JP Cedeno

Massive amounts of data are being transmitted using systems that are not designed for security from the ground up. Even private APIs will sooner or later be broken, exposed, or hacked. Therefore, a solid API security approach should be designed and implemented with public access in mind and it should involve not only the API itself but also the client applications that use it. This means that both enterprise and mobile client applications must be treated as first-class citizens when designing an API security solution. ...

In my previous post, I outlined the process to infuse DevOps in the development of a data-driven product. Next, we analyzed the process to create a development pipeline for data-driven projects in a repeatable and automatic way. This process also included testing capabilities in order to add an important feedback loop. We also analyzed the benefits of continuous delivery and the benefits of using managed cloud services to achieve this when compared to traditional tools and frameworks. ...

In my previous post, I briefly mentioned several options to streamline the process to implement a data product. These options included managed cloud services specially designed to hide the complexity of low-level configurations while allowing their users to focus on business logic. While making use of these cloud services is already a huge leap toward a fully automated, streamlined, and cost-efficient implementation process, a lot needs to be done on the client’s side in order to provide a coherent flow between local development and highly automated cloud services. ...

In my previous post, I presented the way API products can become data products when they are combined with a data processing strategy. Data-enhanced API products merge the insights obtained from the data being processed with APIs' ubiquity and accessibility. I also presented the process an API product has to go through to become a useful and profitable data product. This process comprises identifying its goal, value, implementation, and evolution. The first two steps of this process were already discussed. ...

Creating API products is by far one of the most rewarding projects a company can embark on, as they open a huge avenue for revenue and customer expansion. As expressed in previous posts, API products are a gateway to a company’s core services, which are presented to its consumers as commercial products. API products acquire super powers when they are combined with a data processing strategy. This allows them to become efficient providers of either raw data or data in the form of insights aimed at improving existing processes. ...

In part 1of this series, we analyzed the main components of the API delivery process such as specifying the problem the API intends to solve by means of its value, the development of the API’s minimum viable product, and the API’s time to market. In this post, we will look at the remaining two aspects of this process: Quality and Security. Quality Standards Ensuring that an API product meets minimum quality standards is the foundation of its initial and continuous adoption and it directly affects the way the API benefits the company. ...