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October 6, 2015
3 min read time

Neglecting performance in API management: Highway to the danger zone?

Erika Wolfe
  • API management
  • APIs

    • As we’ve prepared to launch the Varnish API Engine, we’ve talked to customers and done a lot of testing, discovering that performance is a critical but often neglected aspect of API management. It’s no secret that API-driven development is starting to run the show in many companies and supplies the backbone of many burgeoning business development ideas. If any of that is going to work, APIs are going to have to scale to deliver on performance expectations.

    Our CTO, Per Buer, recently explained in an Information Age article that the shift toward API-based development and IoT, while ubiquitous in tech press and business plans, has not considered the implications of its own success. More API calls, however they are made, equals more traffic and more requests the API manager needs to handle. Is the gateway robust enough to handle the flood that’s inevitably coming? And the more successful the app or the device that uses APIs to communicate, the more dependent on (and held hostage to) the performance and scalability of the API management solution. Nobody wants to see the dark day when failure to scale causes bottlenecks, and ultimately affects both user satisfaction and profitability. Clearly the stakes are high.

    Other solutions were built for a different time and fewer expectations. What was fit-for-purpose ten or more years ago isn’t necessarily up to the daunting tasks ahead and can pose danger to your business-critical mission. It’s with this in mind that we’ve continued to test drive our Varnish API Engine, ensuring its readiness as a true API management platform, built for performance, scalability and ease of use.

    We will be sharing a lot more information about API management and Varnish API Engine in coming days and weeks. Don't wait until you're in an emergency situation - plan for high-performance, large-scale API management now. If you are serious about future-proofing your own API strategy and investment, contact us.

    Image is (c) 2007 Stephen Donaghy used under CC license.