We have implemented this product in different domains, such as insurance and banking.
Associate Manager at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Quite flexible and provides excellent performance for API gateway
Pros and Cons
- "It's quite flexible and easy to deploy, especially for beginners. It has almost all the features that an API gateway should have."
- "The only disadvantage I can see is that it requires heavy hardware support."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
It's quite flexible and easy to deploy, especially for beginners. It has almost all the features that an API gateway should have.
What needs improvement?
The only disadvantage I can see is that it requires heavy hardware support, which can be considered quite expensive.
In terms of new functionality, I think the analytics can be improved in V10. The analytics feature was better in the older version, 2.18. But in V10, it's not as flexible. When exporting analytics as KSP or JSON, it's not well formatted. They can work on enhancing the analytics part. Additionally, they can focus on reducing the hardware cost.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working on IBM API Connect for the last six years. I am using V10.
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IBM API Connect
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's very stable. Previous versions were not as stable, but now, starting from 2018, I can see that the product is very stable. I would rate it a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable. I would rate it a ten out of ten. Any number of users can utilize the solution. All of our clients are enterprise clients.
How are customer service and support?
So far, whatever the PMR I have raised, IBM has given a solution that may be complicated, and it might take time, but in the end, we got the correct solution. The response time can be improved.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I also have experience with Red Hat 3scale API gateway.
IBM API Connect is much much better. In terms of features, there are some limitations with 3scale. Additionally, the support for Red Hat 3scale is not as good. Even the documentation provided by Red Hat is not as comprehensive as IBM's strong documentation. If you're a beginner developer and referring to the IBM Knowledge Center, you can easily develop your API, but that's not the case with Red Hat. Red Hat's documentation is still not as mature as IBM's.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is quite easy. The deployment of the environment and the solution itself is quite easy. The deployment itself can be done in a few minutes. Let's say 30 minutes for deployment and 30 more minutes for configuration. Within one hour, your environment is ready.
One person is more than enough for the deployment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing for 3scale is definitely cheaper. However, for enterprise-level projects, we don't recommend 3scale. If the client is medium or small and requires a basic API proxy or minimal transformation, we propose Red Hat. But for big, mature clients with complex solutions, we recommend IBM API Connect.
The pricing for us on a yearly basis. But currently, IBM API Connect also provides it as a cloud service, where you pay as you use it. That provision is also available. Only the license is covered. There are no hidden costs or extra charges.
What other advice do I have?
I would suggest that if you're looking for stability and excellent performance for your API gateway, you should definitely choose IBM API Connect.
Overall, I would rate it as a ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Integrator at LTI - Larsen & Toubro Infotech
High availability, customization capabilities, and good support
Pros and Cons
- "IBM API Connect is a reliable and scalable solution."
- "The implementation process could benefit from improvements, as it may take some time to become accustomed to the deployment."
What is our primary use case?
We utilize IBM API Connect for our B2B operations, and occasionally we extend its use to B2C as well. However, our B2B scales outweigh our B2C usage.
How has it helped my organization?
The IBM API Connect toolset is included in the IBM Stack ecosystem, providing cost-effective benefits for users. Additionally, users are increasingly transitioning from legacy server-based infrastructure to API-centric approaches. This shift has resulted in cost savings, as infrastructure previously built for future needs is now built as needed within an application model, reflecting a change in mindset.
What is most valuable?
IBM API Connect is a reliable and scalable solution.
What needs improvement?
The implementation process could benefit from improvements, as it may take some time to become accustomed to the deployment.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using IBM API Connect for approximately five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
IBM API Connect is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution can be stable, but it depends on the infrastructure used, such as the cloud and its structure.
How are customer service and support?
The support from IBM has been good enough for our needs.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
When comparing IBM API Connect to other solutions, there are two key observations to consider. Firstly, the toolset and framework around IBM API Connect are methodical, which sets it apart from close competitors like Mule and others. This approach can lead to noticeable improvements in efficiency. Secondly, if there is a need for customization to address a specific industry problem, IBM API Connect is a good option. It has built-in checks and balances to ensure that performance is not impacted, which may not be the case with other vendors.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of IBM API Connect is complex, but once the implementor is used to it it's easier.
What about the implementation team?
The solution is deployed by our in-house team.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of the solution is expensive. However, there are a lot of customization capabilities.
What other advice do I have?
The solution does not need a lot of maintenance, it is similar to any other verification tool.
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate IBM API Connect an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Buyer's Guide
IBM API Connect
October 2024
Learn what your peers think about IBM API Connect. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2024.
814,649 professionals have used our research since 2012.
CTO at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
A platform with core API functionalities and robust security capabilities
Pros and Cons
- "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."
- "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."
What is our primary use case?
We use IBM API Connect primarily to expose APIs for various information systems in Terra and to integrate with our audit partners.
What is most valuable?
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.
What needs improvement?
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.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using IBM API Connect for the past five years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Currently, around ten to fifteen people in our company are using IBM API Connect, and we plan to increase automation in the future to reduce manual effort.
How are customer service and support?
My experience with IBM's technical support has been challenging. Accessing support and navigating their processes has limited flexibility. However, after successfully complying with their procedures and exercising patience, they know how to handle issues efficiently.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Before using IBM API Connect, we worked with similar integration products, particularly an ESB from IBM, which was crucial in creating system integrations.
How was the initial setup?
Setting up IBM API Connect initially was challenging, as expected, due to its complexity.
Compared to some other products on the market, implementation took about six months.
What was our ROI?
IBM API Connect has provided significant financial and operational benefits for our organisation.
It has facilitated integration across systems and enabled cross-organisational processes. As for the time it took to record a return on investment, we started seeing tangible benefits within approximately two years.
What other advice do I have?
IBM API Connect has dramatically aided our AI-driven projects by increasing developer productivity and facilitating the development process using AI tools. It helped us automate sub-processes and perform thorough analysis for operations and security.
I would suggest considering IBM API Connect for enterprises focused on security and enhanced functionality, especially if they need rapid implementation. If they're looking for more advanced capabilities or a broader solution, I recommend exploring options like Google Apigee or MuleSoft Anypoint Platform. Each product has its strengths and focuses, so aligning with the organization's specific needs and priorities is essential.
Overall, I'd rate IBM API Connect an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Last updated: Jun 11, 2024
Flag as inappropriateEnterprise Architect at Reckitt Benckiser (Singapore) Pte Ltd
An API management platform that provides a common place for all APIs, allowing for ease of operations
Pros and Cons
- "The solution provides a common place for all APIs, allowing for easy sharing and exchange of information between internal and external stakeholders."
- "There are some performance issues and issues related to asynchronous APIs."
What is our primary use case?
The primary use case of IBM API Connect is for API monetization in the banking and financial sector. This involves API management and creating APIs for financial institutions, which is the main use case. Another use case is having all API integrations in one place. A third use case is opening an API and sending the documentation to external third parties.
What is most valuable?
The solution provides a common place for all APIs, allowing for easy sharing and exchange of information between internal and external stakeholders. So, the solution functions as an API management platform.
What needs improvement?
I am currently investigating the weaknesses of the solution, specifically in its on-premise infrastructure. One of the main concerns is its performance, as we have noticed some cases of resource consumption that may be related to our setup. We have concerns regarding the handling of asynchronous APIs and events in the architecture, particularly in the financial sector, where this is becoming more common. While this is well-addressed in MuleSoft, we are uncertain about how IBM API Connect handles this use case, as it does not appear to be addressed in the available documentation.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using IBM API Connect for two years. My customers use the solution. I work for two companies, and none of them are partners. It is just a solution used in the banking sector.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Stability-wise, I rate the solution a seven to eight out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
The solution's technical support has been very responsive. I had no problems with them. I would say it's a very good and strong point of the platform.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is an expensive solution. The licensing model is based on a per-subscription and per-subscriber end-user basis, meaning the price is determined by the end-users of the platform. Also, the price may be higher compared to some other competitors.
What other advice do I have?
There are some performance issues and issues related to asynchronous APIs. So, now we are investigating these issues since they are critical ones. Owing to the aforementioned reasons, I rate the overall product an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Senior Technological Architect at Banco de Chile
An easy-to-use web interface, but room for improvement in customer support
Pros and Cons
- "One of the most valuable features is the easy-to-use web interface."
- "Documentation for the CLI is not very complete. Also, the support could be improved, and we have had several problems with backing up and restoring the product."
What is our primary use case?
We deploy APIs to expose the BFFs of mobile apps, and this is mainly in the cloud. All mobile apps consume the APIs of your BFF. On-premise, we have APIs that expose services and mainly functionalities, such as the balance of the client or the customers or the products.
What is most valuable?
One of the most valuable features is the easy-to-use web interface.
What needs improvement?
Documentation for the CLI is not very complete. Also, the support could be improved, and we have had several problems with backing up and restoring the product.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using the solution for two or three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of the solution is good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of the solution is good.
How are customer service and support?
IBM support is not available in Chile, so we must go through other countries to get a response from customer support.
How was the initial setup?
I would rate the setup as a medium in difficulty.
What about the implementation team?
The solution was first set up with the help of IBM, but when we moved to another environment, we followed the initial instructions given by IBM and implemented it ourselves.
We used Bamboo as a pipeline for automatic deployment of the API. The deployment took four hours.
What other advice do I have?
The product is easy to use, but the installation is not easy. We have a team of three architects who maintain the product. I would rate this solution as an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Director Software Development at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Offers API lifecycle management capabilities that can enhance a company's operations
Pros and Cons
- "The solution's technical support team is good."
- "The only downside where improvements are needed is probably on the licensing side."
What is our primary use case?
I use the solution in my company as an API Gateway and API Manager. We use a few of our products for technical documentation and API Specification, as well as as an API Manager. The rate limiting comes with the tool. It has been a very good product that we have been using for the last few years.
What is most valuable?
The most significant feature that we have been using in the tool in our company is the API Manager because it works like a gateway for APIs, and I think that is the best part that we have been utilizing.
What needs improvement?
The only downside where improvements are needed is probably on the licensing side.
Scalability is an issue with IBM API Connect, making it an area where improvements are required.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using IBM API Connect for two years. I am a customer of the tool.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Stability-wise, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
My company didn't face any sort of major problems running the tool till now. There were some issues in the tool for which we were getting support from IBM, but other than that, the product is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The tool doesn't scale horizontally. I don't think there is a Kubernetes engine implemented in it. You have to include more resources, specifically vertical resources, for it to scale, and that is a hard part to handle.
The tool is basically configured for API, so it receives millions of hits per day. It has thousands of users.
With IBM API Connect, a few people in my company manage it, and a few are its developers. The company itself has around 3,000 to 4,000 people.
How are customer service and support?
The solution's technical support team is good. As I am in Pakistan, we usually get local support here. Engaging someone from IBM takes some time, but otherwise, the support is pretty good as well. I rate the technical support a seven and a half out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
I am unaware of the initial configuration since my infrastructure team was involved in it, and a person from IBM was also helping us.
The solution is deployed on an on-premises model. My company doesn't work with the cloud for security reasons and because of some confidential information.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is a pretty expensive tool.
The tool is expensive if I consider how products like WSO2 are available in the market. You have pretty much many options in the open-source community, considering how IBM's pricing can be an issue. If you want to scale for more hits per month, although it's an SQL license, you need to buy it from IBM, and it becomes pretty expensive for me. The pricing is pretty high.
What other advice do I have?
API lifecycle management capabilities have enhanced our company's operations, and they weren't hard to manage. When we procured the tool, we received some training from IBM. One was for administrators, and the other was for programmers. It was pretty easy to configure it. The only downside is that it requires a lot of physical resources, so we had to get a few servers to work with it.
The product is not only used in the government sector but also in the telco and banking sectors. It is one of the biggest products that is being used as an API Manager. The other products would be from Oracle or some other renowned vendors. I would obviously recommend IBM if you are going it for a large scale with APIs and if the number of hits is pretty much huge. I would definitely recommend the product to others if the pricing is not an issue.
In my company, we are not using AI with the tool, but it is probably one of the things that is being planned. Until now, AI has not been utilized in the tool.
In my company, we have not explored the tool for any other integrations. We just wanted to use it purely as an API Gateway-based product.
Considering the price factor, support, and stability, I rate the tool an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Last updated: Jul 25, 2024
Flag as inappropriateSenior Technological Architect at Banco de Chile
Provides a variety of visualizations of the APIs but doesn't include an online method to pay through a web system
Pros and Cons
- "The centralized management: this provides a management module that can deploy and apply security policies to all APIs, including all the gateways that are deployed on-premises and on any cloud because the gateway component can run at a VMware or in a Kubernetes cluster."
- "The integration of an API gateway that implements the sidecar pattern, which can be deployed in cloud applications, and expose the microservices directly in each pod, this can be more decentralized components."
What is our primary use case?
The API manager of the enterprise exposes common functionalities to the front-end applications, beginning with the frontend of the executives who access clients' information. The exposition of the functionalities of transferring funds and AFP which need to transfer the money from your account to a client's AFP. The exposition of the core functionalities to the module of the sale of a product installed on the cloud of AWS, to create an onboarding platform for the client's prospect of the enterprise.
How has it helped my organization?
The product has a little use at the enterprise because the APIs have functionality with low use. The next steps are to enforce and grow the use of APIs through the creation of a governance department that aligns the construction's standards and defines the classifications of APIs.
This is the main goal, to finally integrate the applications that will deploy on the cloud consuming the backends on-premise through IBM API Connect. Having the centralized management of APIs.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features are:
1. The centralized management: this provides a management module that can deploy and apply security policies to all APIs, including all the gateways that are deployed on-premises and on any cloud because the gateway component can run at a VMware or in a Kubernetes cluster.
2. The analytics module: this provides a variety of visualizations of the APIs, products, subscriptions, and applications that can be defined for a second, a day, a week, a month. This module is deployed beside the gateway and collect all the traffic.
What needs improvement?
The product can be improved in the following areas:
1. The monetization because it doesn't include an online method to pay through a web system or with a credit card, where the analytics can be calculated.
2. The integration of an API gateway that implements the sidecar pattern, which can be deployed in cloud applications, and expose the microservices directly in each pod, this can be more decentralized components.
All of these areas can be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using IBM API Connect for six months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution offers horizontal scalability. The power of the product is the high performance in security tasks done with dedicated hardware.
What about the implementation team?
We implemented it with the official vendor of the product.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Another team selected the product.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Integration Specialist - Solution Architect at LTIMindtree
A powerful tool that offers a range of benefits and advantages
Pros and Cons
- "It offers enhanced security features to protect APIs, enforce access control, and secure sensitive data."
- "There is room for improvement regarding the connectivity of the DevOps."
What is most valuable?
It offers enhanced security features to protect APIs, enforce access control, and secure sensitive data. It also works as a powerful integration tool for the internal and external transmission zone, allowing us to connect with different vendors easily.
What needs improvement?
There is room for improvement regarding the connectivity of the DevOps.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using it for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution provides high stability. I would rate it nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is designed to handle large-scale API operations, so it ensures high scalability. I would rate it nine out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
They are lacking in terms of customer service and technical support. I would rate it six out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is easy. It is based on available courses and steps that are comprehensive and helpful.
What about the implementation team?
The deployment process is facilitated and fast. It takes about an hour for the solution to be deployed.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is significantly high. I would rate it eight out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
IBM API Connect is a really good API management solution that offers a variety of benefits and advantages such as rapid development tools and enhanced productivity. I would rate it nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: partner
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Updated: October 2024
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