Putting DIF to REST

Businesses want the “best of breed” apps, implementing specific applications and services to manage individual departments or tasks within their enterprise. Though this approach empowers companies with the chosen tools to run their enterprise, it presents them with the challenge of integration.

To meet the challenges Dataloy developed Dataloy Integration framework in 2003. Dataloy Integration Framework (DIF) allowed companies to see beyond application silos, as it integrated applications for data. In its most basic form, it allowed developers to design an input/output structure for applications. DIF, a middleware, was predominantly used for Enterprise Application Integrations.

PUTTING DIF TO REST

This one-to-one customised approach has been pushed out of relevance by more flexible, business-ready interface — open API. And thus going forward, we are announcing the end of development and support for DIF on December 31, 2020.

With Dataloy ́s transition to the web, the limitations of middleware can become an impediment to growth for our customers.

• Traditional integration isn’t built to handle the growth of cloud endpoints across the digital business

• DIF integration architecture isn’t geared for rapid change and evolution

• Custom-coding requires significant time for development and maintenance which increases costs

On the flip side, by using API technology for enterprise integrations, companies can easily extend their backend services to new, cutting-edge environments without one to one custom code development or modification to their legacy systems.

Building on the ideals of integration, Dataloy API provides an open, standards-based approach to integration.

WHY API?

APIs allows businesses to expand beyond their enterprise boundaries to drive revenue through new business models, potentially using platform thinking. The API Economy provides access to business assets through a simple to use API (Application Programming Interface). Technically, it involves strategically deploying services and platforms for use both within and beyond the enterprise.

An API allows software from different enterprises to communicate in a more real-time, less rigid fashion than electronic data interchange (EDI), the most commonly used system-to-system standard in logistics.

From a business perspective, it enables us to extend our business capabilities through the rapid consumption of our existing business assets via API integration. The APIs allow new and innovative usage of the assets to drive additional revenue.

Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are used for business benefit across the globe. They are popular for several reasons, including:

• The rising demands of digital connectivity. There are more and more apps, systems and data stores to connect.

• The simplification of technology connectivity. There has been a reduction in proprietary and sophisticated connectivity technologies and growth in open standards and simpler connectivity technology.

DATALOY API

Our open API is designed to be integrated simply into any application, widget, or dashboard and is entirely flexible to meet your business requirements.

The Dataloy API is built on REST principles. The REST API is part of the integration framework, and you can use it to integrate external applications with Dataloy VMS. REST stands for “Representational state transfer,” it is considered a stateless protocol — enables fast performance, reliability, and scalability. The REST API exposes business objects and integration object structures as REST resources.

DATALOY API-FUELLED OUTCOMES

• Increased productivity

• Increased innovation

• Increased collaboration

• Greater agility across teams for self-serve IT

• A decrease in operational costs

• Revenue growth

• Two-way communication via API & webhooks

• Highly secure and access management with Auth0

While APIs is a technology, they are critical in the following business priority areas:

• Platform Business – Flexibility and agility to create an extensive ecosystem of partners. You can now connect the VMS to your chosen accounting system, procurement or order management system, etc.

• Secure – APIs allow applying different policies for security, roles, access management, data standards, into different parts of an application.

• Fast and Stable performance — The Dataloy open REST API Enables fast performance, reliability, and the ability to grow — by reusing components that can be managed and updated without affecting the system as a whole, even while it is running.

• Digital Transformation – Enterprise mobile apps need to connect to enterprise data – via APIs. By breaking down silos, APIs can also improve speed to market

• Cloud Adoption – Cloud systems need to be integrated with one another and with on-premise systems, via APIs. That’s why almost all cloud products have APIs.

• Supply Chain Operations Efficiency – Lowering the cost of improving the timeliness and efficiency of processes and operations

• Business Operations Efficiency – Ensuring that data can be moved to where it needs to be to avoid slow, manual copying and related quality and customer experience issues.

• Acquisitions and Mergers – Lowering the cost of an increase in the speed of business and technology integration.

• Business Intelligence & effective utilisation of data – Ensures that you can make timely and strategic decisions based on one version of truth.