We use IBM API Connect for healthcare projects, not for telecom services.

The best features IBM API Connect offers in my experience are the middleware capabilities, as it can connect the front end.

You can be more secure using JWT tokens with IBM API Connect. We can optimize API access, which will be more secure. We can add some policies to provide extra security, protect your backend, validate the consumers, and analyze based on the traffic limit to throw things out.

IBM API Connect helps with security by using OAuth 2.0 and basic authentication.

User management to authenticate the user is an important feature worth mentioning.

IBM API Connect has positively impacted my organization, as customer experience is good. Based on the subscription, we can handle the subscription, and customers use the environment as a handler, making the mechanism easy.

Based on the implementation, you can see improvements in onboarding speed. If this is a direct application, you can validate with the user and get the response from the application. If you require multiple transactions, it takes time.

To improve IBM API Connect, based on customer experience, you could work on latency. You can increase scalability and availability. If you're connecting with any other cloud, it connects to the infrastructure which needs to be managed with the customers and cloud providers, so if you have a setup, we can handle it easily.

I have faced latency issues on the server, related to our management. If you need to stabilize your server based on peak traffic, you need to configure the scalability model. You need to know when traffic peaks, so use auto-scaling when traffic comes. If the application is not in use, the value should be zero, and it starts from zero. Based on customer experience, the value will increase, and when there is no customer servicing, the peak would be reduced, making the value remain zero. Following this approach, you should be able to optimize costs and satisfy customer experience.

I have been using IBM API Connect for four years.

In my experience, IBM API Connect is stable enough, but downtime depends on traffic and backend server configuration. If your backend server is down, you may experience downtime. If it is functioning well, you won't have a bad experience and your application becomes more reliable.

IBM API Connect's scalability is good, as you can handle it easily similar to how you manage cloud providers.

I haven't reached out to customer support yet; there is a separate team for that.

Neutral

I used Google Apigee middleware before switching to IBM API Connect.

My decision to move from Apigee to IBM API Connect depends on the project I worked on.

I have seen a return on investment from using IBM API Connect, as we created multiple plans based on customer usage. In those plans, we can reduce traffic, and based on the traffic, we can optimize the cost.

I have not worked on pricing, setup cost, or licensing for IBM API Connect; that part is handled by the architect.

I did not evaluate other options before choosing IBM API Connect, as I mostly worked with Apigee. It depends on the provider; IBM API Connect allows movement into on-prem architecture, while Apigee is primarily a cloud solution.

My advice for others looking into using IBM API Connect is that it's a good platform to learn from. You can create API proxies easily, implement features effortlessly, and maintain them without hassle. There is also a support team available. It's a bit similar to Apigee and stands out as a unique platform.

Regarding a business relationship with this vendor beyond being a customer, I believe my vendor subscribed to IBM API Connect, and I'm working in the healthcare domain, so that's the vendor basis I believe.

I don't have any additional thoughts about IBM API Connect before we wrap up; it's a good opportunity to learn.

On a scale of 1-10, I rate IBM API Connect a seven out of ten.

Hybrid Cloud

Google

I primarily use IBM API Connect as an API Gateway to expose enterprise APIs to the outside world. Most applications I have worked with consume APIs deployed as part of the API Gateway for internal use.

Some of the best features of IBM API Connect are the Two-Way SSL and features similar to those in IBM DataPower Gateway. The key difference is how APIs are interacted with and bundled as a product. The API Gateway eases the development of REST APIs but retains the security features of IBM DataPower Gateway. It offers significant development efficiency, reducing man-hours from eighty to four when creating APIs.

When comparing API Gateway with DataPower Gateway, several features in DataPower Gateway are absent in the APIC layer. Examples include the lack of connectivity to MQ. Custom code is required to connect to MQ and exchange messages. Enhancements for segregating APIs based on domain are needed. Auto-approval of APIs for non-prod environments has been requested. These were not developed in version 10.5.

The initial setup of IBM API Connect is straightforward. Although version five was tedious, version ten doesn't take much time for infrastructure setup, whether on-premises or in the cloud. Production-ready deployment in multiple sites can take about a week with high availability.

I would rate the stability up to nine, almost ten. The runtime engine for the APIC Gateway is still a DataPower component, which has been stable in the industry for about fifteen years. Stability is evident in the transaction execution.

With container versions, scaling up or down the gateways deployed into pods is a two to three-minute task for the operations team. It is not complex. The introduction of container versions has simplified scaling.

Support is excellent when it comes to APIC. However, the performance issues with containerized versions of DataPower, observed during migration from legacy VMware to OpenShift Container Platform, have affected the extent of support.

Positive

The company where I work did not have an API Management solution before choosing IBM. We evaluated MuleSoft and Apigee but opted for IBM API Connect due to pre-existing IBM Middleware infrastructure.

The setup is not complex. While version five was somewhat tedious, version ten requires less time to build infrastructure, both on-prem and in the cloud. Production-level deployment would take about a week to achieve.

The deployment shouldn't take more than one resource with approximately a week's effort.

Development efforts minimized significantly. Reducing development hours from eighty to four for an API was possible due to reusing existing scripts from DataPower.

Pricing depends on how many instances run across environments. I don't deal with licensing, but compared to other IBM products, the licensing is not significantly higher.

Before choosing IBM API Gateway, we evaluated MuleSoft and Apigee.

IBM API Connect was chosen mainly for its compatibility with existing scripts and frameworks, minimizing development effort, especially in aspects like authentication, logging, and auditing. I would definitely recommend it. Overall, I rate it nine out of ten.

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.

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.

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.

I have been using IBM API Connect for two years. I am a customer of the tool.

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.

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.

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.

Neutral

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.

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.

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.

On-premises

We use IBM API Connect primarily to expose APIs for various information systems in Terra and to integrate with our audit partners.

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.

I have been using IBM API Connect for the past five years.

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.

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.

Neutral

Before using IBM API Connect, we worked with similar integration products, particularly an ESB from IBM, which was crucial in creating system integrations.

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.

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.

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.

One valuable feature of IBM API Connect is its role differentiation between API publishers and consumers. Publishers can easily identify, create, and publish APIs on the developer portal, defining plans, packages, and potentially billing rules. Consumers, interested in specific API packages, can subscribe, and use the APIs, and the platform tracks usage meticulously, allowing accurate billing applications for API consumers based on their usage patterns.

The platform’s integration with the payment gateway needs enhancement. The setup process and support services could be improved.

We have been using IBM API Connect for three to five years.

It is a stable product. I rate the stability an eight out of ten.

It is a scalable product. I rate the scalability an eight out of ten.

We encounter challenges related to the availability of local support and time zones.

Neutral

We used another product for API management. However, there were several areas of improvement related to the availability of a knowledgeable and skilled support team.

The initial setup is complicated for container deployment. It is easy to maintain. I rate the process an eight out of ten.

We use the platform’s analytics feature for extracting reporting for billing purposes. It is a good feature. It offers a sandbox environment where users, such as developers or testers, can interact with and test various APIs.

In the subscription process, EVOFRO (Evaluate, Offer, Verify, Fulfill, Render, Operate) is involved, specifically during the consumer's subscription attempt. It triggers a flow that includes reviewing and approving the subscription. It helps us achieve 80% compliance with regulations for our company.

I advise customers to identify the use cases before purchasing the product. I rate it an eight out of ten.

We use the solution to monitor, process, and manage API services.

We use the product to enforce standards to check and align things with the application design. The tool has enhanced our digital transformation efforts. With the adoption of the cloud, we deploy a lot of APIs on Lambda. We also have APIs deployed on-premise. We use the front-end access of all the APIs on-premise and on the cloud.

The API lifecycle management has helped us to do the version controls and naming of the APIs. The product gathers data to measure API performance. Users monitor the utilization of each API and the response times. It helps manage the environment. The product facilitates development by allowing the developers to go to the portal and test the APIs.

It would be nice to have a SaaS solution that can be deployed into the cloud.

I have been using the solution for many years.

The tool is very scalable.

There's a bit of a learning curve to the setup process. Once the support team gets familiar with it, it is just like any other product.

We started with DataPower ten years ago. Most of our APIs are SOAP APIs. When we started using RESTful APIs, we started using IBM API Connect. It took us a while to adopt API services. I will recommend the solution to people who need to manage their APIs. It's pretty good. It serves our purpose. Overall, I rate the product an eight or nine out of ten.

We mainly use it for API orchestration, basic gateway features, and data features. We use it just for orchestration and gateway functionalities.

Our client has a vendor contract with IBM and uses various IBM products, including API Connect. So, it's more of a forced usage within the organization.

So, it fulfills the basic needs.

It acts as a central gateway for both external APIs and underlying systems. It's basically a central middleware for hosting APIs to the internet and consuming APIs from internal systems.

It provides central governance for any APIs going outside the network, ensuring security and a common contract for API definitions.

We're good with things like API hosting, console features, etc. However, compared to Azure API, IBM API Connect lacks some things offered by the other platform.

I wish it covered the entire API lifecycle, including governance and management, more comprehensively.

I have been using IBM API Connect for the past six months due to a client engagement. 

We use the latest version. 

I would rate the stability an eight out of ten. It has good stability. 

While Azure API Management offers configurable scalability, IBM API Connect relies on Kubernetes clusters. This might seem manual and require defining cluster instances upfront, but it's completely customizable and not on-the-fly scaling.

It's completely custom-driven, not on-the-fly scaling, which some may consider cumbersome.

Overall, I would rate the scalability an eight out of ten.

Almost all applications we've been exposing lately go through this middleware, so it's used extensively. There are around sixty applications directly using it, but six Kubernetes clusters serve those applications.

It's heavily used for integration, including system-to-system integration and product integrations.

Our usage has been increasing year-on-year based on our needs.

The customer service and support. are good. They respond promptly to any issues requiring assistance, and they have an SLA for response times.

Positive

We have a partnership with IBM for some products, but for IBM API Connect, we're just end users.

I used Azure API and then Microgateway. We use IBM API Connect because the client is an existing user of API Connect for another client's project. Their organizational practices favored using the same solution, so we had to go with IBM API Connect.

I would rate my experience with the initial setup a seven out of ten, with ten being very easy to set up. 

It wasn't complex overall, but the initial API creation had some challenges regarding security implementation. After that, it was much easier. We followed the template, but sometimes the page would close unexpectedly.

We faced some initial setup issues. Initially, understanding and implementing the right way to achieve API-level security, etc., was a bit tricky.

The documentation is decent, and they offer some provider-based human support, so that's sufficient.

We have on-premises installations for some applications hosted in Kubernetes clusters, and the on-premises Kubernetes cluster can be hosted anywhere. It's a containerized cluster deployment.

IBM API Connect was already an existing middleware for the client, and we only expanded it for our new digital transformation project. So, the deployment process wasn't relevant to my experience.

Only two people manage it. They handle the entire API lifecycle, including hosting and management, across four different environments. They're DevOps engineers, playing both development and operations management roles.

There were two things: governance and security. This product helped greatly in both areas.

It is used across the entire organization, so the ROI is a hundred percent. Because if we couldn't have hosted an API gateway on some applications, that would be a failure. Now, any new application they build, any new product, can easily expose the appropriate API, making it worth the initial investment.

It can be quite expensive. It's okay for large-scale usage but quite expensive for smaller-scale implementations.

Overall, I would rate the pricing an eight out of ten, with ten being expensive. The pricing is fixed, not a floating model.

If it's for a large-scale API ecosystem, IBM API Connect is a good choice. It's manageable, reliable, and offers extensive features. 

Mainly understanding API gateway principles. If they grasp those, they can use this product. So, some background knowledge is advisable.

Overall, I would rate the solution an eight out of ten. 

My company used to work with IBM API Connect for a customer in Greece to run a public sector company from whom we developed a new architecture based on API management last year for the logistics or transportation domains. For the aforementioned project, my company designed a solution based on IBM API Management for the logistics sector of a company all over Greece.

The most valuable feature of the solution stems from its ability in the area of message transformation, meaning it is very easy when you have to transform a message to XML or transfer it automatically from JSON and vice versa. The solution is very scalable. The solution works very well even if you have a small number of users. Our company also tested its use with a large number of users, consisting of more than 2,000 users, and it was very nice to use. The tool is very robust.

The administration of the user interface and the technical documentation are areas of concern in the solution where improvements are required. The solution's technical documentation should be a little bit easier to understand, and it is a traditional problem with all IBM products. The technical documentation is a bit too difficult to understand, and it is also not easy to read.

I have been using IBM API Connect for three years. I operate as an independent consultant.

Stability-wise, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

It is a very scalable solution.

The meaning of the size of the companies in Greece is very different from what it is in other parts of the world, like the UK or Germany. The tool has around 2,000 users. I don't know if 2,000 users are found in small, medium, or large enterprises, but in the UK, it is a number to describe a small business, while in Greece, it is considered a large-sized company.

I rate the technical support a six out of ten.

Neutral

I rate the product's initial setup phase a five on a scale of one to ten, where one is a difficult process, and ten is an easy phase.

The solution is deployed on an on-premises model. The client with whom I work operates only on an on-premises infrastructure. My client is very demanding when it comes to operating on an on-premises infrastructure. My client is adamant on having on-premises infrastructure owing to security concerns.

I rate the product price a seven on a scale of one to ten, where one is a low price, and ten is a high price.

I rate the overall tool a seven out of ten.

On-premises

We use it for API integration, particularly in conjunction with the One Link solution. One Link is a platform that comes into play during cross-channel communication within the banking sector. For instance, if a customer has an account with Bank A and wishes to withdraw funds from Bank B, it facilitates cross-selling communication between two distinct banks—Bank A and Bank B. Our primary focus is on enabling seamless transactions between different banks, and we also incorporate case and bundle links within our solution.

DataPower Gateway holds significant value for us as it serves as the cornerstone of our enterprise security controls. Even in the absence of published APIs, DataPower Gateway continues to maintain robust security measures. In the event of IBM API Connect experiencing downtime, users can still access APIs through DataPower Gateway, thereby minimizing downtime and ensuring continued service availability for users.

Understanding the architecture, deployment criteria, and communication methods of the installation can be time-consuming. The learning curve is noticeable, especially for new engineers.

We have been working with it for ten years.

I would rate its stability capabilities ten out of ten.

It is highly scalable. On a scale from one to ten, I would rate it between nine and ten.

When there's an open ticket with severity one, the IBM team consistently provides timely support. We are highly content with the support we receive from IBM. I would rate it nine out of ten.

Positive

The initial setup is relatively straightforward.

The initial installation phase may pose challenges as it requires some time to grasp the intricacies. The learning curve is significant, especially for people who don't have experience with it. While the installation may not be easy initially, users can acquire proficiency once they have a thorough understanding of the system. When deploying a new environment, the entire setup typically takes approximately one to two days. Assigning two individuals to manage the deployment process is more than sufficient. For ongoing maintenance of the solution, a single person is capable of handling all the necessary tasks efficiently.

Overall, I would rate it ten out of ten.

I use IBM API Connect to configure and manage the APIs. I also used the product for transformations. I used the product for some of its functionalities, like caching and rate limiting, especially for the backend system. Configuring the backend APIs and API proxies and opening them to external services were some of the activities I did with the product.

The most valuable features of the solution stem from the fact that it is very easy to use and is something that is easily configurable. The product actually provides a complete suite, consisting of the developer portal and management of the APIs, while giving access to a different set of users. The product also allows users to use API sandbox. Configuring the APIs with the backend systems is a valuable feature of the product. With IBM API Connect, I found everything to be very user-friendly, easy to use, and able to be developed quickly as well.

Regarding IBM API Connect, I have to think about what needs improvement in the future because there are a lot of products that have recently come into the market. The analytics part of the solution is an area with certain shortcomings where improvements are required.

The product's setup phase and its setup for the users in different environments, along with DevOps integration, are areas of concern where there is a need for improvement.

The product should be made available on a hybrid cloud.

I have been using IBM API Connect for four years.

It is a stable solution.

It is a scalable solution.

There are around 20,000 users of the solution for the project we are currently working on in our company.

I have experience with IBM API Connect.

Though I wasn't involved in the setup phase of the product, as it was taken care of by another team in our company, I feel that the product's setup process needs to be simplified.

The product's deployment has two parts. The first part of the deployment is about how you set it up, and the other part is to deploy your API for availability. If I talk about the part where the APIs are to be made available, then the deployment process doesn't take much time, and it is easy to make them available.

The solution is deployed on an on-premises model.

A team of 20 people who were on the API management side were required to take care of the deployment and maintenance of the product. Initially, a team of 20 people was required to take care of the product's deployment and maintenance, but it was brought down to 15 people later.

There was a need to purchase an upfront license or a one-time license or upfront license, but I cannot remember the details about it clearly.

I would recommend the product to others, considering that IBM API Connect is one of the leading products in the market, but the concern is that it should reach the level of other products in the market, like Apigee and MuleSoft. The competition of IBM API Connect is with the leaders in the market, and to compete with them, API Connect should be a hybrid cloud-enabled product, and it has to offer a single pack to its users. If I talk about IBM API Connect, I should not be forced to purchase IBM App Connect or the other suites offered by IBM. I should be able to purchase the API Connect license easily.

I rate the overall solution an eight out of ten.

On-premises