Using hybrid integration you can create applications whose components are split across cloud and on-premises environments, or across different clouds. Hybrid integration provides a seamless platform for native or on-premises applications to interchangeably integrate end-to-end business-critical capabilities regardless of where these capabilities are deployed.
Some of the significant challenges that are unique to the Hybrid integration implementation architecture include:
Unlock existing business data, applications, and services to drive digital transformation in your enterprise.
Reduce IT expenditures and connect your enterprise to the cloud.
Enable agility and innovation by supporting a new application ecosystem and by enabling multi-speed IT.
Hybrid Cloud integration is characterized by:
- API-driven integration between on-premises systems of record and cloud-based systems of engagement.
- Integration with legacy middleware, including 2-way integration with existing MQ enterprise messaging backbone.
- Application-level integration between on-premises ERP applications and off-premises systems of engagement.
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Ability to authenticate and control access for users based on existing on-premises user directories.
Shown below is a hybrid integration reference architecture.
The CTO of an international bank wanted to unlock the value of the bank’s business assets by deploying a set of fine-grained system APIs that expose key enterprise capabilities and processes. The CMO wanted to expand the bank’s market reach by deploying cloud applications and APIs to new interactive channels that would use these enterprise capabilities to accelerate banking transactions and improve the customer experience.
Step 1: The user accesses the cloud application from a web browser.
Step 2: Edge services receives the request. Edge services is a group of services that process the request and get it to the right destination. These include the domain name server, the CDN server, the firewall, and the load balancers.
Step 3: Identity and access management validate the user. A key aspect of security is that it is enabled across multiple layers and components. Besides user validation, the cloud and the enterprise components are protected from threats. Individual cloud components are validated prior to accessing the enterprise network using a combination of application IDs, access tokens, and mutual authentication. The sensitive data is protected from end users and privileged users. Continuous monitoring of threats and log analysis in the solution provide visibility and actionable intelligence. Logs are used for audit and compliance reports.
Step 4: The cloud application receives and processes the request. The processing logic necessitates accessing the gateway comprising APIs, events, and data. Making use of asynchronous processing, the cloud application invokes the interaction APIs and integration service components.
Step 5: The interaction APIs receive the request and determine the services that must be invoked. Additionally, this component validates that the cloud application is authorized and entitled to make the request. In order to process the request, this component makes several successive calls to the system APIs component.
Step 6: The request is received by the integration service for enterprise data. After validating the authorization and entitlement, this component interfaces with the enterprise integration services component to retrieve and return enterprise system of record data.
Step 7: Cloud messaging allows the processing of events and triggers across cloud applications, cloud services, and on-premises enterprise applications.
Step 8: Transformation and connectivity receive requests for function and data. This component is the gateway into the enterprise network and ensures that the requests are authorized to access the enterprise components. This component routes the API request to the system APIs component and the routes the data request to the enterprise integration services component.
Step 9: Enterprise application and data components process their requests. The responses are returned through the enterprise and cloud gateways to the cloud application. The cloud application prepares and returns a response to the user.
The video below is an introduction and overview of IBM Cloud Hybrid Integration
Shown below is a detailed presentation on Hybrid Integration Reference Architecture