Dec 02, 2022
MuleSoft Anypoint
IBM API Connect and MuleSoft API Manager are prominent competitors in the API management platform category. IBM API Connect seems to have an edge due to its emphasis on security and enterprise integration capabilities.
Features:IBM API Connect is recognized for its robust security gateway, effective integration with internal systems, and efficient API lifecycle management. Its self-service developer portal, analytics capabilities, and integration with IBM DataPower are particularly appreciated by users. MuleSoft API Manager is known for its extensive connector library, which facilitates seamless data exchange across various backend systems. Its API gateway and flexible management tools stand out for easy configuration and multi-application integration.
Room for Improvement:IBM API Connect can improve its integration with the Exchange Server and enhance automation deployment features. Stability and debugging are also identified as areas requiring attention. MuleSoft API Manager requires improvements in API policy customization and monetization features, with some concerns raised about its premium cost. Enhanced security and documentation are other potential development areas for MuleSoft.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service:IBM API Connect supports on-premises and hybrid cloud deployments but receives mixed reviews for its technical support, particularly regarding responsiveness. MuleSoft API Manager provides flexible deployment options across private, public, and hybrid clouds, with technical support viewed as adequate yet occasionally slow, especially for detailed feature explanations.
Pricing and ROI:IBM API Connect is considered expensive, making it more suitable for enterprise-level projects. Despite the high cost, it offers significant ROI through integration and process facilitation. MuleSoft API Manager is also costly but recognized for providing a comprehensive functionality package. The pricing models of both platforms are a common concern, with calls for a more accessible pricing structure to justify investment against ROI.
Reducing development hours from eighty to four for an API was possible due to reusing existing scripts from DataPower.
I have seen a return on investment from using IBM API Connect, as we created multiple plans based on customer usage.
This iPaaS platform with CloudHub eliminates variable infrastructure-related costs and saves enterprises on connectivity and operations costs, as everything comes bundled from the MuleSoft side.
Support is excellent when it comes to APIC.
Support is extremely good, especially with Sev 1 issues.
Our enterprise pays for a special success program, which provides priority support.
They can be slow in addressing security vulnerabilities.
If bug fixing is required for downtimes or issues, we receive prompt support with alternative solutions or workarounds.
With container versions, scaling up or down the gateways deployed into pods is a two to three-minute task for the operations team.
It is distributed among IBM MQ, IBM Ace, IBM DataPower, and IBM API Connect.
IBM API Connect's scalability is good, as you can handle it easily similar to how you manage cloud providers.
Regarding availability, especially with iPaaS solutions, they guarantee 99.99%.
The runtime engine for the APIC Gateway is still a DataPower component, which has been stable in the industry for about fifteen years.
If it is functioning well, you won't have a bad experience and your application becomes more reliable.
There was an issue when trying to implement a request-reply pattern using JMS, which was not functioning as expected despite being documented.
Examples include the lack of connectivity to MQ.
You need to know when traffic peaks, so use auto-scaling when traffic comes.
Connectivity to MQ is not available in IBM API Connect.
Introducing features related to auto governance without manual effort would make the API Manager smarter and more efficient for enterprises with complex landscapes.
Managing the cost of MuleSoft, particularly the billing model based on the number of active cores/threads, has been challenging.
Pricing depends on how many instances run across environments.
The major challenge they face is the high pricing, which has become notable especially since they transitioned from a VCore to a usage-based subscription.
The pricing is high, which is the biggest point where some customers are hesitant about adopting it.
The cost for using MuleSoft is approximately $500,000 USD per year.
It offers significant development efficiency, reducing man-hours from eighty to four when creating APIs.
We can add some policies to provide extra security, protect your backend, validate the consumers, and analyze based on the traffic limit to throw things out.
IBM API Connect has a designer and CLI features which can be used to completely automate the API.
MuleSoft's ability to connect to third-party monitoring platforms like AWS, Datadog, and Elastic makes operational analysis more efficient.
It also enables us to create additional layers of authentication, like integrating external providers for OAuth, within reduced timelines.
In MuleSoft API Manager, I find features like throttling and security to be the most valuable, as these are the things we use and configure as part of our deployments.
| Product | Market Share (%) |
|---|---|
| MuleSoft API Manager | 4.5% |
| IBM API Connect | 5.0% |
| Other | 90.5% |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 19 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 10 |
| Large Enterprise | 61 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 17 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 5 |
| Large Enterprise | 43 |
IBM API Connect is an API management tool providing robust security, seamless REST and SOAP conversion, and flexible deployment options for diverse cloud environments. It aids organizations in securing and monetizing their APIs while streamlining the development process.
IBM API Connect offers features like a security gateway, API lifecycle management, and integration with DataPower. Its intuitive interface enhances ease of use, supporting extensive analytics and traffic management. However, there are areas for improvement in automation, system integration, and user configuration. Organizations can deploy API Connect on-premises or in the cloud, delivering secure access control and analytics for banking, financial services, and government sectors. Compliance with standards like PSD2 ensures secure external API exposure and integration with multiple systems.
What are the most important features of IBM API Connect?In specific industries like banking, financial services, and government sectors, IBM API Connect plays a crucial role in API management, orchestration, and regulation tasks. It provides secure access, control, and compliance with industry standards, serving as an essential gateway for data exchange and integration across multiple systems.
Mulesoft API Manager is the portion of the Anypoint Platform that is used for the designing, building, managing, and publishing of APIs. Anypoint Platform uses Mule as its core runtime engine.
Mulesoft API Manager is an extremely versatile solution. It offers users the ability to deploy their APIs in a number of different settings. You can use API Manager on a public cloud, a private cloud, or a hybrid. Additionally, users can use the solution to manage their deployments with ease. A few clicks are all you need to alter your deployment.
Benefits of Mulesoft API Manager
Some of the benefits of using Mulesoft API Manager include:
Reviews from Real Users
Mulesoft API Manager is a highly effective piece of software whose purpose is to enable users to design, build, manage, and publish APIs. It stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Two major ones are the ease with which users can connect it to their applications and the high level of value that its support offers. It provides users with the ability to easily connect this solution with whatever program they need to join it with. Users can create connections without having to write code. It offers different types of support which ensure that users have a high level of understanding about the product and how to use it.
PeerSpot user Tolulope A., a technical lead specializing in integration and middleware at a financial services firm, notes the ease with which users can connect Mulesoft API Manager to their applications. He writes, “One good thing about MuleSoft is that they have a lot of connectors to those back-end applications. We don't really need to write code to be able to connect to a database or to connect with SAP. You just need credentials and the connectivity details. Most of the development of what we do is just drag and drop. They're able to connect with applications using standard connectors that are provided by ESB, by MuleSoft.”
The CEO & Co-Founder at a computer retailer notes the value of Mulesoft’s supporting documentation. They write, “The documentation is great; it is always up-to-date and well-presented. If any details are missing, then there is a blog available that contains a lot of details. There are also channels on YouTube to help you better understand the solution and what some of the processes look like.”
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