We use IBM Integration Bus as a bank middleware solution.
Head Of IT Development at a financial services firm with 501-1,000 employees
Allows for omni-channel integration, but the setup is complex, technical support is subpar and there is a need for greater resources
Pros and Cons
- "The solution addresses all of our middleware needs in respect of transformation, parsing, security and stability; everything really."
- "The solution is complex and there is a need for more resources and greatly improved quality."
What is our primary use case?
How has it helped my organization?
The solution does omnichannel integration with the core banking and other systems, including core banking, ETC, and click systems. It does so for a host of systems.
What is most valuable?
The solution addresses all of our middleware needs in respect of transformation, parsing, security and stability; everything really.
What needs improvement?
IBM Integration Bus could have better REST API, which could be more powerful, and this accounts for why we are looking for alternative solutions concerning this and open banking.
The initial setup was complex.
Technical support is below what I would consider to be very good. It's good, but not too much or very much so.
The solution is complex and there is a need for more resources and greatly improved quality.
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December 2024
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution addresses our stability needs.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Thus far, we have been making maximum use of the solution.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is below what I would consider to be very good. It's good, but not too much or very much so.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used a local solution and replaced this with a new enterprise solution.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was complex.
Including preparation time, addressing the environment and building the POC, deployment took around one month. We are talking about active, on-premises deployment.
What about the implementation team?
There are nearly five people required for deployment and maintenance.
What was our ROI?
Management would be in a position to address whether we have seen a return on our investment. This said, we have witnessed some returns on our business so far.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I prefer not to address the licensing costs, or any other for that matter, as this is confidential.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We did evaluate other products before going with IBM Integration Bus.
What other advice do I have?
We are customers of the vendor.
From a development perspective, there are nearly 40 people using this solution in our organization, although we have thousands of customers who do so indirectly.
The solution probably covers more than 95 percent of the integration requirements.
I rate IBM Integration Bus as a seven 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.
Application Development Team Lead at ProvidusBank
Easy to learn, use, and integrate, and the technical support is good
Pros and Cons
- "The biggest advantage of this solution is that it is very easy to learn, and very easy to build applications."
- "One drawback that I have found is that there are issues with using the Java connector."
What is our primary use case?
We are a financial institution and we are using this solution for the APIs that we provide.
What is most valuable?
The biggest advantage of this solution is that it is very easy to learn, and very easy to build applications. The learning curve is not steep and it is something that you can pick up within about two weeks.
There are a lot of inbuilt interfaces like ISO and SAP. Having all of these interfaces already built makes integration very easy and straightforward.
What needs improvement?
One drawback that I have found is that there are issues with using the Java connector. I was running out of heap space.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with IBM Integration Bus for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is fantastic.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
With respect to scalability, IBM Integration Bus is very good.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have been in contact with technical support and I found that they were very good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have not really used any other ESB solutions.
How was the initial setup?
I was not part of the original deployment.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I like to view comparisons to see what people have to say about similar products because I have just recently changed jobs and my new company is trying to purchase an ESB. Although I fully recommend IBM Integration Bus, I think it is important to look and see if other solutions may be better.
What other advice do I have?
Generally speaking, this is a very good product. It is easy to learn and use, and it is robust as well.
I would rate this solution a nine 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.
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IBM Integration Bus
December 2024
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IBM Integration Bus Developer and Designer at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
Allows efficient data integration and has a straightforward setup process
Pros and Cons
- "The solution has enhanced data processing capabilities by allowing efficient data integration and transformation."
- "They could integrate AI technologies with the product. Additionally, ongoing developments and enhancements in integration technologies could be beneficial."
What is our primary use case?
IBM Integration Bus integrates various systems by receiving, transforming, and routing messages in different formats, such as XML or JSON. It supports integration between different applications and services within the organization, enabling effective communication.
How has it helped my organization?
The solution has enhanced data processing capabilities by allowing efficient data integration and transformation. It has improved operational efficiency by handling various protocols and integrating different services.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features are its support for various protocols (like HTTP) and its integration capabilities, which facilitate communication between different systems and services within the organization.
What needs improvement?
They could integrate AI technologies with the product. Additionally, ongoing developments and enhancements in integration technologies could be beneficial.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using IBM Integration Bus for 11 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable with OpenShift, allowing adjustments based on customer requirements.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward, taking approximately 15 to 30 minutes to complete.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I rate IBM Integration Bus an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Last updated: Jul 26, 2024
Flag as inappropriateOffshore Delivery Head (US) at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
One of the most stable products which I have seen in the market
Pros and Cons
- "It is one of the most stable products which I have seen in the market."
- "IBM does not support orchestration, which is how they designed it, and other BPM tools in the market support orchestration. If they merged the BPM capability into this product, then it would be a better solution."
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use case is a content-based tool for system messaging. IIB comes with IBM MQ as its messaging backbone. With respect to our requirements, IIB fits well, and it does its job.
How has it helped my organization?
It has improved our company a lot. We have added a lot of adapters. The microservice has provided an advantage for us, so we have a lot of adapters with REST Node.js, which have been added.
IBM used to provide multiple adapters. For example, we also have an adaptor for MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport).
What is most valuable?
With respect to our enterprise and SOA compliance (this product fits within the SOA compliance category), we want to talk about microsolution architecture, as enterprises generally enable SOA first before going to microsolutions. It will have to have a long-term approach on the SOA category, as IIB fits with a lot of other IBM products, like the WSRR, IBM DataPower, and MQ. It has a lot of advantages when we are using it or enforcing SOA as an architecture for our enterprises.
What needs improvement?
IBM does not support orchestration, which is how they designed it, and other BPM tools in the market support orchestration. IIB wasn't designed for short and small transitions which are preferred to be stateless. If they merged the BPM capability into this product, then it would be a better solution.
For how long have I used the solution?
More than five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is one of the most stable products which I have seen in the market.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It scalability is seamless. There should not be any issues as long as we integrate fully with our use cases and restrict scenarios that we have tested on different operating systems. We have tested for the high availability and OTS availability. It has worked well so far.
How is customer service and technical support?
Under certain situations, when what we were expecting is not right, then we contact support, and technical support from IBM is really good. However, IBM support is mostly for the small time stuff, like product releases. In a few years, they will end up the support unless we pay them. The difference is in the cost. Support costs are high compared to their competition. Otherwise, the support is good.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We also evaluated Oracle.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution a nine out of 10, because of:
- The community.
- They provide freeware.
- The support that IBM provides.
- It fits its purpose.
IIB is one of the top-rated solution in this category. If looking for a tool which is SOA compliance, you can blindly go for this particular tool.
The most important criteria when selecting a vendor is support. We are looking for the 24/7 support in respect to that particular product. It should be compliant within our business requirements. Technology is evolving day-by-day and should have an additional features added-on as long as we are required to implement those features, e.g. product security. We are using different encrypted algorithms on encryption screens, and these functionalities are widely adopted by IBM.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Senior Software Engineer at Eidiko
Useful multiple application integrations, good technical support, but stability could improve
Pros and Cons
- "I have found IBM Integration Bus is very useful because it can integrate multiple backend applications."
- "The solution could improve by having built-in implementation and secure monitoring without the need for API Connect."
What is our primary use case?
In general, we are using IBM Integration Bus for integration purposes only because we have multiple applications to integrate.
What is most valuable?
I have found IBM Integration Bus is very useful because it can integrate multiple backend applications.
What needs improvement?
The solution could improve by having built-in implementation and secure monitoring without the need for API Connect.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using IBM Integration Bus for approximately six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We have not had any issue with the stability of the solution. However, there are times when we have policies in place and after the installation, the data wizard does not work.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical from IBM has been very good.
How was the initial setup?
The installation was straightforward.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
IBM Integration Bus itself is prices fair but App-Connect is a bit expensive which we use in conjunction with it.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have evaluated MuleSoft.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to developers.
I rate IBM Integration Bus a seven 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
Operations Officer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
A user-friendly solution that's easy to manage
Pros and Cons
- "It's easy to develop things, and it's easy to handle."
- "I think security should be more simplified."
What is our primary use case?
We are working on MQ, soap and rest based services. Some clients are accessing our services and vice versa.
How has it helped my organization?
Yes IIB help us to shape up our organization in service oriented architecture. Usability has increased and integration has become easier.
What is most valuable?
Multiple protocols support, development environment is user friendly.
What needs improvement?
Documentation is not easy to understand.
There should be inclusion of more and more adapters that make this product more usable.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using IBM Integration Bus for four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
IBM Integration Bus is a stable solution. As far as the technical side is concerned, we don't have an issue.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
IBM Integration Bus is easy to scale.
How are customer service and technical support?
IBM technical support is fine, and we have a good relationship with them.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is very simple. I've been working with the Oracle platform as well, and the Oracle platform installation is quite difficult compared to IBM Integration Bus.
What about the implementation team?
We are working in the bank, and we implement everything internally ourselves. We are maintaining it, and we don't have to do too much. We have a separate team for maintenance. We have administrators as well on the operations side. They are looking after it.
What other advice do I have?
When I compare it to other products that are available in the marketplace, I rate it better than others because it's easy to develop things, and it's easy to handle. I also use Oracle, and I prefer IBM Integration Bus to Oracle.
On a scale from one to ten, I would give IBM Integration Bus an eight.
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
Managing Director at a consultancy with 1-10 employees
Suitable for any size company; content is easily infiltrated in the eclipse infrastructure
Pros and Cons
- "Content is easily infiltrated in the eclipse infrastructure."
- "The solution is too expensive for smaller companies."
What is our primary use case?
I'm responsible for Strategy and Architecture for an IT consulting company they are partners with IBM.
What is most valuable?
I like that this solution is suitable for any size company. It's simple to use from a development perspective because the content is easily infiltrated in the eclipse infrastructure. It's also credible in all the application aspects and easy to integrate into the enterprise application landscape. Finally, there is also a good relationship with IBM itself that assists us in implementing. You can really use this architecture but you have to understand the technology itself. It means you can do everything with this technology on condition that implementation is carried out correctly but this is a general term and valid for all solutions on the market. IBM is offering with the Integration Bus a very robust and stable solution.
What needs improvement?
The solution itself is quite expensive for smaller companies because of a complex architecture setup if you just start. Easier and a more plug and playable solution which make an MVP easier in being able to show the value faster to the customer.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for about 10 years in different projects and for different customers.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is a very stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability depends on the money that you have in your pockets. Technologically speaking, it's a scalable solution.
How are customer service and technical support?
I get good support from the IBM technical people. It also depends on your philosophy, how you implement this. I have a lot of very experienced people, but also a good relationship with the laboratories, which is also sometimes necessary when you're doing something new and a highly sophisticated implementation is required. You need to have a support team for the product development.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward, it's a simple solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Evaluate and define a clear architecture, and set up a governance framework that includes a competence center that will take care of the usage, the licenses which will be needed, and do guarantee the reuse of interfaces and components.
What other advice do I have?
I always suggest carrying out a proof of concept each time. People who are able to set this up and also monitor it, will discover how easy it is to customize and to integrate the architecture. The POC creates familiarity and also an understanding of the skill set required.
I would rate this solution an eight out of 10.
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
Técnico sênior at a financial services firm with 501-1,000 employees
Facilitates communication but could have better integration with other solutions
Pros and Cons
- "Facilitates communication between parties and legacy systems."
- "The version of the technology and current knowledge is a bit outdated."
What is our primary use case?
Our organization is a bank, so we use IBM Integration Bus for integration with core services and test applications.
How has it helped my organization?
IBM Integration Bus facilitates communication between parties and legacy systems. For example, the banking industry has a lot of legacy systems, so IBM Integration allows for communication between the legacy systems and new ones and allows us to develop solutions that can respond to the new ones.
What is most valuable?
We currently use version 10 of IBM Integration Bus. The most beneficial feature is the integration we have with legacy services. We can do the integration to expose other technology to stop, rest and manipulate the output of many legacy services.
What needs improvement?
We would like to separate the services into different containers, and we don't have this ability right now on IBM Integration Bus. We are currently doing this as an organization, and IBM is setting up the OpenShift.
The version of the technology and current knowledge is a bit outdated. There is also no DevOps, and the process of deploying that is the downside. Regarding additional features, we would like better integration with external solutions like Apache Kafka.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this solution for six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution. The downside is that sometimes it is easier to use another post, like a language outside of IBM Integration Bus, but overall it's a good solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is not scalable.
How are customer service and support?
We do not communicate much with IBM, only for initial setup and completing bootstrapping technology. However, we have IBM partners that work with us. I rate the technical support a four out of ten because they are sometimes a bit selective with the partners they pay attention to.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Our company has been using IBM technology from the beginning.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is difficult to configure and set up the first time. I rate the setup a four out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
I rate this solution a seven out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
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