Complex ecosystems of applications and business processes now define the modern enterprise. On a positive note, several technology platforms and solutions are available to address this complexity and improve business efficiency. As an example, mid-market insurance organizations typically use four to five technology platforms, twenty to twenty-five applications, and more than thirty business processes to conduct their business. This includes a combination of custom-built applications, Software as a Service (SaaS) applications, and processes managed using Microsoft Office productivity tools where all of these have evolved over time as the business grows organically or through acquisitions. At Exavalu, with our deep domain knowledge in multiple industries, we help clients formulate and implement a well-architected integration strategy. This helps them break the silos, focus on key business processes, and access specialized technology solutions at a competitive price point.
Exavalu utilizes the WSO2 integration platform to provide a comprehensive suite of tools, a well-architected framework for system integration, and open-source products that the community continuously updates to address modern integration needs. A leader in API Management Software WSO2 offers enterprise-quality platform support, a rich developer community, and a partner network to satisfy a wide range of integration challenges cost-competitively. WSO2 has become the largest open-source integration vendor, by size of revenue and number of customers.
Let us explore how Exavalu utilizes WSO2 integration platform to build solutions for typical integration challenges.
Applications support business functionality, encapsulating business logic and data to produce business outcomes in the most efficient manner. This business functionality can be made available to internal or external customers either via a user interface and/or an API (Application Programming Interface). Older applications, such as mainframe applications, follow a monolithic architecture pattern and provide only a user interface. Modern applications follow a disaggregated architecture pattern and provide API-based connectivity that lets developers compose user interfaces and business functions suitable for the business workflow. Integration challenges stem from the application architecture and how applications:
1) expose functionality and data to the external world;
2) manage access securely;
3) interoperate with the platforms that host them; and
4) adapt to load conditions.
With the introduction of containers and microservices, the application architecture has shifted drastically from monolithic to disaggregated architecture patterns where smaller, composable pieces of functionality have become packaged for maximum efficiency during development, deployment, and run time. Three main integration categories – Application integration, data integration, low-code integration as a platform along with the major players in that space are represented in the diagram below.
Businesses invest $30+ billion (about $92 per person in the U.S.) annually on integration technology ecosystems. Demand for integration accelerates as users expect ease of use and convenience when shopping online or completing transactions. Offering multiple payment options for shopping-carts (banks, credit card vendors, PayPal, others) has become a table stakes expectation from a modern consumer!
To support user experience expectations, integration has evolved from only data movement between systems to application integration. The right functional units (typically micro-services) are weaved together using APIs, composable architectures creating a seamless user experience. The user expects a responsive UI, with security, privacy, and connectivity all table stakes.
Exavalu helps enterprises innovate their products with services comprised of cloud, data, AI (Artificial Intelligence), and cybersecurity technologies. Integrating these services to provide seamless user experiences has become the main challenge.
Established in 2005, WSO2 has evolved into a prominent player in the middleware market, offering a robust suite of tools designed to help organizations efficiently build, deploy, and manage their applications and services.
Open-source software providers like WSO2 update their services (communication protocols, data formats, and the specifications to use their services) frequently to meet market demands and security concerns. A community evaluates problems and solves them quickly. Proprietary software, on the other hand, relies on developers who must wait for software development specifications and then prioritize these in their backlogs, hampering the speed of making necessary changes.
The three main pillars comprise WSO2’s integration platform include – API Manager, Enterprise Integrator, and Identity Server.
API Manager provides full API lifecycle management, monetization, and policy enforcement, with the main components grouped intuitively into a management plane, a data plane, and a control plane for API design, creation, reuse, governance, and analytics.
Enterprise Integrator includes two main components – micro integration and streaming integration, with both open-source, cloud-native, and distributed.
Identity Server is an identity and access management (IAM) product. It includes capabilities for identity federation, customer authentication, adaptive access control, and API security.
WSO2 can significantly streamline integration processes, improve ROI, and support various deployment scenarios. WSO2’s comprehensive feature set and adaptability make it an asset for organizations seeking to enhance their integration strategies and drive operational efficiencies at lower price points. WSO2’s advantages listed below often make it a preferred integration platform choice:
WSO2’s open-source model provides flexibility, customization, and extensibility of the platform, with support from WSO2.
Supports a variety of integration styles including real-time, batch, and event-driven processing to meet different operational requirements.
Uses SEDA to manage workloads efficiently, ensuring scalability and performance under varying loads.
Offers a cost-effective solution with a reduced TCO, helping to optimize IT budgets. WSO2 uses an open-source licensing model where clients pay for support only, with no vendor lock-in.
Includes support for modern protocols like gRPC, GraphQL, and WebSocket, as well as traditional alternatives like REST and SOAP.
Provides a unified platform with integrated capabilities for integration, API management, and identity and access management (IAM).
Combines API management (APIM) and an enterprise service bus (ESB) for simplified technology stacks and improved return on investment (ROI).
Delivers robust support and service options suited for enterprise environments.
Incorporates advanced security features powered by AI, enhancing protection against potential threats.
Facilitates modern development practices with a design-first approach, improving the efficiency of integration projects.
Accommodates diverse deployment options, including on-premise, cloud, hybrid, and iPaaS, with support for Docker and Kubernetes flexibilities.
Exavalu implements the WSO2 integration platform for our clients to meet the challenges and opportunities of a fast-changing integration landscape. The WSO2 integration platform offers flexibility, scalability, and a comprehensive range of integration capabilities, making it an excellent choice to connect diverse systems, services, and data sources. With a robust suite of products, including enterprise integration, API management, identity management, access management, and data analytics, WSO2 enables businesses to manage and secure their integration processes effectively.
Exavalu helps our clients to define and achieve their digital transformation journeys. Given the escalating importance of digital transformation, WSO2’s support for hybrid and multi-cloud environments, microservices architectures, and real-time analytics makes it a natural choice for integrations. Its commitment to open standards and community-driven development ensures adaptability and responsiveness to emerging trends and technologies.
Overall, Exavalu harnesses WSO2’s strengths in providing cohesive, flexible integration solutions at attractive price points. This allows organizations to increase their operational agility and innovation more easily in a complex digital world.