How To Choose an Integration Platform

Companies rely on more data and software applications than ever before to manage their business processes. Indeed, we’re living in the age of Industry 4.0 where almost everything is smart and uses big data to adjust to the real world. Indeed, big data is everywhere, and it’s still growing. Furthermore, the number of software applications you use for your business operations is likely growing as well. That’s not a judgment on you—it’s merely a reflection of the times. The companies with the most capable IT infrastructures have a great competitive advantage over those that don’t. However, utilizing so many different software applications presents a number of challenges as well.

Due to the growth in popularity of software applications for the streamlining and automation of business processes, companies of all sizes need comprehensive integration solutions to maximize their ROI. One of the challenges presented by robust enterprise IT infrastructures is data silos, which make it hard for applications to share valuable data and actionable insights. Choosing the right integration solution is integral to maximizing your big data ROI. Continue reading to get some tips for choosing the right enterprise integration platform as a service (EiPaaS) system for your growing company.

What is an iPaaS platform?

Before you can choose the best iPaaS platform for your company, you first have to understand what it is. An iPaaS system is a vendor-managed platform for the automation of cloud application integration. An EiPaaS is simply an enterprise iPaaS system for larger companies. With the growth of the software as a service (SaaS) industry, an EiPaaS platform is integral for growing companies trying to meet the needs of their quickly growing business.

Research prominent IT research publications.

One of the best ways to find the best EiPaaS solutions for your company is to read prominent research publications to find industry leaders. Gartner is one of the top IT consulting firms in the U.S., making the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Integration Platform as a Service a reliable source for finding leaders in the EiPaaS field. TIBCO is consistently in the leader quadrant in data science fields, including when it comes to integration platforms.

Try demo versions of the iPaaS platform.

Another great way to find the best iPaaS system for your company is to try demo versions of several different platforms. You won’t get to test all the features on the demo version of the integration platform, but you can at least take it for a test drive to check out its agility and user-friendliness. It’s a good idea to let your IT team leader use it for implementing a few workflows so they can give you some feedback.

Consult an IT consulting agency.

Another great way to find the right EiPaaS system for your company is to get advice from an IT consulting agency like Gartner. IT consulting agencies have years of experience helping growing companies implement the digital transformation process, and they can give you some insight to help you find the right integration solutions for your company as well.

Choosing the right integration platform could do wonders to help you get your small business to the next level and give it a significant competitive advantage. Data management is a large industry, and it’s growing more every day, and with the proliferation of cloud applications and big data, the right enterprise integration platform system is integral to the business operations of a growing startup. One of the best ways to choose the right iPaaS system for your platform is to use the Gartner Magic Quadrant as your North Star and choose a company like TIBCO that’s in the leader quadrant. Indeed, with these tips, you can find the best EiPaaS system for your small business.