The Cloud Integration And Aggregation Opportunity

There is more than just private, public, and hybrid cloud. Many IT customers will need to orchestrate a hybrid mix of cloud and non-cloud IT resources for some time. This opens up opportunities for vendors to help customers aggregate and integrate a hybrid mix of private and public IT services.

Service aggregation is about bundling multiple services, presenting a single bill, providing single sign-on, a full blown appstore, a service management console, active directory integration, self service portals and so on.

Service integration is about data integration and synchronisation, service orchestration, and automation.

The figure below provides an overview and segmentation of the private, hybrid and public cloud aggregation and integration opportunity. Service aggregation and integration are highlighted in the public domain.

In the private domain, enterprise application integration (EAI) is the de-facto integration framework composed of a collection of technologies and services which form a middleware to enable integration of systems and applications across the enterprise.

Also in the private domain, software deployment and distribution is the framework composed of a collection of technologies and services that enable applications and desktops to be pushed out to enterprise users.

Tying together the above four areas into a single aggregation and integration platform is an opportunity for vendors that want to help customers aggregate and integrate a hybrid mix of private and public IT services.

TIBCO, IBM, Dell, Oracle, Microsoft, SAP to name a few have been addressing the private integration and aggregation opportunity for some time. But now that private and public clouds are getting more and more intertwined, providing a private solution is not enough. Enter public and hybrid cloud service aggregators and integrators. We wrote about the aggregation opportunity before, check out the following posts. We also wrote about the automation of integration before, check out our analysis of SnapLogic. But SnapLogic is not the only contender here:

OneSaaS connects public cloud applications and synchronizes contacts, leads, product details, invoices, sales data and financial information across each.

Zapier automates tasks between public cloud applications, e.g. creating a new lead in Salesforce if a new entry from a Wufoo form is received.

IFTTT (if this, then that) is like Zapier but targeted at consumers, e.g. create a status message in Facebook when taking a photo, or switch on the light when entering a room.

SnapLogic connects private and public cloud applications, for instance connecting Google Checkout to the ERP system.

TIBCO just launched the TIBCO Cloud Bus also connecting private and public cloud applications.

Elastic.io is a German startup connecting public cloud applications and automating data workflows across each.

Talend is an open source based platform enabling enterprises to build their own platform to connect private and public cloud applications.

Mulesoft synchronizes data between an on premise and cloud applications and automates business processes between cloud services.

Cloudwork.com connects public cloud applications, for instance adding Gmail senders to Capsule CRM as contacts.

Yoxel syncs contacts, tasks, calendars and emails across public cloud applications, for instance across Salesforce and Outlook and/or Google Apps accounts.

Of course if your platform and presence is strong enough, you will build your own aggregation and integration platform:

• Telcos are combining cloud, unified communications and collaboration (UCC), and FMC aspects into single converged services.
• SaaS players are combining core services plus development and database platforms (Salesforce Force.com, SAP HANA) to bundle Office, ERP and CRM capabilities.
• IaaS players are bundling web hosting, compute, store and communications offerings.
• Device manufacturers, like Apple, play the same role in bundling enterprise services as they do in the consumer market
• New partners and channels are emerging such as aggregators, app stores, brokers, orchestrators and affiliates.
• CIOs that want to remain the business bundler and integrator for the Enterprise can either take an advisory role and create a shortlist of approved XaaS vendors or create their own bundling and integration through platforms like Grip from KPN.

Integrating and aggregating public, private and hybrid clouds  is an opportunity that is just emerging but one that is necessary in order to prevent cloud silos. The opportunity is much larger than just integration or aggregation. What is your integration and aggregation strategy? Let us know!