It is the go-to solution for API repository products. We use it for runtime by designing certain products, and those products are subscribed to by various consuming systems.
Vice President at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees
Helps with API monetization but needs improvement in design time setup
Pros and Cons
- "We really like the runtime capabilities of IBM API Connect. The creation of products and the control of the monetization and hit rate are some of the features which we've found very valuable."
- "The design time setup has a lot of customizable fields, but we need certain standard fields to be added, such as what all of the consuming systems are. This needs to be very clearly articulated during the design time."
What is our primary use case?
How has it helped my organization?
It has made API monetization quite easy. I can simply log onto the API dashboard and see who has used how much and whether they are using their quota or not. If they go beyond their quota, I can then give them a higher rate. Thus, it has helped us with API monetization.
What is most valuable?
We really like the runtime capabilities of IBM API Connect. The creation of products and the control of the monetization and hit rate are some of the features which we've found very valuable.
What needs improvement?
There are certain areas that need improvement. The first one is the design time setup. It has a lot of customizable fields, but we need certain standard fields to be added, such as what all of the consuming systems are. This needs to be very clearly articulated during the design time.
The second, which was a very big issue for me for adoption, is that they don't give any out-of-the-box solutions for knowing how many users have logged on during the design time and who has access to the portal for how much time. There is no capability right now to tell me the usage details and user rights.
As for additional features, design time user analytics would be great to have in the next release.
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For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for one and a half years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's quite stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Right now, we are using the design time thoroughly, but we are in the nascent stage for the runtime. So we just have a couple of systems using it, but going forward, we have plans for extensive adoption of the runtime capabilities.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We were previously using WSRR, and we switched because IBM stopped providing any updates to that product. Also, it was primarily design time only; there was no runtime capability.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was a little bit complex because we wanted to put it in a proper Kubernetes cluster. So we had to learn Kubernetes and then do it.
It took us a month to deploy the solution.
What about the implementation team?
We used IBM directly for implementation. We've been using IBM services for the past 13 years, and we are okay with their level of expertise.
What other advice do I have?
I would urge others to use both design time and runtime and not just use it as a repository. I would suggest that they utilize the runtime features, which are pretty strong. First, they can secure your API ecosystem.
Second, they have very good monetizing capabilities, which allow you to design products and see who accesses those products. Usage-based and storage-based restriction capabilities are present, which are probably some of the best on the market today. So, I would really urge people to just go beyond the design time and also utilize API Connect in runtime as well.
On a scale from one to ten, I would rate IBM API Connect at seven because it is a little bit weak on design time.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Senior Solution Engineer at Tjx companies
Makes APIs available across different verticals in the company.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of this solution is to have the APIs available across different verticals in the company. IBM API Connect provides that capability for us, so as to expose the services as APIs.
How has it helped my organization?
It provides the use of services at a faster delivery; that's the main, important thing. It is less cost-effective.
What needs improvement?
We are evaluating the current capabilities. We have other products such as the IBM WSRR and we are trying to see how it fits with the IBM API Connect. So, we are just trying to evaluate it right now.
It needs to improve so that we can be successful in the company, as well grow the API footprints in the company.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We are using it for the last six months, so we haven't yet gone into production. We are hoping it will be a very stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Right now, it's not heavily used. So, we intend to use it in the next year.
How was the initial setup?
Initial setup was very straightforward and not complex.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We looked at other solutions, namely Apigee. However, we didn't choose them; we are not taking it.
We have a lot of other IBM products, so it is much easier for us to have one vendor instead of multiple sets of products.
What other advice do I have?
Go for it.
We are using the IBM WSRR solution for service-oriented active services. The API Connect is for lightweight services and obviously for customization purposes. We work with IBM a lot, so they recommended to us to go with the IBM API Connect solution because it is the future. That is why we have chosen the API Connect.
The main criteria while selecting a vendor is support, i.e., after we go live and not just from the product. A stable support customer trust factor is also a very important factor and that is why we have a lot of IBM products.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Solution Architect at Aetna
Provides a user interface for designing and securing your APIs.
What is most valuable?
It provides a good, simplified user interface to design and secure your APIs.
How has it helped my organization?
First of all, it gels well with the other IBM products that we have. It resolves some of those integration problems that we earlier used to have. It provides OAuth2 authentication, which is like what we use in our APIs. So, these are the two main benefits of this product, as compared to what we were using earlier.
What needs improvement?
A lot of the features require improvement, such as better integration with the other suites of the product and a more secured way to put it on the cloud. Another useful feature needed is to make API development more easier and simpler for development, especially on the management of other artifacts, like the client IDs and other stuff.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate the stability a seven to eight out of ten; it's still evolving. There are features which are missing, that are there in the other similar product from another vendor. Overall, it's good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is good, it's at par.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have used a lot of the technical support! We work with IBM on a lot of custom enhancements, that suits our needs. They are really proactive in regards to listening to the customers. So, they also provide a few fix packs to us sometimes.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have a relationship with IBM. They approached us with this product and as I mentioned earlier, it integrates pretty well with our other IBM products that we use in-house. So that made us to go toward this product.
IBM are the market leaders, when it comes to integration technology. So, their proven ability and experience is why we chose this vendor.
Experience is the number one criteria while selecting a vendor. The second factor is the brand and the relationship, of course, it matters.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We do have other vendors that we use. However, the majority of our integration is on IBM.
What other advice do I have?
It's good. They have really good use cases. So, it's worth investing time in these products, and if it suits your needs, then you can really go for it. It does support a wide variety of use cases.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Doctoral Researcher at National Chengchi University
Stable and straightforward to set up, provides a good platform for API development
Pros and Cons
- "API Connect is a very good platform for the development of APIs."
- "They seem to have left out a feature for microservices and also a certification module for OIDC."
What is our primary use case?
We help systems integrators and vendors in choosing different types of platforms for building an open API gateway for banks. We evaluate and test different types of API gateways. We follow our internal testing scenarios to make sure that the product meets requirements. This is all we do.
What is most valuable?
API Connect is a very good platform for the development of APIs.
What needs improvement?
They seem to have left out a feature for microservices and also a certification module for OIDC. So it would be a good idea for the authentication module to have OIDC certification.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with IBM API Connect for about half a year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
As far as I know, there haven't been any issues with the stability of the solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
There are also no issues with the scalability.
How are customer service and technical support?
We don't have any connection with IBM.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is pretty straightforward.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I am also familiar with Xware and WSO2 API Manager. They have a different type of development cycle and features compared to API Connect. It's on the development side that they're different. It depends on the type of application.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend API Connect to a vendor or financial institutions that are looking at using it. It's a nine out of 10. It's missing the authentication module so programming and customizing that takes a lot of time.
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.
Consultant at Bancolombia
Secure protocol and helpful support
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature of IBM API Connect is the security of the protocol."
- "IBM API Connect could improve the security of the application and the integration."
What is our primary use case?
My customers are using IBM API Connect for integration in the financial sector.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of IBM API Connect is the security of the protocol.
What needs improvement?
IBM API Connect could improve the security of the application and the integration.
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 scalability of the solution?
We have seven users using IBM API Connect and plan to increase the usage.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support from IBM API Connect is good.
I rate the support from IBM API Connect a five out of five.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We pay for the IBM API Connect monthly. We only need to pay the standard licensing fee.
What other advice do I have?
I rate IBM API Connect an eight 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
IT Integration Consultant at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees
Provides integration with multiple services, security, and monitoring. I would like to see more caching and monitoring features.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of this solution are:
- Integration with multiple services,
- Providing security,
- Being able to monitor, and
- Enabling customers using the secure gateway.
How has it helped my organization?
We belong to the healthcare industry, so it is beneficial to implement the API Connect solution to provide APIs that can integrate outside and inside our organization. It also provides overall solutions, i.e., API-based solutions to all the customers that we have.
What needs improvement?
I would like to see more caching and monitoring features implemented in future releases. It also needs to be a more customizable and flexible product.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
In terms of stability, we are still prototyping the product. We have the older version, which is now stable, but the current version or the new version, that we are still prototyping, is still not 100% stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is pretty good.
How is customer service and technical support?
We have used technical support. I would probably give them a 7/10 rating.
How was the initial setup?
I was involved a little bit with the installation process. I found it complex, as there were lots of configurations involved in setting up the infrastructure and that everyone didn't have experience with.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We looked at several other solutions, i.e., both IBM and non-IBM products. However, since we had already used IBM DataPower, we thought we could reuse the same infrastructure. API Connect has DataPower built-in to it, thus we tried to reuse some of the existing functionalities.
The most important criteria while selecting a vendor are the product's support and operations.
What other advice do I have?
Our company is an early adopter of this product so I would advise, at this point, to wait and then implement the solution.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
CEO at Lopworks Limited
Reduces costs with faster integrations
Pros and Cons
- "Our version supports containerized integration. I can write APIs, which can be moved into a testing environment without needing a forklift. It can check if APIs are compliant before moving them into production."
- "There are issues with upgrading in the cloud version. The cloud version is extremely buggy. We prefer to use the on-premise version."
What is our primary use case?
We have implemented this for four or five banks in Nigeria. The bulk of our clients are banks. We need determine if there are transaction capabilities from their back-end applications. If so, then we consume their APIs. For example, we have a logistics company who uses the bank's back-end API to complete their payments.
We specialize in application and cloud integration.
We have clients deployed on-premise, on the cloud, and with hybrid cloud.
How has it helped my organization?
The workflow allows for different parties to work independently of each other, e.g., business people can work independently of the developers.
If the rules are well followed and aligned, an organization can run a constant API ecosystem.
Our version supports containerized integration. I can write APIs, which can be moved into a testing environment without needing a forklift. It can check if APIs are compliant before moving them into production.
API Connects has absolutely helped to reduce the time it takes to deliver new integrations to my clients. Integrations are a lot faster, which is a big selling point, as it reduces cost on the front-end.
What is most valuable?
The developer can connect to the back-end services and exclude APIs through API Connect. It is very robust, e.g., I can exclude web services. We can paste the code into the UI interface.
Pre-built connectors are good if you need more security, though it depends on the extent to which you use them, as they are not necessary to use.
The solution is very simple and straightforward.
What needs improvement?
There is room for improvement in the reporting and monetization. With monetization, I want to be able to provide my own pricing and platform.
I would like them to add hooks into the API. E.g., it should be able to check credit, then limit access to people who don't have credit anymore.
They need to have more training for people.
For how long have I used the solution?
Since 2017.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
There are issues with upgrading in the cloud version. The cloud version is extremely buggy. We prefer to use the on-premise version.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's redundant so scalability is not much of an issue.
How are customer service and technical support?
I would rate their technical support as a five out of 10. They are very slow. IBM has been working on this for three years.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Some of our clients tried to use a customer design. They switched to API Connect because it is more advanced.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup and development are straightforward. The cloud is already available, so the development is what takes time. Deploying the cloud just takes clicking. It can deployed in minutes. The on-premise deployment takes two or three hours without issues to set up. if there are issues, it could take a day to set up.
What about the implementation team?
It takes one person to set up, max two, as it is straightforward. There is not a lot to do. The system admin will probably spend one to two hours on it to maintain it.
It takes us a week or two to set up 50 services in API Connect. The only thing that might take extra time is portal design because that requires us to go into the back-end.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
API Connect is quite pricey.
The developer builds the API and determines what should be put together. However, the business people determine the price.
The product plan and pricing needs improvement. It is confusing to the client based on the way a business might put it together. E.g., I have to be able to pick out different APIs, then group them together. I then have to explain to the client if they subscribe to this API product all the services available. Many clients want a variety of price groups based on their API selection.
I haven't seen anyone go from on-premise to the cloud. In fact, I am seeing people go from the cloud to on-premise because the costs can quickly grow on the cloud.
If you want to small small, start with the cloud.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
The integration is quite fast compared to others. Other companies combine their API platforms, but API Connect is as straightforward as you can get it.
Oracle doesn't understand the different personas that need to be defined. This is why API Connect is superior to it.
Microsoft is extremely cheap compared API Connect. We are reviewing their solution in comparison to API Connect.
What other advice do I have?
The client needs to understand the service to use it. They need to make sure that they have the back-end infrastructure to support API Connect.
API Connect is known for its light front-end system. Therefore, it depends on what system it connects to on the back-end. It is important to know how it connects to the back-end.
We are not using Cloud Pak, as it is still too new. We are using it in the lab.
I would rate the solution as a nine (out of 10).
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Business partner.
Chief IT Engineer at Kaiser
We're using it to replace the old version. What we look for most is security.
What is most valuable?
It provides a few features such as security and discoveries.
How has it helped my organization?
What we look for most is security. API Connect can provide that. On top of that we use it to replace the old version. The current WSR was for discovery, the web service.
What needs improvement?
Additional features probably will be easier to develop. Right now the UI is using quadruples. On the policy, they are using SSLT, but I would like them to convert that SSLT to use scripting language instead.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We just started. We are converting from the old infrastructure to the new API Connect. We started maybe a year ago, but we'll see the results maybe in six months.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I think the scalability is pretty good. The API Connect divides by different zones, different domains. So how we can scale depends on organizations. If it is big, we make it big and if it is small, we make it small. It's pretty easy to use.
How are customer service and technical support?
We used the support quite a bit, because we have to transfer the old WSR into API Connect without rewriting everything. With that transfer or migration, it takes a lot of work, so we talk with technical support. They are pretty knowledgeable, but we still have to go through many iterations, many cycles to get all the technical information out.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Beforehand there was the older generation of API Connect. API Connect came out maybe two years ago, before that was WSR combined with data power. They are going to retire WSR. WSR is also for my VN. That became AP Connect so we had to move.
How was the initial setup?
I wasn't involved in the initial setup process.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I would think customer service and trust are important when deciding which vendor to choose. IBM, Oracle, and Microsoft were on our evaluation list. We've been with IBM for many years now, so we'll stay with IBM. We work very closely with IBM on their product and they're very good support, so when we run into issues, they are there to help.
What other advice do I have?
I think IBM is very innovative and maybe that will give them an edge into their industry.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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