Need to connect to cloud apps?

Knowledge base
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Issue 1, 2014

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Try webMethods CloudStreams with free trial

Is adopting cloud-based applications high on your agenda? How will you integrate new cloud apps with your existing on-premise applications? Introduced in 2013, webMethods CloudStreams provides a simple yet powerful way to integrate cloud apps with your existing IT application infrastructure.

 

The importance of integrating cloud apps

Adopting a cloud app is a battle only half-won. The real business value lies in truly integrating cloud apps with the rest of your applications. Integration allows users to use the cloud app in a very connected and seamless manner—where the data and processes are fully integrated with on-premise applications. The integration of cloud apps with your existing applications prevents the cloud from becoming just another IT silo.
 
 

webMethods CloudStreams 

With webMethods CloudStreams, Software AG extended the industry’s most powerful integration platform to provide a simple yet powerful way to integrate cloud apps. CloudStreams is built on top of the webMethods Integration Server, and it seamlessly integrates cloud-based applications with the existing IT application infrastructure.
 
CloudStreams is very simple to use and connects Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications with little or no coding at all. CloudStreams requires configuration rather than coding; it uses visual mapping and transformation to convert between data types.
 
 

Cloud integration challenges

Cloud integration can be difficult because of many contributing factors, such as API management, lack of usage monitoring, no visibility into service level performance and increased burden on staff time.  
 
APIs exposed by cloud apps can be complex and confusing—even the documentation provided can be insufficient for understanding the API. To compound the difficulty of integration, APIs for cloud apps tend to change frequently requiring constant updates to your cloud app integration points.
 
To make the best use of APIs and leverage techniques like compression and caching may require a lot of work from your IT staff.  The additional bandwidth required to perform these tasks optimally may constrained or increase your labor costs.
 
Most cloud application vendors provide little or no help with usage and Service Level Agreement (SLA) monitoring. This makes cloud app integration more like a black box—with little to no visibility into what’s going on.
 
Managing interfaces with several cloud applications leads to mayhem and chaos as each cloud vendor exposes different APIs with varying connectivity nuances.
 
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Figure 1: Lack of a uniform integration approach for the cloud leads to chaos

 

Simplify cloud integration with CloudStreams

webMethods CloudStreams addresses many of the challenges of cloud integration by using a unique wizard-driven approach, adding automation and analytics that make cloud integration easy.
 
CloudStreams uses a wizard-driven approach to create a cloud framework. Using custom SaaS connectors in this framework enables you to easily update connectors to new versions of API as they become available. CloudStreams also uses a dynamic wizard driven by meta-data to create cloud services. It works with both RESTand SOAP as well as streaming APIs as supported by the cloud app provider.
 
Compression and caching of requests are easily supported with automatic connection pooling and session management provided by CloudStreams, thus saving your staff time and effort.
 
The SLA enforcement and policy monitoring happens at the consumer level. With built-in traffic analytics provided by CloudStreams, dashboards present usage, performance, errors and detailed transactional data using policy-driven logging and data collection.
 
Figure 2: CloudStreams is a webMethods ESB add-on that streamlines cloud integration
 
With built-in security and analytics, CloudStreams is an obvious choice for cloud Integration. The runtime governance and policy management make it a unique and powerful tool. 
 
 

Try webMethods CloudStreams for free

webMethods CloudStreams is now available as part of the webMethods free trial! Visit the Software AG Tech Community and request your webMethods free trial download.

 
This trial version of WebMethods includes:
  • webMethods Integration Server
  • SAP® adapter
  • Java® DataBase Connectivity (JDBC®) adapter
  • CloudStreams
 
Once you request the free trial, you will receive instructions on how to download and install these components.
 
Try webMethods CloudStreams today and see firsthand how it can meet your cloud integration needs.