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IBM’s Cast Iron Fix for API Proliferation


I hate it when that happens. Just came into the analyst general session and IBM WebSphere CTO Gennaro Cuomo reminded me of Redmonk’s own research agenda and how it relates to IBM’s decision to acquire Cast Iron Systems.

Here is the thing – one of Stephen’s predictions for 2010 was that API proliferation will become a real problem this year. Clearly it already is. I had to talked to Jerry at length about the need to take a registry/repository approach to Cloud-based APIs last year. Well it seems that’s the space Cast Iron is in. At first glance I was thinking about the deal in more traditional middleware terms- adapters and integration.

But in fact Cast Iron may be way more interesting that that. Its an API management platform – IBM will do the work to track all these APIs and help organisations build apps that target them. Unlike many web companies enterprises don’t really have time to concentrate on tracking API changes.

Holy crap. I just realised its also an amazing data play. Cast Iron effectively instruments the world of APIs. IBM is going to know exactly what’s going on in cloud development- what’s hot and what’s not. This really could be a transformative acquisition.

disclosure: IBM is a client.

18 Comments

Categories: .

By James Governor
— May 3, 2010 at 7:15 pm
Comment Feed

18 Responses

  1. James Governor’s Monkchips » IBM’s Cast Iron Fix for API Proliferation http://monk.ly/aehbPk

    This comment was originally posted on Twitter

    monkchips — May 3, 2010 @ 7:14 pm —

  2. James Governor Take 2 on Cast Iron/IBM: “It’s an API management platform” and “amazing data play.” http://monk.ly/aehbPk

    This comment was originally posted on Twitter

    LoraineLawson — May 3, 2010 @ 7:21 pm —

  3. James, so is this write to our API and we’ll map into everyone elses? or is it write to theirs and will provide a simulation on ours ? If neither, then I don’t get the point…

    I know nothing of Cast Iron and am merely a casual observer on this cloud.

    Mark Cathcart — May 3, 2010 @ 7:31 pm —

  4. mark – its about tracking all the cloud APIs out there… salesforce.com, rightnow, google, amazon, netsuite, etc

    cast iron generates adapters targeting these moving target APIs

    James Governor — May 3, 2010 @ 7:54 pm —

  5. I believe it’s actually a fairly shrewd move albeit one that may very well cause more brand confusion within big blue. The registry/repository approach seems to have lost all momentum which I suspect is due to much of the complexity associated with standing them up (my opinions, disclosure: I work for an IBM partner firm).

    Christian Franklin — May 4, 2010 @ 12:04 am —

  6. @monkchip on Cast Iron acquisition: amazing data play.. IBM is going to know exactly what’s going on in cloud development http://ow.ly/1GzBg

    This comment was originally posted on Twitter

    thekguy — May 4, 2010 @ 2:22 am —

  7. pwoah! This ppl thinkn i WILL keep making progress! I think http://bit.ly/92H5cx (Instrumenting and it’s still going http://bit.ly/9gzlqp

    This comment was originally posted on Twitter

    Mr_Babble — May 4, 2010 @ 3:54 am —

  8. Complète l’article précédent : http://tinyurl.com/32xu256. La gestion des API devient cruciale et cette acquisition IBM couvre ce besoin.

    This comment was originally posted on Twitter

    marcjouve — May 4, 2010 @ 9:31 am —

  9. IBM’s “Cast Iron” Fix for API Proliferation
    http://snipurl.com/vz7uy [feedproxy_google_com]

    This comment was originally posted on Twitter

    tablewhite — May 4, 2010 @ 9:45 am —

  10. IBM’s Cast Iron Fix for API Proliferation http://bit.ly/9vOxIQ

    This comment was originally posted on Twitter

    windley — May 4, 2010 @ 2:55 pm —

  11. “IBM is going to know exactly what’s going on in cloud development- what’s hot and what’s not.” http://bit.ly/bnxCQs

    This comment was originally posted on Twitter

    jeremyday — May 6, 2010 @ 12:50 pm —

  12. IBM’s Cast Iron play was a result of API proliferation in the world? http://bit.ly/cJc0e6

    This comment was originally posted on Twitter

    krishnan — May 7, 2010 @ 4:49 am —

  13. IBM’s Cast Iron Fix for API Proliferation

    http://bit.ly/96xQlp

    This comment was originally posted on Twitter

    georgevhulme — May 31, 2010 @ 2:22 am —



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