"APIs: the Glue of Cloud Computing" CloudExpo Europe Keynote - June 22, 2010 The second day of the CloudExpo Europe that was taking place in Prague the 21st and 22nd of June, Steven Willmott, the CEO of 3scale, made a presentation on APIs and their importance for Cloud Computing. The key highlights of this presentation are: 1. Cloud Computing pushes to the “hyper integration” of the Web and the enabling of key platform to emerge (e.g. the new SkypeKit)…. But not only for computing power 2. Cloud Computing and its different elements fit into an MVC “Cloud Edition” framework thanks to APIs 3. APIs enable Cloud Scale MVC 4. You need to become indispensable in the Value Chain otherwise someone may eat your lunch 5. APIs are key to become indispensable but need to be managed

1. APIs: the Glue of Cloud Computing How to pick the right glue and not come unstuck Steven Willmott CEO / 3scale networks http://www.3scale.net

2. Megatrends

3. Data & Services Megatrend #1 Cloud

4. Megatrend #2 Applications are getting connected Cloud Cloud

5. Megatrend #3 Mobile & HTML5 Rewrite the Web Application Playbook

6. What these trends will do? Turn web applications upside down “Hyper Integrate” the Web Enable key platforms to emerge

7. Not Just for Compute Power

8. Personal Information API API API API API API Applications Processing Content Communication Infrastructure & Management

9. OK- so what do all things really mean? Think of it like … MVC

10. MVC = Model / View / Controller A software architecture, currently considered an architectural pattern used in software engineering. The pattern isolates "domain logic" (the application logic for the user) from input and presentation (GUI), permitting independent development, testing and maintenance of each. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model%E2%80%93view%E2%80%93controller

11. Model MODEL = DATA VIEW = FORM View Controller CONTROLLER = BUSINESS LOGIC

12. MVC = Model / View / Controller Originally described for Smalltalk at Xerox Park

13. MVC has Revolutionized Software Web App Development

14. Clear separation between Data, Presentation & Business Logic

15. First : MVC Applications Model Separate at Design Time View Baked together at Run Time Controller

16. Then : MVC SAAS Model Separate at Design Time View Separate at Deploy Time Baked together at Run Time Controller

17. But MVC “Cloud Edition” can mean something much more

18. Model = Data Often most critical business asset: Wealth of data which has value Real time / Reference data Sometimes unique / sometimes not Often: has great value beyond your own company AND value beyond the ways you can effectively deliver it.

19. View = Form This used to be the company web site Now it could be your SAAS application interface Increasingly on Android, iPhone, Symbian, …

20. Controller = Business Logic Also know as the “smart stuff”: Application logic Algorithms Secret sauce Housekeeping like user management / authentication / billing Increasingly: Some companies allow others to apply smart stuff to their data Some companies apply their smart stuff to the data of others.

21. This shift is enabled by APIs Interfaces between Components Interfaces between Businesses

22. APIs enable Cloud Scale MVC Model View Controller Data Anywhere in any form Third parties operating on data Many Delivery Channels

23. The implications are SPECTACULAR

24. Some companies focus on data: Some companies focus on magic sauce: Some companies focus on presentation/packaging:

25. Impact on Their Business Focus on core competence Leverage their Ecosystem Companies are successful when they: Define a clear center of gravity Proactively manage the interfaces with other parts of the value chain

26. APIs Make this work: Models An API delivers you Data in Raw Form

27. APIs Make this work: Controllers APIs Provide Access to Smart Processing

28. APIs Make this work: Views APIS feed many possible ways to consume Data & Services

29. A fourth element: the Framework (Normally MVC needs some glue)

30. Elements of the “Internet Operating System” Search Advertising Location Media Access Time Identify & Social Graph Communications C.f. Tim O’Reilly

31. … Providing a Substrate for Cloud MVC

32. Questions to you… What's your core asset? Great data? Great functionality? Great Audience? Great integration of what other people have? What takes you a huge amount of time – but is non-core?

33. Today you can be wildly successful as a full stack (M+V+C)

34. Tomorrow you will need to to make yourself indispensable in the value chain – otherwise someone may eat your lunch.

35. Getting the Right Kind of Glue - Examples

36. Amazon AWS Broad and Deep Infrastructure Offering Broad and Deep API based control Impressive ecosystem around the infrastructure (e.g. Rightscale) Focus on self service (and automate) Many infrastructure providers also now providing great APIs

37. One of the worlds top software download portals Multiple markets in the US, Europe, China and Latin America Amazing data about Windows / Mac / Software + Downloads http://api.softonic.com/docs Pull Data and add value to Your users

38. Amazing Data about wines world wide Premier US Wine ecommerce destination API powers: 3rd party community iPhone and Symbian Apps Great “cloud resource” http://api.wine.com Wide range of Apps being built

40. Conversations as a Service Social Graph Professional Social Graph Message Graph Conversational Graph Introducing Open API that you can get access to all the good stuff

41. Track conversations automatically You send a URL and we give you all the people who commented or shared the link (Twitter, Facebook etc) You can search for the most engaging links from all over the web in real-time

42. How to use it? Advanced tracking systems for blogs Plugins Extensions for CRM’s Financial applications Advertising apps Meme portals Many many more Go to http://contextvoice.com and start coding!

43. Getting the Right Kind of Glue (and how not to come unstuck)

44. Things to think about How do you do integrations to date? How costly are they? What would you do if a competitor launched their API tomorrow? What disadvantage would you have? How hard is it really? Whose API would you use if it was available?

45. Become a platform?

46. Getting the right kind of Glue "API first" - what is the core value being delivered? Who is the audience for the API? Think big but start small Identify initial partners Consider a significant Beta Phase Code Examples are Golden

47. Ensure infrastructure is in place Usage Limits Analytics Access Control Security Configuration Community Management Billing

48. API Access Management Manage Access Identify API users Secure & Control access Configure business rules Enforce terms of use

49. API Analytics Monitor & Measure Monitor & Meter API usage Generate in-depth reporting Analyze & Optimize your API Plan capacity & React to trends

50. API Partner Management Grow your API Ecosystem Promote your API Manage sign-up & Provision access Support your API partners & users (CMS, Blog, Forum, RSS...) Showcase applications of your API

51. API Billing & Payments Monetize your API Choose your business model Setup & Configure access plans Define business rules based on any metrics tracked Manage settlement without having to handle client CC information

52. Final Thoughts

53. Back to MVC V is hard to scale: let other people do it for you. C is difficult to predict all requirements for:open up for new layers & combinations. M let your data free:It will create an incredible amount of stickiness.

54. Questions? Steven Willmott 3scale networks steve@3scale.net / @njyx http://www.3scale.net/

55. Launch your API: http://www.3scale.net Steven Willmott 3scale networks steve@3scale.net / @njyx http://www.3scale.net/