It’s essential for cloud systems to talk to each other. If they don’t, data can become siloed, without widespread availability across the organization. But cloud systems introduce their own complexities that are different from on-premises systems. How do you choose the right data integration solution?
If you work with a cloud managed services provider, can they assist with your integrations?
These are great questions! Here’s everything you need to know about cloud data integration.
Options for cloud data integration
At a high level, there are two ways to integrate cloud systems.
- Use existing integration technology
- Build a custom integration
When it comes to existing technology, there are a few types to choose from.
- An iPaaS (integration platform as a service) solution. These are built to cover any and all integration needs on a single platform.
- A no-code or self-service interface for installing and configuring prebuilt APIs (for example, Zapier).
Each approach to integration has benefits and drawbacks. Here’s what you need to know.
1. Custom cloud data integration
Benefits
- The sky’s the limit. You can build your integration to fit your exact needs.
Drawbacks
- Increasing technical debt over time
- No ecosystem or third-party knowledgebase to support you
- Increasing cybersecurity risks over time
- Cloud expertise required
- Can eat up your scarce IT resources
- You are now in the integration business (in addition to your core business)
In a nutshell
A custom cloud integration is rarely the right choice for midmarket companies. Whatever cloud systems you need to connect, someone has probably built the foundations of your integration already. You’ll get a better bang for your buck starting with a third-party solution and adapting or configuring it as needed.
That said, a custom cloud integration may be the best option in certain scenarios—but it should be your last option, especially if you have limited IT resources.
2. iPaaS integration
Benefits
- Smaller iPaaS providers are more affordable for midmarket companies
- Secure, stable code maintained by a third-party vendor
- Integrations are centralized in one platform
- Prebuilt, configurable integrations push you to follow best practices rather than reinventing the wheel
- Vendor ecosystem offers plenty of support, expertise, and knowledge continuity
Drawbacks
- Larger vendors (i.e. MuleSoft, SnapLogic, Dell Boomi) can get expensive for midmarket companies
- iPaaS solutions require dedicated cloud integration experts managing them
In a nutshell
iPaaS is a great choice for organizations that need to maintain multiple integrations. The challenge is to do iPaaS without overpaying—and without your entire IT staff getting sucked into supporting it.
Midmarket companies typically see the most success when they choose a smaller iPaaS solution (i.e. not MuleSoft, SnapLogic, or Dell Boomi) and outsource it to a managed services provider. Here at Corsica Technologies, we handle data integration services this way.
3. Self-service integration
Benefits
- Easy to set up (no coding required)
- Easy to turn on and off
- Generally the cheapest option
Drawbacks
- Integrations are brittle, with frequent errors and exceptions
- Troubleshooting still requires human attention, but there’s less you can do to fix things
- Integration functionality is limited to what’s “in the box”
- Mapping may be difficult or impossible when adding new fields to one or both systems
In a nutshell
Self-service integration can serve as a proof-of-concept, showing what life could look like if two systems were integrated. However, for midmarket companies, self-service integrations rarely work out over the long term. They’re just not up to the task. In fact, companies often come to us with broken self-service integrations, looking for solutions that offer more flexibility and reliability at the right price point.
Choosing the right data integration solution for your cloud systems
Both custom integrations and self-service options come with significant drawbacks. In terms of functionality and support burden, they sit at opposite ends of the spectrum. Self-service has limited functionality and a low support burden, while custom integrations can support complex functionality but require significant resources to maintain.
For most midmarket companies, iPaaS is the happy medium. It provides enough flexibility to support complex operational requirements, but since it’s not 100% custom, it comes with a reasonable maintenance burden. The only question is whether your existing IT staff can take on that burden.
Maintaining your cloud data integration
Any integration that truly supports business processes will require a level of management to maintain and support it on an ongoing basis. When one system receives an update, the integration can break. This means you need expert resources planning for those updates, testing before things go live, and troubleshooting.
You also need cybersecurity experts weighing in on your integration. As a system ages, new data security risks emerge. Your cloud integration must account for the relevant risks with appropriate configurations and data security controls.
Hiring and retaining these specific technical and subject matter experts does not make sense for most midmarket companies. For this reason, midmarket companies typically get the most value when they outsource cloud data integration services to a third party. This gives you access to an entire team of cloud integration experts who cover cybersecurity, mapping new fields, ongoing maintenance, and troubleshooting. It’s the best way to get your data where you need it, when you need it, with reliable performance.
The takeaway: Choose the right partner for cloud data integration
If your IT staff have their hands full with existing responsibilities, consider finding an expert partner to manage your cloud data integration. The right provider will bring together cybersecurity, data integration, and cloud systems management under one roof—giving you the best of all worlds for the cost of one staff hire (or less). That’s what we’re all about here at Corsica Technologies.
Want to learn more about cloud data integration?
Reach out to schedule a consultation with our cloud specialists.
