Integration as a Service: Definition, Features, and FAQs

There have been increasing moves to cloud computing of late. It has been estimated that there will be over 100 zettabytes (one zettabyte equals a trillion gigabytes) of data stored in the cloud by 2025. That’s a lot of data, and the move to cloud computing has also seen an increase in everything-as-a-service (XaaS) applications.

There are various types of XaaS services, but one of the most notable is Integration as a Service (IaaS). Just what is IaaS? What features, integration tools, and integration services does it offer your business, and why should you choose it? 

What is Integration as a Service?

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IaaS is a cloud model that delivers application integration solutions to businesses. 

Those solutions include aspects such as connectivity to your backend systems, files, sources, and commonly-used applications by implementing Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), web services, and connections between your apps and data sources. It also allows you to share data between different systems and third-party vendors. 

Many people confuse IaaS with iPaaS (integration Platform as a Service). The main difference is that iPaaS offers organizations a platform that allows standardization of how a business integrates applications. While it can also share data, it is more about enabling automation and new business flows, and IaaS goes beyond the capabilities of iPaaS. 

Non-negotiable features when choosing Integration as a Service providers

Connectivity

In this era of digital transformation, we need connectivity, and that’s one of the main functions of IaaS. 

Bringing your different functions and apps together and to your back office operations with connectors is essential if you want your business to perform well. It makes your organization more agile and allows better collaboration across your company’s silos.

It also means that different apps and systems can easily communicate with each other and, when necessary, share data that helps optimize your efficiency levels. 

Functionality

One of the primary reasons for using IaaS is to increase functionality. That includes factors such as storage, networking capability, and computing power. 

You should be looking at what a provider offers in terms of increasing functionality as well as what they offer support-wise and in the area of self-service in terms of private, public, and hybrid cloud models. 

You should also, as with other aspects of IaaS, consider scalability. Your current needs may be far less than your needs two years in the future, so ensure that your provider can grow with you. You want it to be easy to use for non-IT staff as well as being a good developer tool for your IT and DevOps teams. 

Security

Security is one of your primary concerns, especially if you deal with sensitive/confidential data. 

With cloud applications facing so many cybersecurity threats, security should be a shared responsibility, but your provider must offer high levels of security for your data and apps. 

Look for features such as identity control, access management, and end-to-end encryption of data and other info. 

With cybercrime on the increase, you want a provider which keeps up with new threats and offers regular updates and upgrades to meet those threats. If a potential provider does not have robust security measures, then walk away. 

Usability

There’s little point in having an IaaS service with low usability. Low usability and an infrastructure that is not user-friendly will lead to higher costs for you when it comes to your IT systems. 

You want a provider who gives you intuitive and easy-to-use interfaces and that is consistent across all functions, use cases, and services. 

Depending on your business type, your staff may not be IT-savvy. So, you want them to be able to use almost every aspect of your IaaS solution with little or no training whatsoever. 

Interoperability

Another essential and non-negotiable feature, interoperability ensures that data can be exchanged between different IT systems. 

This can be crucial if you want your systems to perform at peak levels of efficiency. When you choose a provider, you want their solution to offer seamless data integration with products and solutions offered by other providers that may be used by clients and/or partner organizations. 

For example, if you’re running a large eCommerce business and work closely with a third-party logistics organization, then being able to integrate and synchronize systems and exchange data and information in real-time is crucial to operational efficiency. 

Smooth business operations with Integration as a Service

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IaaS can enhance and improve existing iPaaS services and help drive your business forward in terms of digital efficiency. It can elevate operational efficiency to higher levels and ensure all your business operations, messaging, and integration flows are smoother and more streamlined. 

Combining iPaaS platforms such as Boomi, Workato, Celigo, Apigee, etc., with the OpenLegacy IaaS platform means you can unite your entire digital ecosystem and see instantaneous results and improvements.  

If you have an existing IPaaS solution, then OpenLegacy can complement that solution by offering cloud-based integration and microservices-based API access to all your existing core and on-prem data and apps—even the most complex ones, such as legacy assets (Mainframes, IMS, CICS, VSAM, VMS, JDE, and many more).

This enables your business to align all applications in the organizations in a hybrid way. Moreover, leverage your legacy applications investment in all new innovations.  

If you’re wondering what extra help OpenLegacy can offer your organization, some of the major factors other than favorable pricing include:

• No need for your IT teams to have specialized skills or experience with legacy systems. 
• Nonintrusive, Automated creation of your legacy systems APIs with dedicated templates. 
• Microservices-based architecture that is scalable according to your business needs and growth throughout any lifecycle.  
• No need for any changes or customization of your existing legacy systems and workflows, the keyword is integration. 

FAQs about Integration as a Service

What is IaaS and what are some examples?

IaaS is one of the “holy trinity” of cloud-based services (the other two being iPaaS—or PaaS—and Software as a Service or SaaS applications). 

With IaaS, a CSP (Cloud Service Provider) leases a managed service of IT infrastructure to an organization. That’s the infrastructure that comes with a high degree of automation as well as scalability that allows a business to grow without adding additional solutions. 

IaaS removes the need for many on-premises IT service solutions, such as servers and data centers, as these will move to the cloud. There are many examples of IaaS, but some of the most well-known are Google Compute Engine, AWS (Amazon Web Services), Microsoft Azure, and Amazon EC2. 

What is the benefit of IaaS?

There are several benefits that you’ll find by choosing Integration as a Service. The major benefits include:

• Increased operational performance and a decrease in expenditure on physical IT infrastructure. 
• Better security as responsibility will mainly lie with your cloud service provider, which should offer high levels of protection against cyberattacks. 
• An increase in both scalability and flexibility, allowing you to grow with ease or to add apps and other business processes to your systems. 
• Better support when it comes to disaster recovery and easier continuity for your organization.