APIs: the Glue of Cloud Computing

APIs: the Glue of Cloud Computing

How to pick the right glue and not come unstuck

Steven WillmottCEO / 3scale networkshttp://www.3scale.net

Megatrends

Data & Services

Megatrend #1

Cloud

Megatrend #2

Applications are getting

connectedCloud

Cloud

Megatrend #3

Mobile &HTML5 Rewrite the

Web Application Playbook

What these trends will do?

Turn web applications upside down

“Hyper Integrate” the Web

Enable key platforms to emerge

Not Just for Compute Power

Infrastructure& Management

Content

Communication

Processing

Applications

Personal Information

API

API

API

API

API

API

OK- so what do all things really mean?

Think of it like … MVC

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

VIEW = FORM

MODEL = DATA

CONTROLLER = BUSINESS LOGIC

Model

View Controller

MVC = Model / View / Controller

Originally described for Smalltalk at Xerox Park

MVC has Revolutionized Software Web App Development

Clear separation between Data, Presentation & Business Logic

First : MVC Applications

Model

View

Controller

Separate at Design Time

Baked together at Run Time

Then : MVC SAAS

Model

View

Controller

Separate at Design Time

Baked together at Run Time

Separate at Deploy Time

But MVC “Cloud Edition” can mean something

much more

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.

View = Form

• This used to be the company web site• Now it could be your SAAS application

interface• Increasingly on Android, iPhone, Symbian, …

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.

This shift is enabled by APIs

Interfaces between ComponentsInterfaces between Businesses

APIs enable Cloud Scale MVC

Model View Controller

Data Anywhere in any form Many Delivery

Channels

Third parties operating on data

The implications are SPECTACULAR

•Some companies focus on data:

•Some companies focus on magic sauce:

•Some companies focus on presentation/packaging:

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

APIs Make this work: Models

An API delivers you Data in Raw

Form

APIs Make this work: Controllers

APIs Provide Access to

Smart Processing

APIs Make this work: Views

APIS feed many possible ways to consume Data &

Services

A fourth element: the Framework

(Normally MVC needs some glue)

Elements of the “Internet Operating System”

C.f. Tim O’Reilly

Search

Media AccessTime

LocationAdvertising

Communications

Identify & Social Graph

… Providing a Substrate for Cloud MVC

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?

Today you can be wildly successful as a full stack (M+V+C)

Tomorrow you will need to to make yourself indispensable in the value

chain – otherwise someone may eat your lunch.

Getting the Right Kind of Glue - Examples

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

• 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

Pull Data and add value to Your users

http://api.softonic.com/docs

• 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

Conversations as a Service

Social Graph

Professional Social Graph

Message Graph

Introducing

Open API that you can get access to all the good stuff

Conversational Graph

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

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.comand start coding!

Getting the Right Kind of Glue

(and how not to come unstuck)

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?

Become a platform?

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

Ensure infrastructure is in place

Usage Limits

SecurityConfiguration

Access ControlAnalytics

Billing

Community Management

API Access Management

Manage AccessIdentify API usersSecure & Control accessConfigure business rulesEnforce terms of use

API Analytics

Monitor & MeasureMonitor & Meter API usage

Generate in-depth reportingAnalyze & Optimize your API

Plan capacity & React to trends

API Partner Management

Grow your API EcosystemPromote your APIManage sign-up & Provision accessSupport your API partners & users (CMS, Blog, Forum, RSS...)

Showcase applications of your API

API Billing & Payments

Monetize your APIChoose your business modelSetup & Configure access plansDefine business rules based on any metrics trackedManage settlement without having to handle client CC information

Final Thoughts

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.

Questions?

Steven Willmott3scale networkssteve@3scale.net / @njyxhttp://www.3scale.net/

Launch your API: http://www.3scale.net

Steven Willmott3scale networkssteve@3scale.net / @njyxhttp://www.3scale.net/