Most companies today have a diverse set of applications and systems. Although many are old and designed in a monolithic structure, many are also legacy systems. Adding to the complexity, newer systems have been implemented over the years. Some older ones may have been partly or fully modernized and adapted to a modern component-based structure.
The IT department manages most applications, but different business units or departments might also have added their own IT tools. Essential and central data, however, is often found in the oldest and most original systems, while most of the systems and applications must communicate with each other and get access to relevant data.
It is crucial that important applications have access to the correct data, and this is essential when developing new applications to create a better customer experience. The key elements for getting it all together are APIs (Application Programming Interface), a protocol for systems and applications to talk to each other and transfer data in a controlled and organized way.
APIs are critical in developing new services, leveraging third-party services, or even selling or transferring data to other players in a good way. The APIs, however, must be aligned with rules and internal policies. Several legal requirements for different industries must be fulfilled, and this is where the APIs can play an important role.
Today, specific industries, such as banks, have to open access to their systems to enable other players to develop services (for example, PSD2). Well-organized and structured APIs are also necessary for digital co-creation.
Do not let APIs enable data breaches
Another important aspect is security. Regardless of how or where a new service is created, whether it runs in the cloud or on-premises, the business must ensure the highest possible security. Many cybercriminals specifically target vulnerabilities and security holes in APIs. A diverse set of APIs without unified overview and control exposes the business to significant risks. Data breaches can result in hefty fines and seriously damage customer trust and the brand.
Effective API management is required to handle the problem and create a unified strategy for managing systems and data effectively while enabling large-scale cloud-based innovation. This is especially important when operating multi-cloud and hybrid-cloud environments.
Today, many types of API management tools are adequate and relevant. However, it is still worrying that many companies do not have a central management structure for their APIs in place. API management tools can monitor individual APIs and help developers create, implement, and maintain the APIs needed for new services and applications to work well across a hybrid environment. The tools can also help simplify and standardize the APIs and their relationships and contribute to essential policies and, in some cases, built-in support for security and performance optimization.
At CGI, we have extensive experience in API management. We are product agnostic, which allows us to choose the tool that best suits your business. We also have extensive experience in implementing these tools quickly and efficiently and supporting the processes and routines to make the systems function well throughout the entire life cycle. In addition, we have a lot of industry expertise, which means we can assist you in getting your API management to support regulatory compliance.
Smart, don’t you think?!
Om forfatteren
Henrik Sjöstedt
Director Expert
Henrik Sjöstedt er ansvarlig for CGI’s Integration Delivery Center og har mere end 20 års erfaring med systemintegration og API’er. Henrik støtter organisationer i deres digitale forandringsrejse ved at implementere API-økosystemer, herunder både tekniske løsninger og tilhørende organisation og governance.
