Integration platform as a Service (iPaaS) is a suite of automated tools that deliver the cloud service for application, data, process, and service-oriented architecture integration scenarios. iPaaS standardize the data flow between different cloud and business applications.
You can use iPaaS to share data between multiple systems. Like in the E-commerce system, you can seamlessly share the details between orders and accounting systems. In complex systems, you can share, transform the data between systems(vendor1) to systems(vendor2) using iPaaS.
The iPaaS is a multi-tenant platform that supports cloud-to-cloud, cloud-to-on-premise, on-premise-to-on-premise, and B2B integration. In addition, the iPaaS supports real-time integration and scales to meet the high-volume demands of mobile, extract, transform, and load (ETL) and electronic data interchange (EDI) environments.
What is iPaaS
Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) collects cloud services, execution, and governance of integration flows connecting any combination of on-premises and cloud-based processes, services, applications, and data within individual or across multiple organizations.
IPaaS platform provides the prebuilt connectors, maps, business rules, and transformations that facilitate the development of integration flows and Application Programming Interface (API)s.
IPaaS providers also offer routine development kits for linking legacy applications with mobile and social apps. Commercial additional features include capabilities for managing data quality.
An iPaaS is the managed solution for hosting, developing, and integrating cloud data and applications. The best iPaaS solutions include simple, graphic accessories to help visualize and work with an overall business intelligence picture.
What does iPaaS provide?
Also known as a “cloud integration platform,” an iPaaS can support everything from an infrastructure point to data warehousing to application design to DevOps environments.
In increasingly cloud-based technologies, the right iPaaS solution can simplify the integration of applications, data, security, and business compliance.
Whether you are looking to launch the cloud integration as an expansion of the physical environment or architect of a pure cloud ecosystem, choosing the right iPaaS provider is key to successfully adopting cloud technologies in your business.
Features of iPaaS
- Leveraging cloud technologies: It streamlines complex integration flows, improves efficiencies, manages resources better, and reduces costs.
- Embedded integration offerings enable customers to handle explicit data synchronization and migration tasks without tasking their IT teams.
- Self-service data preparation includes the integration flows, such as creating reusable data preparation processes that will deliver the data to self-service analytics and Business Intelligence tools.
- Sales lead-management functions: It collects attendee contact information for live or online events and quickly integrates it into the CMS or marketing automation platform.
- B2B data exchanges: It exchanges secure data flows within partner networks. It eliminates the need to write code based on the APIs and speeds the process of onboarding customers and partners.
- Easy to manage virtual infrastructure: Versatile iPaaS providers integrate seamlessly with locally hosted virtual architecture or with industry-leading cloud platforms like AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Salesforce, etc. Regardless of the current design, the iPaaS should host it now and be capable of utilizing other cloud techs with no loss in manageability.
- Data warehousing and integration: Business intelligence can be the difference between profit and loss, so the chosen platform should be able to share the data in near real-time with applications, data stores, and more. The flexible iPaaS solution that accounts for hot, cold, working, and ever-expanding data handling will be the baseline requirement for future networks.
- Application development and continuous delivery: An iPaaS should allow development teams to develop internally or rely on the cloud tools to design, integrate, and deliver applications across the organization. Take advantage of testing and deployment automation to maximize developer team potential and go to market faster with secure, scalable applications that operate across all the accessible environments.
- Security and compliance: The right iPaaS partner offers critical business security like fraud detection, real-time intruder alerts and response, and easy-to-read audit and reporting screens. Also, the iPaaS should ensure compliance with the industry standards like those mandated by the Payment Card Security Standards Council and the GDPR. Executing mandatory audits and visualizing threats on the iPaaS-provided interfaces relieves the massive workload from internal IT experts and greatly simplifies cloud integration.
How does iPaaS work
iPaaS vendors supply the servers and data infrastructures and other software tools for building, testing, deploying, and managing the software applications in the cloud.
Most iPaaS offerings include the maps and transformations to speed up the development of integration flows and prebuilt connectors and business rules for defining interactions. In most scenarios, the iPaaS services are shared in the multi-tenant setup.
The integrated platform as a service provider is like a contractor hired to manage the canteen renovation. After the canteen owner picks out appliances, flooring, and lighting, the onus is on the contractor to get the job done.
The same can be said with iPaaS, in that the management and governance of the various services are in the hands of the vendor.
iPaaS and Multitenancy
iPaaS is a simplified software multitenancy. In earlier cloud design models, a single instance of a running software application was deployed each time a client or tenant required interaction.
If a thousand clients interacted with an environment at once, a thousand software instances provided them. So, that was the main problem.
To solve that problem, let me introduce software multitenancy. It is a single instance that can use resource sharing on the iPaaS and serve tenants around the globe. This single instance also provides a lone point of updates and changes so that minor tweaks won’t require massive enterprise rollouts.
Multitenancy can greatly reduce network overhead and further lower total ownership costs.
iPaaS vs. PaaS vs. SaaS
Let’s understand the difference between iPaaS vs. PaaS vs. SaaS.
Platform as a service (PaaS) refers to one cloud-based toolset that enables developers to govern all the services. PaaS focuses on one portion of the development project rather than an entire infrastructure. This approach allows the developers to change and upgrade operating systems while still being collaborative and without disrupting the whole system.
Integration PaaS joins several platforms, utilizing the same benefits as PaaS at a broader scale.
Finally, the software as a service (SaaS) uses a third-party provider to host applications over the internet. SaaS reduces utilizing the organization’s own data center or computer, saving money, storage, and time. IPaaS tools can simplify the hybrid SaaS deployments and work best with existing legacy systems of medium-to-low complexity.
iPaaS providers
IPaaS vendors work toward combining enterprise systems within the cloud and between private and public clouds, all while keeping expenses in mind.
There are two primary schools of vendors for iPaaS.
- First, the older, existing integration companies have modified their tools to work with cloud services. TIBCO, Informatica, and IBM are a few examples of companies using their experience and incorporating users’ needs to create integration service platforms.
- Second, Dell Boomi, SnapLogic, and MuleSoft are just some examples of companies that have found success based on and around cloud services.
iPaaS vs. ESB
IPaaS has often been used in business-to-business (B2B) scenarios where speedy release times are the primary requirement.
The downside to this type of prepackaged integration product is that it increases the threat of vendor lock-in.
Advantages of iPaaS
- An iPaaS brings an organization’s sole needs together into a cloud-based toolset.
- IPaaS is scalable and can meet the increased data volume from mobile and other environments. In addition, it supports real-time integration with the goal of minimum interruption, providing clients with an enhanced overall experience.
- An iPaaS can simplify the enterprise’s overall system. IPaaS connects applications and resources to develop a consistent structure by creating a virtual platform.
- The iPaaS framework creates the seamless integration of resources over multiple clouds and between cloud and legacy applications.
- All the platform management can happen in a single place, so the planning and time to market are minimized. Ideally, iPaaS helps operate the business’s growing integration requirements without adding expense to an IT environment.
Conclusion
In today’s rapidly data-changing world, moving your data from the system to the system often becomes tedious. As a result, companies need a way to automate these business processes, and that is where they come to Business Integration.
Traditional business integration from one software vendor to another becomes labor-intensive; that is where iPaaS comes in.
The iPaaS helps small, medium, and enterprise-level applications. In 2020, cloud computing will be at its peak, so iPaaS is very helpful in a cloud-based infrastructure.
So, in this article, we have seen What is Integration Platform As A Service(iPaaS), features of iPaaS, the difference between iPaaS vs. PaaS vs. SaaS, iPaaS providers, iPaaS, and Multitenancy.
That’s it.
