IBM Integration Bus Reviews

We used the solution for opening new accounts for a banking system. Our client used some old techniques and didn’t have an integration layer. I created an account opening application for our client.

IBM Integration Bus is a very strong tool. It helps in integrating the front-end and back-end systems.

We have to stop the integration server to start the debugging process. The debugging mechanism of other products is better than that of IBM.

I have been using the solution for six months.

I did not face any issues with the solution’s stability.

The solution is scalable.

The initial setup is easy, but the database is quite heavy for the local DC. It was also a little bit complex to connect to some databases.

The deployment of the solution is very easy. We just add the integration server and drag and drop the services to the integration server. We deployed the solution in-house. We do not face any trouble in the maintenance of the product.

I am a system integrator. In Software AG, debugging does not intervene with any other process. I also use Software AG webMethods and TIBCO. Software AG webMethods is the best product because it is very easy to develop and flexible. Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

We work with multiple customers, and this is one of the tools we use to help them with integration.

I like the API lead integration, which is more focused, and I also like real-time integration.

The price could be better. It would also be better if they simplified the code.

I have been using IBM Integration Bus for more than 15 years.

IBM Integration Bus is a stable solution.

On a scale from one ten, I would give stability a nine.

IBM Integration Bus is a scalable solution. We have about 1000 users and 30 applications.

On a scale from one to ten, I would give scalability an eight.

IBM's technical support is pretty good. They are very quick to respond once we raise a PMR with them.

Neutral

The initial setup is straightforward. We already have a CI/CD pipeline in place. We just have to create the images, and then automation takes over and deploys it quickly.

On a scale from one to ten, I would give the initial setup a nine.

We deployed this solution. We have two to three people who do this.

IBM Integration Bus is expensive. There are cheaper products in the marketplace.

On a scale from one to ten, I would give the pricing a two. 

I would recommend this product as it's an IBM product. However, it all depends on the use case. If it's heavy machine-based transactions, I recommend IBM Integration Bus. But if it's API-based, I would recommend another solution.

On a scale from one to ten, I would give IBM Integration Bus a six.

We are using IBM Integration Bus as a messaging solution for our customers. They have legacy systems. Some are MQ systems, file-based systems, app-based systems, and ERP systems. We place it in the middle of integrations. One system sends messages or communicates to another system written by us.

I am into microservices using Java Spring Boot, but if we are using legacy systems, IBM Integration Bus is very good for them. They have their own computational logic called EC12, their own proprietary language. You can do any kind of complex logic and can implement other ESVs that I have seen.

IBM Integration Bus can improve JSON Schema validations. We don't have any kind of nodes that can support that kind of validation. If we want to containerize it by means of the docker's containers in the clouds, we are not able to manage it very well.

In a future update, IBM Integration Bus could add better API management. It only supports Swagger at this time.

I have been using IBM Integration Bus for approximately eight years.

IBM Integration Bus sometimes hangs but the IBM App Connect Enterprise successor version is a lot better.

IBM Integration Bus scalability depends. The scalable of the on-premise version is difficult to scale. For example, if you're using the file processing that can be locked on the files and there is an increase in the number of threads there is some limit. The cloud version is not the same, by using a container, we can scale up to any extreme level. That kind of scalable is not there in the on-premise version.

We have 10 to 15 people using the solution.

I never interacted with IBM for technical support. However, my clients have and they have had a good experience.

I have not worked with other solutions similar to IBM Integration Bus.

The initial setup of IBM Integration Bus version 7 was complex, but the 10 and 11 versions were not difficult. We are using IBM App Connect Enterprise, the successor version of the IBM Integration Bus. IBM Integration Bus no longer exists, but the installation was quite easy. This is a single-step installation. The installation can take approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

The price of the IBM Integration Bus is expensive. If you compare the price to the cloud version you can purchase what you need but the on-premise version price is flat.

We evaluated other solutions.

In the modern integrations in the EPAs world, IBM Integration Bus is not well fitted, because if we have legacy systems, it is fine, but if you want to manage the EPA, govern the EPA to allow people to choose the different platforms, such as the cloud platform, Mule CloudHub I would not recommend it. For the legacy integrations, I can recommend this solution.

I rate IBM Integration Bus an eight out of ten.

The most valuable features of the IBM Integration Bus are the flexibility to easily integrate with other solutions, such as SAP or any other vendors.

The cloud deployment of the IBM Integration Bus should be made easier.

I have been using IBM Integration Bus for approximately six years.

IBM Integration Bus is stable. We have a lot of infrastructure running on it, and it has worked well. We have many application integrations that we used it for, and we did not have that many issues.

The scalability of the IBM Integration Bus is good because it can scale within the application. The whole application installation has some scalability, not only the server. It's easy to scale.

We have approximately 20 developers using this solution and we do not plan to increase the usage.

I have used the support from IBM and they have a ticket priority system. For example, they assign priority to the ticket, such as P1, P2, and P3. P1 is the highest priority and P3 is the lowest. When we are assigned a P1 priority we have someone contact us directly from IBM.

I rate the support from IBM Integration Bus four out of five.

IBM Integration Bus's initial setup is straightforward. They made it really simple to install everything. The process only took a few minutes.

We did the implementation of the IBM Integration Bus in-house. We have two people for the maintenance and support of the solution.

IBM Integration Bus solution is expensive and this is one of the reasons we are looking for an alternative, such as MuleSoft.

There are some additional pieces of software we need to purchase to do certain kinds of integrations, this should be included and we should not have to pay extra.

My advice to others is this is a great solution if you can afford it.

I rate IBM Integration Bus an eight out of ten.

We are currently looking at other vendors, such as MuleSoft, to see what their offerings are.

Our primary use case for IBM Integration Bus is that it is rigid, scalable, and offers high availability with minimal to no data loss. We have developed services that utilize IBM MQ to transfer data. Our service is running every day at the airport.

The error handling and monitoring functionalities of IBM Integration Bus are very good. However, Red Hat offers better monitoring tools.

IBM Integration Bus can improve by implementing no-code or drag-and-drop adapters development, similar to what is available in Red Hat. Additionally, the monitoring features could be improved.

I have experience working with IBM ESB for almost ten years.

I would rate the solution's stability at nine out of ten.

I would rate the solution's scalability at eight out of ten.

The customer service and support can be rated as eight out of ten, and I find them to be good.

Positive

Before using IBM Integration Bus, we used various other solutions, including TIPCO. I don't remember all of them now.

The initial setup of IBM Integration Bus was very difficult, especially during development. It was challenging to configure and install the solution on personal laptops or PCs when trying to download the free version for testing.

We used a third party for the deployment. We used to develop on top of an Integration Bus, however, we did not do the startup installation or installation field ourselves.

The pricing of IBM Integration Bus is very high, which is the biggest negative for us. It is one of the reasons why we opted for a different solution now.

I would recommend IBM Integration Bus because of its scalability and high stability.

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.

We use IBM Integration Bus to communicate with existing systems like COBOL. We utilize COBOL copybooks, which we need to transform for downstream systems. We create schemas and leverage the COBOL capabilities to convert messages to the target systems. This is one example of our integration use case.

IBM Integration Bus integrates with various applications and systems.

We have many external customers who call our Integration Bus using the SOA WSDL. We expose WSDL to external systems, allowing them to share inputs with the Integration Bus. 

In turn, the Integration Bus integrates with additional third-party and external systems. So, it acts as a middle layer between source and target systems.

IBM Integration Bus has been effective in facilitating our messaging and service-oriented architecture (SOA) or bus architecture. 

So, we're already utilizing it to transform the data from the source it's sending. It converts the data from the format the source sends it into the format the destination system requires. So we are transforming the messages, which are required by the destination system; that's the one way. 

Another way we are routing the messages to the different destinations is based on the source and the payloads they are giving. So we are reading that payload and, based on that, targeting the task. So, we are transforming the same message to the different destinations. That's another way.

IBM Integration Bus's built-in nodes significantly simplified our integration tasks. Almost all of our solutions have benefited from the built-in nodes. Each node has its own specific functions, making them incredibly valuable for various development tasks.

Transforming the messages is a valuable feature for me. 

All the message transformations, conditional routing, and simple data movements are already built-in. 

Additionally, there are some powerful conditional processing capabilities. These features, especially conditional routing and complex data mapping, are crucial for handling multiple complex integrations.

The graphical mapper makes transformations much easier. For simple one-to-one mappings, the source and target can be directly connected, saving developers time.

Performance can be an issue sometimes. The tool occasionally crashes due to memory-related problems. We've reported these issues to IBM, and they are actively working on improving the tooling experience.

It would be great to see better memory management to avoid these crashes.

I have been using this solution for five years now. I use v10. 

I had no issues with stability. I would rate the stability a ten out of ten. 

We haven't encountered any issues with volume or performance based on our testing. While we are still developing these applications, we are confident in the solution's ability to handle high volumes.

I would rate the scalability a nine out of ten.  

I would rate my experience with the initial setup a nine out of ten, with ten being easy. 

It's very easy to set up. It typically takes less than an hour.

Two people were involved. One is the administrator, who has the necessary permissions and installs the product. 

The other is the integration developer, who defines the integration flows, steps, and profiles. 

One person could be from IBM support, while the other would be from the Windows or Linux administration team.

The product requires ongoing maintenance. However, the people required for the maintenance depend on the project. In my organization, we have five to ten based on our projects.

Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten.

Typically, when engaging in application integration, especially when receiving data through an integration gateway, the common practice involves routing or transforming the message. This process aims to enrich the data before forwarding it to other downstream systems, and we utilize IBM Integration Bus for it.

It offers easy adaptability, allowing for seamless modifications. With versatile nodes, it facilitates effortless connections with other integration components. The platform supports diverse functionalities such as making web service calls, conducting file transfers, and interacting with databases. Additionally, it accommodates synchronous communication, addressing a variety of technical implementation needs. It effectively replaces the effort involved in such coding tasks.

It can be implemented as an enterprise service bus to seamlessly connect all applications within your enterprise. This tool serves as a bridge, ensuring a smooth flow of data across all applications, regardless of their formats or communication protocols. By leveraging its features, you can efficiently manage and facilitate communication between various applications in your enterprise ecosystem.

It would be beneficial for it to function more as an iPaaS, with the runtime available in the cloud, potentially on platforms like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud. This approach enables broader accessibility, allowing more users to leverage the service.

I have been using it for more than nine years.

It exhibits high stability, consistently performing well in the majority of environments. Any disruptions typically arise only when there are issues with the underlying infrastructure supporting the Integration Bus.

While I can't provide specific user numbers, we have numerous clients across the globe who rely on IBM Integration Bus to meet their business needs. If you aim to enhance the scalability of your integration application developed in IBM Integration Bus, there are specific options and features you can utilize. This enables you to scale up your applications effectively, allowing them to handle a higher volume of requests from various sources.

I am confident that we would receive a prompt response from IBM whenever we encounter any technical issues or require technical support.

The initial setup was relatively straightforward and not overly challenging. Establishing the required environment to run the IBM Integration Bus was a simple process. All that was needed was some server space to install and bring up the runtime environment.

A common practice is the implementation of CI, CD, and DevOps tools. These tools automate the deployment process seamlessly. Whenever code changes are made and pushed, the configured DevOps tools take over, ensuring an automated deployment without the need for manual intervention. This streamlined approach enhances efficiency and minimizes manual efforts during the deployment phase. Maintenance for IBM Integration Bus is well-established. As part of routine maintenance, regular fixes are provided for the product, contributing to the overall stability. Daily monitoring of IBM Integration Bus objects is a crucial aspect of maintenance. We maintain a dedicated team that monitors these objects 24/7, both on-site and offshore. This continuous vigilance ensures that any potential issues are promptly identified and addressed, minimizing any impact on business operations.

I find it to be a highly regarded solution. If you are considering the implementation of an Enterprise Service Bus, this product emerges as a robust and effective solution for your business needs. Overall, I would rate it eight out of ten.

We use IBM Integration Bus within a finance domain.

The product helps efficiently work with different connectors from different back-end systems.

IBM Integration Bus needs to be more compatible with stable connectors for specific domains. For instance, it has two protocols: ISO 8583, a legacy protocol, and ISO 2022, which works on XML for the finance sector. Similarly, they should add connectors to banking applications and other specific industries.

We have been using IBM Integration Bus for ten years.

Being in the market for quite some years, IBM is a very stable and mature product. I rate its stability a seven out of ten.

The technical support services are good.

Primarily, our customers have the product deployed on-premises to follow protocols. Some customers deploy on private clouds as well. The product’s installation and configuration process is straightforward. It takes six months to two years, depending on the complexity of specific requirements.

I rate IBM Integration Bus a seven out of ten.