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it_user1266102 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Architect at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Provides excellent connectivity but requires much better stability
Pros and Cons
  • "The connectivity the solution provides is excellent. There are often too many systems that we have to integrate and this helps with that."
  • "The solution isn't as stable as we'd like it to be. There are some ongoing issues and therefore Mule has to provide frequent patches. Mule's core IP should be more stable overall."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily provide services using the Mule ESB. We use it to integrate multiple systems.

What is most valuable?

The connectivity the solution provides is excellent. There are often too many systems that we have to integrate and this helps with that.

The platform itself is very good.

What needs improvement?

I'm not sure of any areas Mule ESB needs to improve.

The price of the solution is a little bit high. It would be helpful if different sized businesses had access to different plans.

The solution isn't as stable as we'd like it to be. There are some ongoing issues and therefore Mule has to provide frequent patches. Mule's core IP should be more stable overall.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been familiar with the solution for two years.

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We had a bit of an issue with stability when it came to running some large files. We kept getting an error. In the end, we had to divide the files and process it via multiple files because of the way we implemented them. Large file processing also seems to take up more memory.

How are customer service and support?

The technical support has been very good. It depends on the account we're working on, however. Good accounts get prompt responses in regards to queries.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We didn't previously use a different solution. We've only been working with MuleSoft.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward. We haven't faced any issues with implementation. They've recently simplified the processes. I recall, earlier it was not that easy to set up.

Deployment doesn't take too much time. Sometimes it can be done in minutes. It shouldn't take more than an hour.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I'm unsure of the licensing costs. I believe the total price is less than IBM, but it's still rather expensive.

What other advice do I have?

We're partners of MuleSoft. We provide the solution's service to our clients.

The solution would be useful for large organizations. If there are more than three or four systems, and if there is an expansion, it would work best. Small or medium enterprises with two or three systems, may find the solution a little bit unorganized.

I'd rate the solution seven out of ten. If the stability were more reliable, I'd rate it higher.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
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Developer JAVA/JEE, Mule ESB at a computer software company with 11-50 employees
Real User
Integrates well with Salesforce, but needs support for more datatypes and file formats
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature is the Salesforce integration."
  • "The Anypoint platform consumes a lot of memory, and it would be great for developers if it were more lightweight."

What is our primary use case?

We use Salesforce to store the most valuable information in our system. We have many clients that request this data, and we send it to them using the Mule ESB solution.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is the Salesforce integration.

The drag and drop feature makes it very easy for transformation, and to use the Anypoint platform.

It is very easy to manage the flow using Anypoint.

What needs improvement?

I would like to see the transformation component improved such that they can support the integration of more datatypes. For example, in version 3.7 they do not support the Excel format, and some companies using that version cannot do transformation with Excel input. As a workaround, they have to manually write Java code to do it.

The Anypoint platform consumes a lot of memory, and it would be great for developers if it were more lightweight.

It would be great if they extended the free trial of the API designer to two months.

For how long have I used the solution?

Four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The version that I am using, 3.8, is quite stable. My understanding of version 4 is that it is not stable, yet, because it is new, and it will take some time.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This solution is very scalable, and we can use it however we like. It can connect to every kind of system.

There are approximately two hundred people using the system, directly and indirectly.

How are customer service and technical support?

We have used technical support for some issues that we could not figure out by ourselves. They are fast and don't take a long time to respond.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We started with Mule ESB.

How was the initial setup?

The Anypoint platform is based on Eclipse, so anyone who has worked in Java will find it easy.

What about the implementation team?

I performed the installation myself.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The various features and components for this solution are no longer free.

What other advice do I have?

I will soon be migrating to version 4 of Mule ESB, although we are also interested in the WSO2 solution because it seems to be very complete.

Using Mule ESB does not require somebody to be a Java developer, although there are some Java concepts that you need to know. For example, some people use JSON, and I find that they are scared of Mule ESB because it is based on Java. But really, it isn't a problem if they don't know it.

This solution has good performance and support, but not everybody can use it because many of the features are expensive. Especially for application management, it is expensive compared to solutions such as WSO2. It is limiting for small and medium-sized companies.

I would rate this solution a seven out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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Developer at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Powerful data transformation technology, but it needs to be more user-friendly
Pros and Cons
  • "The most powerful feature is DataWeave, which is a powerful language where data can be transformed from one form into another."
  • "I would like to see support for BPM in the next release of this solution."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use for this solution is API driven related management and lightweight message processing.

What is most valuable?

The most powerful feature is DataWeave, which is a powerful language where data can be transformed from one form into another. 

What needs improvement?

This solution could be improved by making it more flexible, and more user-friendly.

I would like to see support for BPM in the next release of this solution.

For how long have I used the solution?

One year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This solution is very good, and it is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

In terms of scalability, it is very good.

How are customer service and technical support?

Technical support for this solution is very good, and very interactive. If I have any questions then I reach out to them and they respond very quickly.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We were using a variety of technologies, but we use this solution because it is a very lightweight message processing system.

How was the initial setup?

I would say that this initial setup was moderate.

What about the implementation team?

Our DevOps handled the implementation.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We looked at other options, but this one is what our vendor recommended.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate this solution a seven out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
reviewer958686 - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Lead at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
It helps in managing APIs, but many of the customers feel that the licensing costs are too much

What is our primary use case?

  • API integration with many backend systems, deployment options, testing. 
  • It helps me to manage API as well.

How has it helped my organization?

  • For API creation and integrations in agile mode.
  • Reduces the development cost and time as we work in agile mode.

What is most valuable?

Connectors: It has many connectors and components that really help to complete the development very quickly.

What needs improvement?

  • Support, and with respect to licensing cost.
  • Many of the customers feel that the licensing cost is much.

For how long have I used the solution?

One to three years.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
it_user805440 - PeerSpot reviewer
Applications Architect at Informatica Delta
Real User
We have seen a significant improvement in our processes
Pros and Cons
  • "The architecture based on events has several connectors which allow integration from external and internal applications of the company."
  • "The payment system needs improvement."

What is our primary use case?

The integration of an ERP system with a payment system in order to improve accounting information and invoice management.

How has it helped my organization?

We have seen a significant improvement in our processes: Response time decreased significantly and integration of services became faster.

What is most valuable?

The architecture based on events: It has several connectors which allow integration from external and internal applications of the company.

What needs improvement?

  • The payment system
  • The accounting and financial areas
  • The provisioning and enrollment system, because the response time was short.  

For how long have I used the solution?

One to three years.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
it_user642183 - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr. Integration Architect at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Valuable features API management, Connectors & Flow tuning
Pros and Cons
  • "Scalability and load balancing."
  • "Limitation on external subscribers to listen to the messages on the bus."

What is most valuable?

  • Routing
  • Enrichment
  • DataWeave
  • Choice of connectors
  • Light weight containers
  • Packaging and deploying
  • API management
  • Scalability and load balancing

How has it helped my organization?

  • Ability to integrate disparate systems with a seamless movement of data on-premises and in the cloud
  • Gives the power to make decisions and quick market penetration
  • Provides the time to build and release new features
  • Has Agile driven builds

What needs improvement?

  • Limitation on external subscribers to listen to the messages on the bus.
  • VM queues and memory/thread management need more stability.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for over five years.

What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

Not major issues but there are some rare version compatibility issues with connectors.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We did not encounter any stability issues.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

No issues with scalability. Especially the Cloud deployments can scale on demand and are seamless and reliable.

How are customer service and technical support?

Customer Service:

Customer SLAs are one of the top priorities at MuleSoft and they have been supportive in every situation.

Technical Support:

I found technical support to be very resourceful and experts are at hand.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We switched because this solution was found to be cost effective, freely available for community edition, and an easy transition from any programming background.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was pretty straightforward with few easy steps.

What about the implementation team?

In-house

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Get your basics right about your requirements and plan ahead especially w.r.t volumes, any premium connectors to be purchased and a rough estimate on integration touch points to get some idea on the overall cost.

Plan your licensing model (cloud or on-premises or hybrid) that will allow seamless integration with new partners.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We looked at Apache Camel, Fuse ESB, Dell Boomi, and TIBCO.

What other advice do I have?

Plan your use cases and set your expectations on the features that need to be implemented.

It is an ESB that can deploy seamlessly on-premises and in the cloud with strong API management and governance and has a strong integration with open source products like JBPM and Drools if these features are part of your requirements.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
it_user845028 - PeerSpot reviewer
it_user845028Staff Software Engineer at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Real User

Hi Nagesh,

I love all the posts, I really enjoyed.
I would like more information about this, because it is very nice., Thanks for sharing.
I just started the MuleSoft tutorial. In module one, video titled, "01 Introducing API-led connectivity with Anypoint Platform”, I went along with the tutor to create an API in API Manager in Anypoint Platform. However, I could not find any buttons to create a new API as shown in the video.
I understand these videos are old, so I went through the pdf files as well, but no walkthrough was given for this. If this is happening because my environment in the API Manager is set to Sandbox, then I already changed my default environment to Design, but the change is not reflected back in API Manager.
THANK YOU!! This saved my butt today, I’m immensely grateful.

Cheers,
Rahul

See all 2 comments
Senior Integration Consultant at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Consultant
Provides API support and management.
Pros and Cons
  • "We can use Java expressions anywhere in the flow."
  • "It needs more samples. Also, the dependency on Maven should be removed."

What is most valuable?

  • We can use Java expressions anywhere in the flow
  • Provides API support out-of-the-box
  • API management can be done using RAML

How has it helped my organization?

It is very easy to learn and implement. We were able to meet project deadlines on time.

What needs improvement?

It needs more samples. Also, the dependency on Maven should be removed.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used Mule ESB for one year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We had issues in Munit but rarely any stability issues.

We have not had stability issues.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have not had scalability issues.

How are customer service and technical support?

Customer Service:

We had few guys from their support team.

They were excellent.

Technical Support:

I would give technical support a rating of 8/10.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Firstly, the project architecture team decided to go with Mule.

Secondly, the project was from scratch and we want only microservices exposed over API hence, Mule was a promising deal.

However, in my next project we weren't able to go with as it much pricier than its competitors. Actually, from all the other vendors.

How was the initial setup?

The setup was complex, as I came from a different background (IBM products). However, it became smoother down the line.

What about the implementation team?

We went for a training first and then it was in-house after that.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

This is expensive. In my next project, we had to go to other vendor.

Apparently, this is the most expensive ESB solution out there as there is no more Community Edition.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We looked at IBM IB and webMethods.

What other advice do I have?

Go for it, but first read their sample exercises.

It is a one stop solution and it is an amazing product.
However,

1. It is an expensive product

2. Expensive support

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
PeerSpot user
Principal Architect And Management Council Member at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Top 20
It has changed our approach towards integration. HTTP/Messaging listener services, data transformation and connection handling are now redundant.
Pros and Cons
  • "Mule Expression Language"
  • "Documentation is cryptic, product releases are far too frequent, and upgrades become troublesome."

What is most valuable?

In order of importance:

- Connectors

- Data Weave

- Mule Expression Language


How has it helped my organization?

It has changed our approach towards integration, making plumbing functions such as HTTP/Messaging listener services, data transformation and connection handling redundant.

What needs improvement?

Documentation is cryptic, product releases are far too frequent, and upgrades become troublesome.

For how long have I used the solution?

1 year as a developer and architect.

What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

Deployment of custom flows is troublesome and fraught with difficulty

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Mule ESB Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: May 2025
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Mule ESB Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.