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API security is the most important element of API management. It is essential for APIs to be protected against unauthorized access and other threats. API security is more than authorizing and authenticating users to access the API. Policies and standards must be established to safeguard sensitive data. Organizations can define a standardized set of policies to safeguard APIs using API management solutions. Traffic to back-end systems can be controlled and stopped using API management.
API governance is another important aspect of API management. API governance's primary purpose is to provide a consistent user experience. Documentation, lifecycle management, and API discovery are also covered. API Governance enables developers to guarantee that every API programme is proactive and achieves a defined objective that benefits the enterprise.
Apps are increasingly being accessed via mobile devices. Developers must ensure API governance is used to create rich, complex APIs that enhance the mobile user experience.
API analytics is the third component of API management. It focuses on the central collection and analysis of API metrics. This can be done using real-time monitoring or dashboards. Developers and organizations can use API analytics to understand and rank the performance of their APIs. This component is useful for developers, IT operations, and business teams.
API management allows APIs to be monetized.This is a feature of an enterprise API that can bring in money. API monetization involves the creation of custom packages and plans and the productization and licensing of products and data.
API Management Overview
The foundational element of API management systems is API Gateway. The API Management Solutions architecture is shown in the diagram below.
API management software makes API design, deployment, and maintenance easier.
Most API management technologies offer security, sandbox environments, documentation, backward compatibility, and high availability. Usage reporting is a feature of many platforms for managing APIs.
Some API management platforms provide developer portals. They enable programmers to exchange or acquire the APIs they need to create applications. A developer portal-equipped API management platform is Apigee, for instance.
API management services may act as Agents, Proxy, or Hybrid
API services acting as a proxy: These services protect the back-end services from being down by many queries. They also provide caching capabilities.
Examples: Apigee, Mashery.
Agent services: These are the plugins that integrate with the server.
Example: 3scale.
API services provide a hybrid solution: It's a combination of agent and proxy.
Examples: Apigee and 3scale.
The API Management Tools Offer the Following Functions:
- Protect API from misuse
- Memory management.
- Traffic monitoring
- Automating and controlling the connections of APIs to the applications that use the APIs
- Assuring uniformity across multiple API versions and implementations.
Organizations adopting a variety of enterprise applications require them to be able to use the same solutions, even though they may come from different vendors. Many companies also wish to modify the functions of these applications to meet their needs. Dev teams can connect to their business software and create new applications. They can also refine and adapt existing apps using top application programming interfaces (API).
This guide to the major API management tools provides highlights and additional information to help you choose which would work best for your company.
What are the Benefits of API Management?
API management offers many benefits, including:
- The ability to make data-driven business decisions using API analytics.
- Protection of the organization against security threats that could affect APIs
- The ability to create detailed API documentation can help inform and attract developers.
- Central visibility allows organizations to view their API connections from one place. This reduces security vulnerabilities and decreases the number of repetitive APIs. It also identifies gaps that developers can address.
- The ability to monetize APIs and share revenue with partners. You can also track billing in real time.
- Improvements in API agility and the speed with which new digital assets can be created;
- Positive user experience for API users
- The ability to create an adaptable, flexible, agile, and innovative environment where all people, processes, and technology can collaborate.
By modernizing antiquated security protocols to conform to current API standards, API management enables a company to maximize the value of its historical systems. Complex data from outdated systems can be transformed into simpler message formats using API management software. Back-end services can be combined into a single capability accessible as an API using API management tools.
Platforms and Software for API Management
API management software was designed to simplify API deployment, maintenance and design. Each API management tool is unique, but most include essential features like API documentation, security and high availability.
The following functions are typically offered by API software tools:
- Automated and controlled connections between APIs and applications that use them.
- You can ensure consistency across multiple API versions and implementations.
- You can monitor traffic using individual apps.
- To improve the performance of your application, provide memory management and caching mechanisms.
- You can protect the API from misuse by wrapping it with security policies and procedures.
- Configure endpoints, load balance and fault tolerance.
You can either build your API management software or purchase it as a service from a third-party provider. The Open API movement, spearheaded by major companies such as Google, Facebook, and Twitter, has significantly reduced API dependency upon traditional service-oriented architecture (SOA). Instead of heavyweight JSON and REST services, it is lighter. Some API management tools convert JMS, SOAP, or MQ interfaces to RESTful APIs and JSON content.
Some organizations combine multiple API management tools to meet their management requirements. In contrast, others use an API platform. This prefabricated collection includes tools packaged in a standard deployment, API creation, and management environment. A platform that manages API requests acts as a proxy and protects back-end services against being hacked or having too many queries. Policies such as a rate limit are used to accomplish this.
API Platform Architecture: A layered architecture with many interconnected components is ideal for an API management platform. These elements include API key and authorization management, analytics, and usage reports. They also provide live updates and documentation management. Developers may be able to access the platform to acquire and distribute APIs necessary to build specific applications.
- The API portal (the community manager) allows API owners and developers to deploy and onboard their APIs. This includes access control through plans and contracts. The API portal is used by both internal and external developers to test, document and assess API availability.
- API management allows an organization to monitor the API's status at every stage of its journey. An API lifecycle goes through design, development, testing, deployment and retirement.
- The API Policy Manager manages the API's lifecycle. API policies will go through the same process as an API from conception to retirement. API management platforms offer a variety of policies that can be used to control API traffic, increase security, and increase the API's value. These policies are easy to implement without modifying back-end services or writing code.
- API Analytics offers platform users a variety of dashboards that show different operational aspects and business metrics. This data can be used for insights into the API's performance and errors, as well as patterns and trends in API usage. These data can inform business decisions, such as whether or not to monetize an API.
- The API Gateway is a software pattern that manages the presentation and request for APIs to clients or users. API gateways can also be used in microservices architectures to manage business-to-business integration. They are an alternative to traditional approaches like electronic data interchange (EDI).
The API gateway acts as a critical intermediary between API providers and API consumers. This presents unique challenges. The API gateway can be hampered in its functionality, which could lead to the loss of associated services. If it is compromised, this could pose a security risk. Enterprises should build resilience into their API gateway. Be wary of adding performance-reducing features and keep external-facing interfaces separate from internal APIs.
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Top API Management Platforms
- Cisin: The best for API testing
- SAP Integration Suite: Ideal for large companies and experienced app dev teams
- Workato - Best for automation
- Boomi: The best for inter-cloud data transfers
- IBM APIConnect: Best for API lifecycle management
- MuleSoft Anypoint Platform: The Best for API Design
- Software AG WebMethods - Best for Java developers
Cisin : The Best for API Testing
Cisin is widely used top API platforms, Cisin offers a flexible and collaborative environment that makes developing, testing, documenting, and designing APIs quickly easier. It also makes it easy to test the various endpoints of web services. Target User
Cisin is available to all businesses, even those with smaller budgets that cannot afford the more expensive API management tools. For large data sets, it may not be the right solution.
Key Features
- Reporting: This dashboard lets you track and manage your API lifecycle. This dashboard provides reports that show data on API activities such as creation, execution and testing. The reports will provide insights on API usage, performance and troubleshooting, and SLA compliance.
- Role-based access management: You can control who has access to each collection or environment in terms of both read and write operations. You can also use role-based delegation to assign tasks so that you can control who has access to which APIs.
- User groups Users: can do this to form groups and provide them permissions. You could, for instance, restrict access based on a user's position.
- Token scanning: Capture/scan all incoming requests/responses to secrets, tokens, and passwords so that you don't need to manually validate and verify them.
- Audit logs: This product keeps a detailed log of all API requests. It also contains metadata such as who created or deleted the collection, who was involved and when it occurred.
- You can restrict deployment from certain environments or collections with this product.
Pros
- Cisin offers an easy-to-use and popular testing solution.
- Cisin's interface is relatively intuitive.
- The team workspace allows developers on the same team to work together on an API project and exchange documentation.
Pricing
Enterprise pricing starts at $99 per user per calendar month and is billed annually.
Sap Integration Suite: Ideal For Large Companies And Application Development Teams
SAP Integration Suite (formerly SAP Cloud Platform) is a cloud-based solution that allows you to build and manage APIs, data, and process integration. With SAP Enterprise Applications like HANA, it may be incorporated. Organizations that employ additional SAP products are advised to use the Integration Suite.
Target User
SAP Integration Suite is ideal for larger companies and experienced app development teams. It offers advanced API management capabilities. If SAP is chosen, teams should be ready for heavy maintenance.
Key Features
- API Portal: This portal allows developers to find, use, manage and monitor their APIs. It also lets them publish, analyze, and publish APIs they use in their business processes. This platform allows you to buy and sell APIs.
- API Gateway: This gateway allows you to connect legacy and cloud-based applications with enterprise apps and developers, creating new services.
- Access management: Authorization and access management are possible with OAuth support. Rate limitation and throttling are supported for any application or collection of applications by this service.
- API Developer: This developer console aids developers in managing, understanding, and keeping an eye on their APIs. Moreover, configurable API metadata management is supported. To assist you in testing your APIs before they are used in production, SAP provides a testing environment.
- Data connectivity Tools and Integration Tools: They offer a variety of cloud-based capabilities, including Master Data Management, as well as features like data quality and data discovery and transformation (ETL) (MDM).
Pros
- Companies using SAP products, such as SAP HANA, can use the Integration Suite. They can sync their current cloud platforms with it.
- Large enterprises that need to create their apps and have access to various tools and development resources to help them do so will love the SAP Integration Suite.
Cons
- SAP Integration Suite is an expensive solution that is not affordable for smaller companies.
- The suite is best if implemented slowly, and teams must have experienced staff to use it.
Pricing
On request, SAP estimates are available.
Read More: What are the Benefits of API Management Software in 2023?
Workato - Best for Automation
Workato has been used by over 7,000 companies around the world. This is one of the api integration tools that allows you to integrate different tools with your APIs. This tool is useful for inexperienced citizen developers or teams who still want to participate in the automation design process.
Target User
Although Workato is great for teams with experience, it's also useful for those who don't have the technical skills to build automation. Its low-code design allows teams of experienced engineers to collaborate on API or automation projects.
Key Features
- Low-code Integration Core: This allows you to create integrations with just one line of code. With a drag-and-drop user interface, it is simple to use.
- Automation of enterprise workflows: Allows you to automate workflows and trigger events.
- Connectivity: This product can connect with hundreds of apps, including Salesforce, Office 365 and Google Apps.
- Intelligence: With the help of pre-built connectors and an API, this platform makes it simple to get started utilizing APIs. Developers may also use the API to build modules for the platform. This can be used to transform or combine data from several sources or to enrich the data. Integration of open-source tools like Selenium or Jenkins provides automated testing capabilities.
- On-prem Agent: Access premises databases and folders without having to go through the customer's firewall
Pros
Workato's low-code, no-code approach makes it easy for less-experienced developers to create workflow automation.
Cons
Workato's pricing for small and medium-sized businesses is very high. Pricing is calculated based on the workflows used.
Pricing
On request, estimates are available.
Boomi: The Best For Inter-Cloud Data Transfers
Boomi is a cloud-based connection platform that connects any enterprise application with APIs and web services anywhere in the world. Boomi can integrate data from existing apps via SOAP or REST calls. It also supports integration with APIs from SaaS applications.
Target User
Boomi is a great choice for businesses that need to integrate multiple applications and data sources. This is especially true if they have large datasets coming from multiple locations. Boomi is a great choice for teams with limited programming experience because of its low code.
Key Features
- Cloud and Database Support: One interface for web services, enterprise applications, and databases.
- Protocol Support: Supports REST-based web services and secure file transfer using SFTP and FTPS.
- Data Search: A connector browser which allows you to search data sources and create custom connectors.
- Data Transformation Capabilities: ETL engine allows you to create data transformation maps that allow multiple data sources to be processed simultaneously. It provides preview and real-time mapping capabilities and support for error handling during integrations.
- Pervasive Intelligence: This product is built on a pluggable architecture, making it easier to integrate new data sources. These include databases, APIs, and cloud applications.
- Automatic Testing: Its open-source link to Jenkins Integration Suite enables this capability.
Pros
- Boomi's low-code approach lets inexperienced developers and other non-technical members design data workflows.
- Many Boomi users praised the customer service team.
- Boomi has many connector options.
Pricing
Boomi offers a free 30-day trial. The vendor offers iPaaS pricing.
IBM APIConnect: Best for API lifecycle management
This item is a DevOps-specific api integration platform. It offers a lone connector for all online services and APIs. Data from various sources can be integrated into a single central database or location. You can build unique connectors using IBM API Connect, based on open standards like UDDI and RESTful APIs. Applications running on both private and public clouds can support RESTful APIs.
Target User
IBM API Connect is an excellent choice for companies that require a secure API management system. IBM is the best choice if your company needs to manage all aspects of the API lifecycle from one place.
Key Features
- Enterprise-grade Security: You can put the solution into live systems because authorization, authentication, and encryption are features that are embedded into every API.
- Easy to use: Provides a GUI to manage, monitor and define your APIs in real-time. Additional features include automated testing capabilities provided by open-source tools like Selenium or Jenkins.
- Cloud connectors: Offer integrated connectors for Salesforce and Azure. You can also customize pre-built templates to suit your business needs.
Pros
- Users love the simplicity of the UI, the ability to manage every part of the API lifecycle from one portal, and the ease of using it.
- API Connect offers superior security features than other providers
- IBM API Connect is a very stable solution
Cons
- IBM API Connect can be expensive for small businesses
- According to several customer reviews, there is a lack of available product documentation.
Pricing
IBM API Connect offers four pricing levels with a free trial.
Software AG: The Best for Java Developers
Software AG's webMethods platform is powerful, flexible and simple to use. It allows you to integrate your on-premises apps with SaaS apps, create APIs and process B2B partner transactions. It is a recognized leader in API management, integration, and B2B.
Target User
Software AG is a software platform that can be used to integrate hybrid and multi cloud applications into digital transformation projects.
Read More: Why API Integration Services Are Important
Key Features
- Manage API security: This allows you to monitor usage patterns and manage your APIs. This includes authorization and user authentication.
- Make money with your data: It offers a cloud-based API marketplace that allows you to monetize digital assets and data while allowing you to access APIs from other vendors.
- Catalog APIs This allows you to catalog and track your API usage patterns.
- Monitor API Consumption: This tool allows you to track API usage patterns and monitor API usage to identify improvement opportunities.
Pros
- More than 300 application connectors are supported by the Integration Server.
- WebMethods is a Java service-based program that's great for Java programmers looking to do advanced coding.
Pricing
For pricing information, contact sales
MuleSoft Anypoint Platform is Best for API Design
The Anypoint Platform from MuleSoft integrates apps and data throughout the API lifecycle and is an enterprise-grade cloud platform. With pre-built connectors to SaaS services like Salesforce, Workday, and ServiceNow, it integrates with countless millions of apps. Moreover, the platform connects with over 70 APIs.
Using an open, pluggable architecture, the platform allows secure data and services access. This enables extensive connectivity to both current systems and cloud services. Businesses can connect to any application thanks to open standards.
Target User
MuleSoft is a flexible API management system used in multiple cloud environments. MuleSoft is a good choice for enterprises that require scalable API management. MuleSoft, now owned by Salesforce, is a good option for existing Salesforce customers looking to implement a new tool for managing applications.
Key Features
- Wide connectivity to existing and cloud services: Secure access to data and services through an open, pluggable architecture. This enables wide connectivity to both existing systems as well as cloud services.
- Based on open standards Designed to allow businesses to connect with any app.
- Quick API creation: This tool allows you to create APIs quickly. It also integrates with more than 70 APIs.
- Low Total Cost of Ownership: With a modular construction that enables you to expand your platform as your organization expands, it is enterprise-grade.
- Multi-cloud assistance: may install APIs across various cloud infrastructures, including IBM Bluemix and Amazon Web Services.
Pros
- MuleSoft's Anypoint Design Studio allows developers to design and prepare their applications.
- Mulesoft Anypoint is easy to use for customers overall
- Anypoint is Java-based, making it an excellent choice for teams with Java programmers.
Cons
- Mulesoft uses Eclipse for its integrated development environment (IDE). Eclipse is slow and heavy on memory, which can hinder developers who work on large projects.
- Mulesoft does not retrieve metadata from databases when mapping occurs.
Pricing
MuleSoft's Anypoint Platform is available for a free trial. For enterprise pricing.
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The Bottom Line: Choosing an API Management Tool
These questions will help you choose an API management tool.
- How experienced and large is my dev team? Are they looking for a simple solution with low-code options and an interface? Or are they skilled enough to code more complex solutions?
- What types of APIs are these products compatible with? Are our teams only looking for REST API support? Or SOAP as well?
- Are our systems capable of supporting this platform with enough memory? Or will they not have enough computing power? Different API management tools can have different processing capabilities.
Your business will be better positioned to choose the right API management platform if you consider your development team's requirements and needs for your most important business applications.
