An integration platform as a service (iPaaS) is a cloud-based solution that allows for data integration, software integrations via APIs, and business processes integration. There are multiple cloud integration services available from various vendors, so you can always choose the best fits your needs. iPaaS solutions have risen in popularity along with general SaaS (software as a service) solutions. To find the best vendor, you might check the Gartner Magic Quadrant for a list of verified options.
An iPaaS is incredibly useful for any scenarios where you need to share data between software solutions or replicate data from one system to another. Your iPaaS cloud service can handle all of this automatically rather than having to rely on humans completing the process manually, which is both time-consuming and prone to errors. As your business grows and you begin adopting more SaaS solutions, your need for an integration platform as a service will continue to increase. Here are some of the main reasons to work with an iPaaS.
It provides all the benefits of cloud applications.
One of the best things about an iPaaS is that it doesn’t have to be installed like on-premises applications. Instead, it’s available anywhere you have an internet connection, and it provides automatic scalability as your needs evolve. Each iPaaS offering provides its own library of connectors, which may be intended for specific applications, or they can support APIs for a variety of software applications without any middleware. One potential limitation of iPaaS offerings is that some may not support all applications’ data structures, so it’s important to ask about this before committing.
It’s a universal translator.
Automatically moving data between your applications is one of the greatest benefits of an iPaaS. With proper application integration, it isn’t just possible to send data from one compatible platform to another; you can actually transform your data and make it work with all applications, even if they have different environments for programming. Think of an enterprise integration platform as a universal translator that can transform data into different formats to work across all systems. This makes API management much simpler, and it allows you to create more efficient workflows across applications.
It eases the digital transformation process.
These days, many companies are still struggling with their digital transformation process, especially if they’re working up from a business model that relied entirely on legacy systems. Business users’ need to adopt more automation and embrace digital solutions has become even greater this year, thanks to the global pandemic, and conventional ways of thinking about business processes have been challenged more than ever.
Digital businesses operate at significantly higher efficiency rates than businesses still using legacy solutions, and integration capabilities are the key to evolving even further. These are simply statements of fact. iPaaS provides everything you need to break down the barriers stopping your business from becoming a digital one, and it connects processes that have long been siloed. Data integration helps you work smart and more efficiently, so you can start rethinking what your business can really be.
It allows for simple master data management.
Data is one of the most valuable assets that any business has, but unlocking its true potential requires effective data management. Once your new applications are connected via iPaaS, you can deploy a master data management (MDM) program to track everything.
Master data is simply any data that’s shared between two or more of your business systems. For example, if your customer support system shared customer information with your sales system, master data. An MDM solution constantly tracks data across all your systems and ensures that all data you receive is accurate and current. This is when data is at its most valuable, and you can use it to gain actionable insight into your business processes and determine ways to improve them.
Put simply, iPaaS can take care of all your data needs and help ensure that your business has a bright future.