Application Services Governance; Convergence of API, SOA and Cloud Governance

Governance is critical for organizations exposing sensitive data and critical business transactions via enterprise APIs and/or Web Services. APIs are often the external facing façade of backend Web Services; used for Cloud integration, mobile application enablement and increasingly B2B integrations. It is best practice to have a single governance framework and technology platform covering all API, SOA and Cloud integration channels. Gartner calls this integrated discipline "Application Services Governance". Vordel API Server helps organizations regulate, monitor and enforce policies across API, SOA and Cloud integrations. These policies govern who can access the API services (identity), how the API services should respond (performance) and how records are maintained (audit trail for compliance).

Integrated Policy Enforcement

Vordel API Server is an integrated policy enforcement point (PEP) for many different types of policies.

• Vordel API Server enforces policies controlling access to API services, with out-of-the-box integrations to all the leading identity and access management technologies such as Axiomatics, CA, Entrust, IBM, Novell, Oracle, and RSA.
• Vordel API Server enforces policies relating to performance and quality of service (QoS). The API Server monitors and adjusts service performance and quality in real-time based on policies and service level agreements (SLA).
• Vordel API Server enforces policies relating to compliance and audit. Vordel API Server captures transaction data and creates the audit trails necessary to meet governance, audit, and compliance requirements.
• Vordel API Server enforces policies for data security and privacy. Vordel API Server monitors data leakage and enforce policies to redact and encrypt data in motion and at rest.

Policy Lifecycle Management

Vordel offers capabilities to manage a policy through its lifecycle, from development to retirement, to enable governance best practice. Vordel Manager administration console is a single point of control for policy versioning, exception management, deployment, promotion, and rollback. Vordel API Server offers extensive scripting support for JavaScript, Jython, Groovy and Ant; enabling automation of policy administration tasks to meet data center change management policies. Scripted deployment helps to avoid manual errors and improve process integrity.

Visibility & Monitoring Across API, SOA & Cloud

Vordel API Server makes it simple to monitor policy compliance, including API service usage details and performance metrics; without deploying additional monitoring and sniffer technologies. Vordel provides API service visibility via real-time metrics and comprehensive, drill-down reports to allow organizations see who is using their services, how often they use them and what service levels they are experiencing. Vordel also provides data feeds into network, system, and log management products to enable centralized monitoring in network operation centers.

SOA Registry Repository Support

SOA registries (UDDI) and repositories provide central repositories for service and endpoint metadata, governing how API services should be implemented, deployed and managed. In addition to Vordel's built-in policy repository and API Catalog, Vordel API Server is integrated with leadingregistry and repository products, including HP Systinet, Oracle Enterprise Repository & Service Registry and Software AG Centrasite.