| By Matt McLarty |
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| July 23, 2012 07:45 AM EDT |
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The hottest IT trends of 2012 are shaping up to be Cloud, mobile and “big data”. The links between API management, Cloud and mobile are clear. The links between API management and big data – a concept that creates capabilities for capturing and analyzing previously unimaginable amounts of unstructured data – are less obvious but no less significant. I see two key areas of synergy…
First of all, in the three-tier architecture of the Web, the line was typically blurry between the presentation and logic tiers and concrete between logic and data. Big data now blurs the line between logic and data. Combine this with the fact that the mobile app development paradigm fragments the presentation platform and it is evident that the API will become the concrete and consistent border in application processing flows. In this context, API management will prove vital in enforcing security, collecting business metrics and normalizing protocols.
Second, big data allows analytics to be performed in the scope of real-time data retrieval. This will create another wave of real-time integration needs in enterprises of every size. More real-time integration means more APIs with higher volumes. The common protocol for exposing big data on the network is REST using either JSON or XML formats. Again, this will mean a greater necessity for API management tools and techniques and a compound benefit in their usage.
Simply put, mobile, Cloud and Big Data are driving a new era of enterprise IT and API management will provide amplified value for companies embracing these trends.
Matt McLarty is focused on customer success, providing implementation best practices and architectural guidance to ensure clients receive the maximum benefit from Layer 7’s products. Matt brings over 15 years of technology leadership to Layer 7, with a particular focus on enterprise architecture, strategy and integration. Prior to joining Layer 7, Matt led the global IBM technical sales organization responsible for application integration software and solutions, notably helping to grow the SOA Gateway business substantially over a five-year period. Before joining IBM, Matt worked as a Senior Director and Enterprise Architect focused on SOA, electronic payments and identity management. Follow him on Twitter at @MattMcLartyBC.
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