Moore’s law states that processor speeds, or overall processing power for computers will double every two years.  You can debate whether it will continue or whether it really doubles, but the point is that computers get faster.  Similarly, memory becomes less expensive and available in larger quantity, networking bandwidth is growing rapidly with 5G migration imminent, storage is less expensive and denser, etc.  We have seen major cycles in the IT industry based on breaking through prior constraints in technology. 

But what is today’s biggest IT constraint?

Today’s IT Focus Areas

As always there is quite a bit happening in the IT world.  Look at a few big current IT initiatives:

• Cloud – taking advantage of cloud computing for new cloud-native applications and migration of existing applications, which are also combined with existing computing environments creating a hybrid cloud and on-premise architecture
• XaaS – building on top of “as a Service” infrastructure, platforms, or using off the shelf software as a service capability
• AI – combining artificial intelligence capability with other business capabilities to provide better customer-centric solutions
• Automation – Automation is a constant in IT with newer capabilities improving the methods all the time. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) combines AI and other techniques to automate business processes
• IoT – Using devices providing specific capabilities for businesses that either provide information (e.g. sensors, monitors) or take commands to perform tasks (e.g. robots, cameras) as part of enhanced business solutions
• Agility / Microservices – Continuously align IT with business priorities. Structuring applications and application management in ways that allow for faster time to market with customer focused solutions.  These include creating independently scalable and maintainable microservice components on managed container [orchestration] platforms.
• Mobile / Social – using mobile computing and social media capabilities as a customer interaction platform
• Ecosystems – building multi-enterprise ecosystems to provide better customer service and reach new clients and markets
• Blockchain – enabling an inter-company ledger for supply chain or other business interactions

This is not intended to be a complete list for every company.  There are many industry and company unique initiatives that could be added.  But much of this list is common across many mid to large size businesses.

Removing the Biggest Constraint

Each initiative on its own can pose challenges.  But the problem is that the initiatives are not on their own – each of these initiatives interact with one another.  It is the combination of these initiatives that provide the desired business solution.  Complicating this further is 1) the increasing number of distributed components and 2) the lack of a single owner.

What is the biggest constraint to overall success?  According to several analysts, the answer is “integration”.  Businesses executing a digital transformation are taking advantage of these new strategies and technologies including Cloud, XaaS, AI, Automation, IoT, Agility/Microservice architectures, Mobile, Social, Ecosystem relationships, Blockchain, new business models, and other emerging technologies in combination. 

This myriad of assets both owned and accessed from others stresses the ability to pull all the components together rapidly to build new digital solutions.  For this reason, Gartner stated, “Integration has become an obstacle to success because traditional, centralized and systematic integration approaches cannot cope with the volume and pace of business innovation.”¹.

IDC wrote, “By 2021, driven by LoB needs, 70% of CIOs will deliver ‘agile connectivity’ via APIs and architectures that interconnect digital solutions from cloud vendors, system developers, startups and others.”² Listing “Connectivity” first in their worldwide CIO agenda.

Integration is today’s biggest constraint.  Solving the integration challenge requires a combination of people, process, technology, and architecture.  As referenced by Gartner, we need to expand the population that performs integration tasks.  Relying on a centralized highly skilled group of integration experts to do everything does not scale.

The answer is to distribute the effort to a larger group and provide the appropriate level of integration tooling required for each task and each skill level.  This means that more than one capability is required.  Multiple forms of integration for different integration types are needed – API, Events, Application, Messaging, and Files are all involved.  And yes, sometimes a highly skilled resource is going to be required.  But the point is to drive most of the integration tasks out to an application builder to perform the simpler integration tasks once we enable them with the right tools and processes - without needing to call on an integration expert.

To assist in breaking through this obstacle IBM has introduced the IBM Cloud Pak for Integration which offers a single, unified platform for integration. The Cloud Pak for Integration provides flexibility to use the various integration capabilities as needed and in combination to solve your integration challenges.  Capabilities include:

• API Lifecycle Management - Create, secure, manage, share and monetize APIs across clouds while you maintain continuous availability. Take control of your API ecosystem and drive digital business with a robust API strategy that can meet the changing needs of your users.
• Application and Data Integration - Integrate all your business data and applications more quickly and easily across any cloud, from the simplest SaaS application to the most complex systems — without worrying about mismatched sources, formats or standards.
• Enterprise Messaging - Simplify, accelerate and facilitate the reliable exchange of data with a flexible and security-rich messaging solution that’s trusted by some of the world’s most successful enterprises. Ensure you receive the information you need, when you need it — and receive it only once.
• Event Streaming - Use Apache Kafka to deliver messages more easily and reliably and to react to events in real time. Provide more personalized customer experiences by responding to events before the moment passes.
• High-speed Data Transfer - Send large files and data sets virtually anywhere, reliably and at maximum speed. Accelerate collaboration and meet the demands of complex global teams, without compromising performance or security.
• Secure Gateway - Create persistent, security-rich connections between your on-premises and cloud environments. Quickly set up and manage gateways, control access on a per-resource basis, configure TLS encryption and mutual authentication, and monitor all your traffic.

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration is the industry’s most complete hybrid integration platform. Access all the integration tools that your team needs to balance traditional and modern styles of integration. Set up the appropriate governance to provide the right level of access to each team member. And, use any of the capabilities alone or together, through a single interface with a single login and dashboard.

For additional information please see the IBM Redbook: Accelerating Modernization with Agile Integration.

To understand more about IBM’s thoughts on Digital Business and Agile Integration visit the IBM Agile Integration web page. IBM Cloud Pak for Integration is IBM’s complete hybrid integration platform providing all forms of integration: API Management, Application and Data Integration, Event Streaming, Enterprise Messaging, High Speed Data Transfer, and Secure Gateway. You can find more information about IBM Cloud Pak for Integration at the IBM Cloud Pak for Integration website. 

If you have questions, please let me know.  Connect with me through comments here or via twitter @Arglick to continue the discussion.  

¹ Gartner-Modernizing Integration Strategies and Infrastructure Primer for 2018

² IDC FutureScape: Worldwide CIO Agenda 2019