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PeerSpot user
Consultant Principal on: MuleSoft Expert, Oracle Fusion Expert, webMethods Expert; Dev, SA, EA, PM at Visual Integrator Consulting
Consultant
It's provided a complete and architecturally sound solution for building publicly facing API's that can be consumed and invoked by client-side devices.

What is our primary use case?

Functional:  Integrate Supply Chain automation; Financial System integrations

Technical: Expose API's to Trading Partners

How has it helped my organization?

It's provided a complete and architecturally sound solution for building publicly facing API's that can be consumed and invoked by client-side devices, such as mobile. Calling APIs from JavaScript sounds easy, but it must be secure and performance driven. Mulesoft allows for that.

Integrating cloud to cloud or SaaS to on premise has its considerations, and Mulesoft improves the development, design, and implementation of integrating federated systems and datastores across clouds, networks, and domains.

What is most valuable?

  • Ability to create and test API "microservices" using RAML
  • Develop policies that can be applied and re-used across API's and trading partners
  • Strong security and integration to identity providers to protect public facing APIs
  • Intuitive development tools based on fundamental computer science concepts, drag/drop
  • Simple cloud and hybrid cloud deployment models. Good security by putting each application onto a separate VM in the cloud.
  • Large set of connectors
  • Innovative concept with "Connector Marketplace" which is similar to Salesforce.
  • Solid integration with DevOps and continuous integration tools.
  • Good build for its transformation, translation, and orchestration features. For example, visual mapping, an IDE for building visual flows, drag and drop connectors and templates.

What needs improvement?

  • Mulesoft doesn't provide a complete stack. For example, it doesn't have BPM/Workflow, BAM, or Identity Management products.
  • The User Interfaces on the Mulesoft tools aren't as nice as some of it's competitors.
  • Improved business level analytics is currently on the roadmap.
  • We created a framework for transaction management since one is not provided out of the box.
Buyer's Guide
MuleSoft API Manager
August 2024
Learn what your peers think about MuleSoft API Manager. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: August 2024.
801,634 professionals have used our research since 2012.

For how long have I used the solution?

Three to five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

There have been no stability issues.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Good scalability in AWS/EC2.

How are customer service and support?

Customer Service:

10/10 - They have a very strong customer success and professional services team.

Technical Support:

9/10 - They're very quick to help with tickets and deploy fixes.

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

I have used Software AG webMethods and Oracle SOA Suite at other customers, but none have switched.

What about the implementation team?

I've implemented it both ways. Their vendor team is 10/10 for their RapidStart program to help customer with their initial use cases.

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

Consider cloud vs. on-premise. Have a good vision of your medium term needs so you can plan for growth. Develop an API/integration roadmap

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

For API we looked at Apigee, Axway, Mashery, and CA Layer 7.

For ESB/SOA we looked at SAG webMethods, and IBM.

What other advice do I have?

Our approach is to know your use cases (through workshops), and map them back to vendor capabilities to scorecard the platforms.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: We are independent API advisors; however, we have partnered and delivered on implementation work. We provide an independent evaluation and selection scorecard of API, ESB, and SOA vendors.
PeerSpot user
reviewer830295 - PeerSpot reviewer
reviewer830295Works at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Consultant

Hi Jordan,
Great write up - thanks! Just an important heads up

An API for API’s is also a tricky sales problem, especially if it’s for an often used / well documented API. The implementation of your client / SDK has to work better than integrating with the SDKs of the original API themselves, and business logic needs to be predictable or manageable. Recently, I’ve been impressed with Segment, which provides an API of tracking user interactions to MixPanel, CustomerIO, and others. The trick here is that these are all similar – based off of events with data -that feed into the other systems. But even in this use case, there are tricks or annoyances, such as update/delete capabilities.
So, what is the difference between zapier and MuleSoft.
Do you publish any video tutorial series on YouTube about Technology, it would definitely make it easier to understand and get started with it like
asha24.com this blog.

If you mind I can connect you via LinkedIn or Twitter to stay updated about your new posts.
Appreciate your effort for making such useful blogs and helping the community.

Muchas Gracias,
Jochen

See all 2 comments
Joe-Lam - PeerSpot reviewer
Associate Business Development Director at PCCW
Real User
Top 10
Scalable, useful orchestration, but support needs improvement
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features of Mulesoft Anypoint API Manager are the API gateway, rate limiting, and orchestration."
  • "The dashboards in Mulesoft Anypoint API Manager could improve."

What is our primary use case?

We use Mulesoft Anypoint API Manager for different reasons, it depends from project to project. We mainly use Mulesoft Anypoint API Manager to orchestrate some internal system integration processes.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features of Mulesoft Anypoint API Manager are the API gateway, rate limiting, and orchestration.

What needs improvement?

The dashboards in Mulesoft Anypoint API Manager could improve.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Mulesoft Anypoint API Manager for approximately one year.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Mulesoft Anypoint API Manager is a scalable solution.

How are customer service and support?

The support from Mulesoft Anypoint API Manager needs to improve.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of Mulesoft Anypoint API Manager was complex. For those running Kubernetes it is an even higher difficulty level for the initial implementation.

What about the implementation team?

We do the implementation of the solution. We have three people supporting our systems but they are not only dedicated to Mulesoft Anypoint API Manager.

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

The licensing model is based on how many cores are used. It is a very simple licensing scheme.

What other advice do I have?

My advice to others is they will need strong technical support for this solution, however, they do not provide good support. If you are not experienced in this solution you may encounter some technical problems during the implementation and maintenance period. A strong architect is needed to help do the infrastructure and architecture of this solution.

I rate Mulesoft Anypoint API Manager a six out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Implementer
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
MuleSoft API Manager
August 2024
Learn what your peers think about MuleSoft API Manager. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: August 2024.
801,634 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Executive Director Finance & Strategy at a consultancy with 51-200 employees
Real User
Stable, flexible, and scalable
Pros and Cons
  • "The scalability is good. It's passable."
  • "The pricing is a bit expensive."

What is our primary use case?

The solution is basically a SOAP API and REST API.

What is most valuable?

The solution is very flexible. It's a great aspect of the solution for us.

The solution is stable.

The scalability is good. It's passable. 

What needs improvement?

The pricing is a bit expensive. It would be better if they offered more price-conscious licensing.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for a couple of years at this point. It's been a while now. I have some experience with it.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable. It's good. There are no bugs or glitches and it does not crash or freeze. The performance has been good. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution can scale if a company needs to expand it. It's pretty good. 

We have 30 people using the solution right now. 

How are customer service and technical support?

We've contacted technical support and they are very helpful and responsive. They're good. I'm satisfied with the level of service provided to customers. 

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

We also use Tencent which is just more compatible with enterprise architecture.

How was the initial setup?

I'm not overly familiar with the initial setup, however, my understanding is that it is an average level of difficulty. It's not overly simple or complex. 

We have four people that can handle maintenance duties. They are managers and admins. 

What about the implementation team?

We used a consultant to assist us in the implementation process. 

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

The pricing could be better.

We pay a licensing fee on a monthly basis. 

What other advice do I have?

I'd rate the solution at an eight out of ten. It's good. I've enjoyed using it.

I would recommend the solution to others. It's a good platform. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Enterprise Integration Consultant at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Consultant
Great for any company wanting a complete digital transformation
Pros and Cons
  • "One of the more valuable features is the stability of the platform."
  • "Not many stand-out features."

What is our primary use case?

My primary use case for the solution is as an API gateway. I am an enterprise integration consultant and I implement it for customers.

What is most valuable?

I would say one of the more valuable features is the stability of the platform. The API gateways across the market end up exposing more or less the same functionality when it comes to the mediation exposure of the proxies. It was decent to work with it even though there weren't many stand out features. The user interface is consistent across all of the products. It's difficult to differentiate APG from IBM Connect or MuleSoft Anypoint platform. They have a rich user interface. 

What needs improvement?

I think while trying to evaluate the various products on the market, and what could be improved, I'm looking at the indications and analytics and the off-the-shelf dashboards that come with it. Those are things that really catch the eye. At the end of the day, it's the functionalities and the way they integrate with the multi-cloud platforms and other backends that are underpinning the hood. If I have to present an API solution to somebody and if I can show them what are the off-the-shelf dashboards that you get in the analytics profile, that becomes a major eye-catcher to take the discussion forward.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for a year or so. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Stability is very good. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I would think scalability depends on whether you're doing it on premises or on the cloud. I don't have experience with that but I think, for example, since Kong is more into clustering and the like, so scalability in Kong should be more straightforward because it's more evenly distributed. 

How are customer service and technical support?

I haven't contacted technical support but I have been in touch with some of its engineers and they were a pleasure to deal with. They're good engineers and they are very helpful.

How was the initial setup?

In terms of initial setup, of course WSO2 with Kong is more simple than this.

What other advice do I have?

The advice I would give is that this is a platform that's meant for a complete digital transformation of an organization. If you want to realize the entire capacity or the entire power of the platform with the capability APIs and the system APIs, you know you've got to use the API-led connectivity. And here I think lies the true power of the platform; that instead of using it just as an API gateway, you can take it further and I think that is the real value that market peers are not able to offer. It's a standout feature of the API platform and MuleSoft.

I make proposals and whether the customer chooses it or not is up to them. I usually look at  different products, and then we try and see what fits the customer best. It's not black or white. If there is a need for an entire landscape of low APIs and not just proxies, I think MuleSoft is a good way to go.

I would rate this product an eight out of 10. 

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: Implementer
PeerSpot user
Director API Management and Integration at Fresh Gravity
Real User
Very good for applying policies and for integrations
Pros and Cons
  • "This is a good API management product."
  • "They should develop on MuleSoft as it would be a good way of improving API monetization."

What is our primary use case?

I deploy this solution for my clients. 

What is most valuable?

This is a good API management product, applying the policies, doing the integrations. I deploy both the cloud and the on-premise solution depending on the client's requirements. 

What needs improvement?

If they were to develop on MuleSoft it would be a good way of improving API monetization. Together with that I'd like to see the developer portal. It currently comes with a Salesforce connection but it could be integrated better.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for five years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable, we have customers in both the medium and enterprise environments. 

How are customer service and support?

The technical support is reasonable. They respond to us promptly. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is fine for the cloud version but very complex for the on-prem deployment. 

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

Licensing costs are reasonable. 

What other advice do I have?

Anyone planning to use this product should invest in some training beforehand. 

I rate this solution eight out of 10. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
Vice President Delivery - Enterprise Solutions and Infrastructure Services at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
MSP
Offers great integration, flexibility and value for implementing APIs
Pros and Cons
  • "Offers good integration and flexibility."
  • "Licensing costs should be reduced, it's quite expensive."

What is our primary use case?

We use MuleSoft Anypoint API Manager across our integration team to move existing integrations and implement APIs. We are system integrators and I'm vice president of the company.

What is most valuable?

I like the approach of MuleSoft Anypoint API Manager and the kind of integration and flexibility it offers. The solution solves the flexibility of ALITAN, TODO1, and APA gameplay, it's a prominent feature that offers good value.

What needs improvement?

The solution is not open source and the market is now open with a lot of options customers can test to explore and investigate. I think the code is something we need to explore. I think licensing costs should be reduced, it's quite expensive. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using MuleSoft Anypoint API Manager for over four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is not completely straightforward but it's not too complex either. 

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

The solution is quite expensive. 

What other advice do I have?

In our work, we carry out a deeper analysis of customer requirements. Based on their fixed rate product capabilities, the size of the organization, and the business case, we carry out an evaluation and propose a unique solution. We have our own evaluation process, which is quite extensive and includes architect scalability of configuration, maintainability, and then commercial licensing. Taking into account all those parameters we can figure out the best possible solution. It really depends on what the customer needs. 

I rate this solution a nine 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: Integrator
PeerSpot user
Vice President at Redington Middle East
Real User
Excellent technical support with good scalability and stability
Pros and Cons
  • "Whenever there was an issue, the support was excellent."
  • "The pricing is quite expensive. It should be adjusted to make it more affordable for users."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use case is for partners to exchange data and information with our company. It can be board members, as well as customers that can connect with us in order to exchange data. 

What is most valuable?

Overall the platform is good. The stability of the platform is very good. The entire solution has worked well for us. 

Whenever there was an issue, the support was excellent. 

What needs improvement?

I work with the solution more from a strategy perspective. I don't get into the day to day of how it is run and things like that so I'm not sure if I'd be able to get into features or what may be missing.

The pricing is quite expensive. It should be adjusted to make it more affordable for users.

When they come up with a completely new version of the solution and there is no direct upgrade for the customer from the older version to the new version there's a lot of work to be done. Whatever time and money you have invested cannot be directly used in the new platform.

When they come up with a new version release or a new platform the customers, existing requirements, etc. should be transferred over easier. Migration every time there is a new version is difficult. It's something that they could fix.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for the last three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of the solution is excellent.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability of the solution is very good.

How are customer service and technical support?

We've found technical support to be excellent. We've been very satisfied with the level of service that the solution provides.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup isn't complex, although when you are installing the solution you need a moderate amount of competency.

Deployment took about six months.

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

The licensing costs for the solution are quite high.

What other advice do I have?

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.

Mainly the pricing is the big down-side of the solution. 

I'd advise others to ensure that they need to have the right partner who understands the system before they get into the implementation process.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
PeerSpot user
IT Project & Demand Manager at a insurance company with 501-1,000 employees
Vendor
Lightweight and easy to setup, build and deploy APIs. Load balancing may be an area of improvement.

What is most valuable?

The product is very lightweight and easy to setup, build and deploy APIs.

How has it helped my organization?

As a B2B2C company, our goal is to provide a clean interface to our systems. With Anypoint API Manager we have been able to quickly develop a standard API gateway. Plus, we developed a custom API solution for our key client by reusing most of the components.

What needs improvement?

Load balancing may be an area of improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

Two years.

What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

No issues.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

No.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

No.

How is customer service and technical support?

Customer Service:

Good level, they respond quickly and escalate as well if needed.

Technical Support:

Technical support is part of Mulesoft professional services, so it's not included in the solution.

How was the initial setup?

No, setup has been easy, we setup a whole stack dev to production within a business day.

What about the implementation team?

We implemented it in-house.

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

It's a per core pricing, maybe if your number of cores raise up quickly prices can escalate.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Apache Camel and TIBCO. TIBCO was much more expensive than Mulesoft and not so easy to configure. Apache Camel lacked of web management console.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free MuleSoft API Manager Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: August 2024
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API Management
Buyer's Guide
Download our free MuleSoft API Manager Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.