IBM API Connect Reviews

Vendor: IBM

4.0 out of 5

75 reviews
90% willing to recommend

2,718 followers

What is IBM API Connect?

IBM API Connect facilitates API management and integration in the financial sector. Companies use it to expose, secure, and manage APIs for banking, insurance, and fintech, deploying it on-premises, in the cloud, or as a hybrid solution.

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IBM API Connect is the #5 ranked solution in top API Management solutions and #8 ranked solution in top Integration Platform as a Service providers. PeerSpot users give IBM API Connect an average rating of 8.0 out of 10. IBM API Connect is most commonly compared to Microsoft Azure API Management: IBM API Connect vs Microsoft Azure API Management. IBM API Connect is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 61% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a educational organization, accounting for 20% of all views.

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Featured reviews

Shanmugasundaram Shanmuganathan

Solutions Architect at Synechron

While Azure API Management offers configurable scalability, IBM API Connect relies on Kubernetes clusters. This might seem manual and require defining cluster instances upfront, but it's completely customizable and not on-the-fly scaling. It's completely custom-driven, not on-the-fly scaling, which some may consider cumbersome. Overall, I would rate the scalability an eight out of ten. Almost all applications we've been exposing lately go through this middleware, so it's used extensively. There are around sixty applications directly using it, but six Kubernetes clusters serve those applications. It's heavily used for integration, including system-to-system integration and product integrations. Our usage has been increasing year-on-year based on our needs.

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MuhammadSalman1

Senior Software Engineer at Systems Limited

We use it for API integration, particularly in conjunction with the One Link solution. One Link is a platform that comes into play during cross-channel communication within the banking sector. For instance, if a customer has an account with Bank A and wishes to withdraw funds from Bank B, it…

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KrishnaIyer

Head - Technology Engineering at Abcl

We're trying to make our business available on the net so that partners can connect, and distributors can use our services Its speed and performance are valuable. It's based on a little bit dated architecture. A lot of evolution has happened after that. It's an evolving field. Kong is a…

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IBM API Connect mindshare

Product category:

As of November 2024, the mindshare of IBM API Connect in the API Management category stands at 6.5%, up from 6.4% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

API Management

Key learnings from peers

Last updated Sep 12, 2024

Valuable Features

IBM API Connect's most valuable features include a user-friendly interface, robust gateway, strong security, and comprehensive API management capabilities. It offers centralized management, excellent analytics, and seamless integration. It provides efficient error handling, flexible deployment options, and quick initial setup. Its ability to protect backend systems and handle multiple APIs effectively is appreciated. The platform supports extensive monitoring, monetization, and role differentiation, making it reliable and scalable for diverse organizational needs.

"The solution's technical support team is good."
"The main benefits of IBM API Connect for our API life cycle management are the core API functionalities, the developer's portal, and robust security capabilities.IBM API Connect's security protocols enhance our data protection strategies by offering end-to-end security, mechanisms to counter common attacks like DDoS, and the ability to define policies for API groups to control traffic and prevent unwanted access to our systems."
"The product gathers data to measure API performance."

Room for Improvement

IBM API Connect requires improvement in microservices support, OIDC certification, support for non-Java services, data extraction, reporting, monetization, access monitoring, ease of setup, pricing, usability, documentation, cloud functionalities, customization, debugging, security, performance, integration, analytics, resource consumption, the upgrade process, scalability, and the developer portal's customization. Customers face challenges with deployment, technical documentation, learning curve, payment gateway integration, and flexibility. They also experience difficulties during upgrades, requiring substantial resources.

"The only downside where improvements are needed is probably on the licensing side."
"We have encountered challenges with IBM API Connect, particularly during significant upgrades.These upgrades demand substantial labour and financial resources, including consulting services from IBM.I'd like to see increased flexibility, more frequent updates with new features, an efficient upgrade process, and additional AI capabilities for future releases."
"It would be nice to have a SaaS solution that can be deployed into the cloud."

ROI

IBM API Connect has allowed for flexibility in applications and significant financial and operational benefits. It enhanced governance and security, facilitated integration across systems, and enabled cross-organisational processes. ROI became evident within two years as any new application or product could easily expose the appropriate API, making the initial investment worthwhile. The organization's switch to microservices to move quickly has made it too early to translate those investments into profits and returns.

Pricing

IBM API Connect pricing is considered expensive by many users, with costs that can quickly escalate. Clients often face challenges with the licensing model and setup costs, which are typically subscription-based and can range from $20,000 to $40,000 per year. Although there are no hidden costs for additional services, the overall pricing is viewed as high, making it suitable for large enterprises rather than smaller companies.

"It is a pretty expensive tool."
"It can be quite expensive. It's okay for large-scale usage but quite expensive for smaller-scale implementations."
"I rate the product price a seven on a scale of one to ten, where one is a low price, and ten is a high price."

Popular Use Cases

IBM API Connect is widely used for integration in the financial sector, focusing on API management, monetization, and gateway functionalities. It is deployed on-premises, in the cloud, or using a hybrid approach. Major use cases include compliance with regulations, seamless transactions between banks, external communication with partners, and aggregating services for clients. Organizations leverage it to expose, secure, and manage APIs, handle internal API socialization, and facilitate API publishing for public access.

Service and Support

IBM API Connect customer service is often described as responsive but sometimes slow, with varying support quality. Many find the technical support good, knowledgeable, and helpful, while others believe it needs improvement in speed and documentation. Responses can take up to 48 hours, with some users highlighting challenges due to time zones or lack of local support. Ratings range from very high to mediocre, depending on individual experiences.

Deployment

Most users found IBM API Connect's initial setup straightforward, though many experienced complexity, especially with on-premises installations and container deployments. Automation and improved migration tools were suggested. Deployment times varied, with some completing it in minutes, while others took days or weeks. Teams ranged in size, often needing dedicated staff for setup and maintenance. Version updates and integrating with other infrastructure posed challenges for many, emphasizing a need for a simplified process and better support.

Scalability

IBM API Connect is known for high scalability, handling extensive API operations and numerous transactions. Users find it capable of supporting large numbers of clients and transactions. Scalability is influenced by infrastructure configuration and deployment needs, varying between vertical and horizontal scaling. Some users implement manual adjustments for optimal performance. While generally praised, some instances report cost considerations and the necessity for periodic restarts to maintain stability.

Stability

IBM API Connect has been found to be stable by many users, with no major issues reported. Some have highlighted problems with upgrades and syncing between components in older versions. A few faced occasional instability and required frequent patches. Most users rate its stability highly, noting reliability in transactions and security. Some users experienced bugs in earlier versions, but the newer versions, starting from 2018, show significant improvements in stability.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

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Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

20%

Financial Services Firm

19%

Insurance Company

10%

Computer Software Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

Retailer

Government

Healthcare Company

University

Energy/Utilities Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Construction Company

Comms Service Provider

Wellness & Fitness Company

Transportation Company

Media Company

Hospitality Company

Logistics Company

Legal Firm

Non Profit

Wholesaler/Distributor

Outsourcing Company

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Performing Arts

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Learn more about IBM API Connect

IBM API Connect focuses on creating and monetizing APIs while enabling seamless transactions and integration with third-party services. It is vital for compliance with regulations and enhances external communication among institutions. With deployment options suitable for different environments, it supports centralized gateway management, robust security features, and comprehensive API lifecycle management. Users benefit from powerful analytics, user-friendly interfaces, and high performance with capabilities in message transformation and efficient monitoring.

What are the most important features?

Centralized Gateway: Manages all APIs through a single entry point.
Robust Security: Ensures API protection with advanced security measures.
Comprehensive API Lifecycle Management: Covers creation, deployment, and retirement of APIs.
User-Friendly Interface: Simplifies API creation and management tasks.
Powerful Analytics: Provides insights into API usage and performance.
Seamless Integration: Connects easily with third-party services and internal systems.
Flexible Deployment Options: Supports on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments.
High Performance: Optimizes API performance and reduces latency.
Message Transformation: Manipulates and formats messages between different systems.
Visualization Tools: Enables clear and detailed views of API usage statistics.

What benefits or ROI should users look for?

API Monetization: Generates additional revenue streams from APIs.
Enhanced Compliance: Ensures adherence to industry regulations and standards.
Improved External Communication: Facilitates integration and communication among financial institutions.
Technical Support: Benefit from reliable customer support and easy configuration.
Deployment Flexibility: Choose from on-premises, cloud, or hybrid options.

IBM API Connect is extensively implemented in the financial sector, enabling banking, insurance, and fintech services to manage APIs efficiently. Companies use it to ensure secure transactions, integration with third-party services, and compliance with regulatory standards. Its deployment flexibility accommodates different infrastructure needs, making it suitable for a wide range of financial applications.