IBM App Connect Operations team in a call in case of some critical issue.
Yes - Yes. They provided an immediate fix.
For one of our clients, we were having performance issues in production for some bulk data loads. IBM's Ops team was very prompt to get into a call and assist in resolving it.