What is an iPaaS?
According to Gartner:
“Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) is a suite of cloud services enabling development, execution and governance of integration flows connecting any combination of on premises and cloud-based processes, services, applications and data within individual or across multiple organisations.”
In our words:
iPaaS is a cloud integration platform that combines application and data integration. It is an online software tool that allows users to design and create integrations and then install them for execution. In addition, active integrations can be monitored. This way you can manage and optimise your integrations through a user-friendly user interface.
What are the advantages?
The biggest advantage is bringing together all the applications that you use as a company. This creates a clear view and control. iPaaS unravels complexity and simplifies processes. Because building blocks from the same toolkit can be chosen for each integration, a basic knowledge is created that can be used for each integration. Various cost savings can be achieved with iPaaS. One that should definitely be mentioned is minimising changes to existing applications or even replacing legacy systems.
Overall you can simplify your IT with an iPaaS. By creating a virtual platform, all applications and resources are connected, creating a consistent and manageable structure. Everything that needs to be managed on the platform takes place in one place, which saves a lot of time.
What are the disadvantages?
There is a large array of different iPaaS solutions. It makes it difficult to select the correct one that fits your current and future integration requirements.
iPaas are generally used by multiple persons within an organisation. That creates a bigger window for human error and the risk of accidental data exposure. You will need to make sure your internal processes are aimed towards correct use of the platform.
In some iPaaS, integration tasks may require advanced software or IT knowledge. Since market and legislative requirements are making business more complex this will probably not change in the foreseeable future.
Some very specific or niche integration challenges might be better served with a more traditional method such as ETL / hub-spoke / ESB / point-to-point connections.
Why Dovetail iPaaS?
Dovetail has all the advantages of an iPaaS and some more.
- No programming knowledge is required for Dovetail. With the graphical user interface you can easily click and set process flows together with ‘drag and drop’. If you have knowledge of the business processes you can create flows. This is an operational advantage and a financial one as well, because you don’t have to allocate developer hours to it.
- Whilst building the flow you are creating your documentation which is very important in the maintenance and sustainability of your solution
- Testing and putting flows live can be done in the same environment. With smart version management you are completely in control. Active flows are logged at component level and can be managed with the Flow Manager.
Want to know more about the Dovetail product, continue reading here.
