"APIs: the Glue of Cloud Computing"
CloudExpo Europe Keynote - June 22, 2010
The second day of the CloudExpo Europe that was taking place in Prague the 21st and 22nd of June, Steven Willmott, the CEO of 3scale, made a presentation on APIs and their importance for Cloud Computing.
The key highlights of this presentation are:
1. Cloud Computing pushes to the “hyper integration” of the Web and the enabling of key platform to emerge (e.g. the new SkypeKit)…. But not only for computing power
2. Cloud Computing and its different elements fit into an MVC “Cloud Edition” framework thanks to APIs
3. APIs enable Cloud Scale MVC
4. You need to become indispensable in the Value Chain otherwise someone may eat your lunch
5. APIs are key to become indispensable but need to be managed
8. Personal Information API API API API API API Applications Processing Content Communication Infrastructure & Management
9. OK- so what do all things really mean? Think of it like … MVC
10. MVC = Model / View / Controller A software architecture, currently considered an architectural pattern used in software engineering. The pattern isolates "domain logic" (the application logic for the user) from input and presentation (GUI), permitting independent development, testing and maintenance of each. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model%E2%80%93view%E2%80%93controller
11. Model MODEL = DATA VIEW = FORM View Controller CONTROLLER = BUSINESS LOGIC
12. MVC = Model / View / Controller Originally described for Smalltalk at Xerox Park
18. Model = Data Often most critical business asset: Wealth of data which has value Real time / Reference data Sometimes unique / sometimes not Often: has great value beyond your own company AND value beyond the ways you can effectively deliver it.
19. View = Form This used to be the company web site Now it could be your SAAS application interface Increasingly on Android, iPhone, Symbian, …
20. Controller = Business Logic Also know as the “smart stuff”: Application logic Algorithms Secret sauce Housekeeping like user management / authentication / billing Increasingly: Some companies allow others to apply smart stuff to their data Some companies apply their smart stuff to the data of others.
21. This shift is enabled by APIs Interfaces between Components Interfaces between Businesses
22. APIs enable Cloud Scale MVC Model View Controller Data Anywhere in any form Third parties operating on data Many Delivery Channels
24. Some companies focus on data: Some companies focus on magic sauce: Some companies focus on presentation/packaging:
25. Impact on Their Business Focus on core competence Leverage their Ecosystem Companies are successful when they: Define a clear center of gravity Proactively manage the interfaces with other parts of the value chain
26. APIs Make this work: Models An API delivers you Data in Raw Form
27. APIs Make this work: Controllers APIs Provide Access to Smart Processing
28. APIs Make this work: Views APIS feed many possible ways to consume Data & Services
32. Questions to you… What's your core asset? Great data? Great functionality? Great Audience? Great integration of what other people have? What takes you a huge amount of time – but is non-core?
33. Today you can be wildly successful as a full stack (M+V+C)
34. Tomorrow you will need to to make yourself indispensable in the value chain – otherwise someone may eat your lunch.
36. Amazon AWS Broad and Deep Infrastructure Offering Broad and Deep API based control Impressive ecosystem around the infrastructure (e.g. Rightscale) Focus on self service (and automate) Many infrastructure providers also now providing great APIs
37. One of the worlds top software download portals Multiple markets in the US, Europe, China and Latin America Amazing data about Windows / Mac / Software + Downloads http://api.softonic.com/docs Pull Data and add value to Your users
38. Amazing Data about wines world wide Premier US Wine ecommerce destination API powers: 3rd party community iPhone and Symbian Apps Great “cloud resource” http://api.wine.com Wide range of Apps being built
39.
40. Conversations as a Service Social Graph Professional Social Graph Message Graph Conversational Graph Introducing Open API that you can get access to all the good stuff
41. Track conversations automatically You send a URL and we give you all the people who commented or shared the link (Twitter, Facebook etc) You can search for the most engaging links from all over the web in real-time
42. How to use it? Advanced tracking systems for blogs Plugins Extensions for CRM’s Financial applications Advertising apps Meme portals Many many more Go to http://contextvoice.com and start coding!
44. Things to think about How do you do integrations to date? How costly are they? What would you do if a competitor launched their API tomorrow? What disadvantage would you have? How hard is it really? Whose API would you use if it was available?
46. Getting the right kind of Glue "API first" - what is the core value being delivered? Who is the audience for the API? Think big but start small Identify initial partners Consider a significant Beta Phase Code Examples are Golden
47. Ensure infrastructure is in place Usage Limits Analytics Access Control Security Configuration Community Management Billing
48. API Access Management Manage Access Identify API users Secure & Control access Configure business rules Enforce terms of use
49. API Analytics Monitor & Measure Monitor & Meter API usage Generate in-depth reporting Analyze & Optimize your API Plan capacity & React to trends
50. API Partner Management Grow your API Ecosystem Promote your API Manage sign-up & Provision access Support your API partners & users (CMS, Blog, Forum, RSS...) Showcase applications of your API
51. API Billing & Payments Monetize your API Choose your business model Setup & Configure access plans Define business rules based on any metrics tracked Manage settlement without having to handle client CC information
53. Back to MVC V is hard to scale: let other people do it for you. C is difficult to predict all requirements for:open up for new layers & combinations. M let your data free:It will create an incredible amount of stickiness.