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it_user502011 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Java Developer/ Solution Architect at a financial services firm with 501-1,000 employees
Vendor
It provides a simple way to create REST APIs and easy integration with REST and SOAP service. It requires a lot of specific coding for medium-complexity use cases.
Pros and Cons
  • "It has its own language, which make it possible to design and implement the complete flow using existing services and databases, and to create and aggregate fine-and coarse-grained APIs."
  • "I feel there is a lot to improve in terms of providing plug-and-play functionalities, as at the moment it requires a lot of coding in their specific language for implementing a medium-complexity use case."

What is most valuable?

It provides a simple way to create REST APIs. It provides easy integration with REST and SOAP services. It has its own language, which make it possible to design and implement the complete flow using existing services and databases, and to create and aggregate fine-and coarse-grained APIs.

How has it helped my organization?

We have used it as the top layer in physical infrastructure architecture and made that available to mobile, iPad and desktop applications. Basically, it worked as a single point of contact for all applications via HTTP protocol as a communication channel. Underneath, it is aggregating a plethora of REST and SOAP services and connections to LDAP, AuthMinder, RiskMinder and SiteMinder for authorisation and authentication.

With it, we provided an enterprise solution for authentication and authorisation for all internal and external application in a quick and efficient manner using existing SOAP and REST services.

What needs improvement?

I feel there is a lot to improve in terms of providing plug-and-play functionalities, as at the moment it requires a lot of coding in their specific language for implementing a medium-complexity use case. It needs to improve the user interface for logging and monitoring. There is no test framework for the APIs, which is a setback. And with respect to providing an end-to-end API management solution, where the API will be charged per usage from the client, configuration is not that easy and straightforward.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used it for more than a year.

Buyer's Guide
Layer7 API Management
October 2024
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What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

We had a lot of deployment issues, as it does not provide seamless, continuous integration and deployment to different environments.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Not really, Performance wise it is quite competitive .

How are customer service and support?

Customer Service:

Satisfactory

Technical Support:

I would rate technical support as satisfactory.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Previously, we chose to use CA-provided solutions (AuthMinder and RiskMinder), which includes (JSP-based) user interfaces. Also, because we have to make our own designs (RIA-JavaScript-based), that’s how it came into the picture.

How was the initial setup?

Initial setup wasn’t straightforward.

What about the implementation team?

We implemented it along with a vendor team. I would advise preparing an in-house team by providing it with a week or two of training, and then get an expert from CA for several months to provide the consultancy and solutions to the team and to resolve their issues.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

One of the reasons for choosing it was that we were already using CA products, such as SiteMinder. It provides easy integration with SiteMinder, and because both are CA products, we therefore expected better support.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Not really , as we were already using CA products like Siteminder , since layer 7 is also a CA product and provide seamless integration with the product thus we chose Layer 7 in first place .

What other advice do I have?

I would advise also evaluating Apigee API management if you are looking for an end-to-end API management solution. Otherwise, CA API Management is not a bad choice.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
it_user558333 - PeerSpot reviewer
Leads System Engineer at a consultancy with 1,001-5,000 employees
Consultant
The logs help us troubleshoot. Easy to manage policies.

What is most valuable?

This product is easy to use. We are able to troubleshoot with the logs that it creates and it's easy to get people up to speed on it.

How has it helped my organization?

We use it for managing policies and that process is simple and easy to perform.

What needs improvement?

We'd like to see an updated migration tool. Right now, the migration process works but it is a little clunky because there's not a good tool for migrating it. It's an older version tool so the services need to be restarted every once in a while.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's pretty stable. Once in a while we'll have an issue or we have to restart it but the product itself is very stable for us.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I think it scales well. We've got a cluster going and we can increase the size if we have to so it works out well.

How are customer service and technical support?

I have only used technical support to consult about upgrades. They are very good. They always have answers when we have questions so it has worked out really well.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We used Layer 7 before CA acquired it.

What other advice do I have?

I recommend this product because of how successful we've been with it.

The most important criteria for me when selecting a vendor is the quality of their support and technical staff. If they are able to help us, it makes it a lot easier.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Layer7 API Management
October 2024
Learn what your peers think about Layer7 API Management. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2024.
814,649 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Consultor de segurança at a tech company with 1-10 employees
Real User
Information Security Features Allow Our Developers to Focus on Just Writing the Support Code
Pros and Cons
  • "I work for an information security company. CA API Management is capable of using tokens for authorization to manage access control for the APIs."
  • "One specific feature that we need is the ability to authenticate directly to the server with API data. It's not complex nowadays. This is a feature that we need and CA doesn't have it."

What is our primary use case?

In my company, we use CA API Management for banks in the financial markets. Our primary use case is for the basic protection of the APIs. We also use the authentication feature.

How has it helped my organization?

One of the main ways that CA API Management has improved our company is that we do not require a lot of people to work in developing new security code when they are programming for the APIs. They leave all the responsibility to CA API Management. 

In this manner, our developers can focus on just writing the code and on important business.

What is most valuable?

I work for an information security company. CA API Management is capable of using tokens for authorization to manage access control for the APIs.

What needs improvement?

One improvement for CA API Management would be better integration with the web access console. Better integration of the web access console would be great.

One specific feature that we need is the ability to authenticate directly to the server with API data. It's not complex nowadays. This is a feature that we need and CA doesn't have it. 

CA API Management can't do the same authentication functionality with the APIs as the other competitive products in the marketplace.

For how long have I used the solution?

One to three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of CA API Management is very good. We have very little problems with the solution. Just once, there were a couple of days that became filled up with logs of reporting information. Overall, CA API Management is certainly stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We don't have any problems with scalability. We have only a few customers that have deployed it. We only use it for a total of 4 clients. We don't use it in all of our projects. We work with other technology. 

Our final customer maintains the CA API Management installation and only needs our contractors to make other new improvements.

How are customer service and technical support?

Technical support is okay. We have opened some cases and all of them were quickly solved.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

This was the first tool that we used for API Management.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is good. For our requirements, it fits our appliances. 

The initial deployment of the software was two hours, i.e. to have the API data up and running.

What about the implementation team?

We are a reseller company that makes the final setup for our customers. We always do the final installation for our clients.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Our CA API Management license is for five years with no additional cost other than the standard licensing fees.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Nowadays, we are looking at IBM solutions because other customers required it of us.

What other advice do I have?

CA API Management is very helpful. I would rate the product an 8 out of 10. In my opinion, the features are all very good.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
it_user760710 - PeerSpot reviewer
Development Manager API Management - Digital Technology Services at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees
Vendor
Provides key, up to date information to our customer-facing engineers but ease of use needs improvement

What is most valuable?

It's a secure product that allows us to expose API and lock down to only those devices and individuals which have the verified rights to access.

How has it helped my organization?

  • Secure access to customer records – secured device, only access when in correct postal code area.
  • Provide key, up to date information to engineers when engaging with customers.

What needs improvement?

  • Ease of use
  • Ability of development and ops teams to expose and manage their own API

For how long have I used the solution?

30 months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

No issues with stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Cost and licencing model restrictive for auto scaling.

How are customer service and technical support?

Seven out of 10. Not as focused on ensuring that the issues are fully resolved as I would like.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

No. Selected after extensive "beauty contest."

How was the initial setup?

Complex to set up and operate. Requires deep understanding of networks, security, as well as API management.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Consider if you need this advanced tool to undertake simple API management. Costly solution which is designed for heavy duty and complex work.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Apigee.

What other advice do I have?

Consider if the product is needed – there are cheaper, less complex solutions out there.

Consultancy costs for CA should be considered – worth the money as it saves time (and therefore cost) with configuration.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
it_user351495 - PeerSpot reviewer
Chief Engineer (R&D for VoIP, Networking and P2P) at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Consultant
I used to use a proxy to publish APIs, and now we want to use the CA API gateway, as it's more advantageous. They need to fix a bug so that we can publish new APIs with a socket.

What is most valuable?

The published API is easy. We don’t have any idea how to create or add value to the API to aggregate security, and we want to add the CA API gateway.

How has it helped my organization?

The API gateway is a great solution.

What needs improvement?

In two months, we want a new API publishing system to be opened. We need them to have fixed the issues of the API gateway by then.

What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

We had no issues with deployment, but it's not a stable solution.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's not stable. I want to publish new APIs with a socket, but it’s not stable enough for this. They need to fix this bug in order for it to be stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We introduced it on triad, but we haven’t tested the scalability of it yet. We'll know more in the coming weeks as we test the system.

How are customer service and technical support?

We always consult with technical support.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I used to use a proxy to publish APIs, and now we want to use the CA API gateway, as it's more advantageous.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was easy, but I had some issues with the software. I want them to simplify the upgrade method.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
it_user882711 - PeerSpot reviewer
Solution Architect at a construction company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Standardizes our API deployment, improves security
Pros and Cons
  • "The Portal API helps us with deployments. It also helps to have a catalog of everything. The replication is also a critical feature for us. It helps to have a more robust architecture and makes our systems are highly available."
  • "The portal is not the most intuitive and the way things are displayed makes it difficult to find the information we need."

What is our primary use case?

Managing all of our APIs and the security around them.

How has it helped my organization?

  • Standardization of our API deployment
  • Improve security

What is most valuable?

The Portal API helps us with deployments. It also helps to have a catalog of everything.

The replication is also a critical feature for us. It helps to have a more robust architecture and makes our systems are highly available.

What needs improvement?

The portal is not the most intuitive and the way things are displayed makes it difficult to find the information we need. We never completely read the info. The way it's written does not make me want to read it.

For how long have I used the solution?

Three to five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Lately, we have had a replication problem, but it's possible the problem is on our side. We are still unsure.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

No issues with scalability.

How is customer service and technical support?

The technical support is fast and efficient.

How was the initial setup?

It was a complicated setup but we had help.

What other advice do I have?

You need a team to manage it.

Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
PeerSpot user
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Updated: October 2024
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