WSO2: Open Source Enterprise Application Integration in the Cloud

WSO2: Open Source Enterprise Application Integration in the Cloud

WSO2 is a notable Enterprise Application Integration & Cloud vendor. They are notable not just because of what they do, but also because of how they do it.

WSO2 offers an integrated platform featuring an Enterprise Service Bus and solutions that span Identity, Governance, Business Process Management, API Management, Big Data Analytics and Cloud. And it does so leveraging an open source model. The backbone of WSO2’s platform is called Carbon, and is an OSGi substrate on which a multitude of modules are integrated.

WSO2 Platform. Source: WSO2

In a way, what WSO2 does is similar to what the major Hadoop distributors do: they compile a collection of open source modules (e.g. Apache Cassandra), they harden them, add their own contributions and then they integrate them into a comprehensive platform and release them. But unlike Hadoop distributions, WSO2’s platform is fully open source.

WSO2 software does not require license fees to operate, as the company relies on a maintenance business model. WSO2 also provides professional services for their customers, with their current revenue sources being roughly 50% – 50% for maintenance and services.

Their commitment to open source is showcased by the Apache Stratos project. Apache Stratos is an open source competitor of CloudFoundry and OpenShift, even though it does not get the kind of mind share that these platforms do. Apache Stratos is a PaaS platform developed by WSO2 and donated to the Apache Software Foundation, where it has currently graduated from incubating status to a top level project.

Apache Stratos is part of WSO2’s cloud strategy, addressing private cloud. It is the basis of WSO2 Private PaaS 4.0 which was recently released. WSO2’s private cloud offering also includes App Factory, a DevOps PaaS application development environment for the cloud.

Their strategy also includes solutions for managed and public cloud. As far as managed cloud is concerned, WSO2 makes all its products optionally available in hosted versions. In terms of public cloud, WSO2 offers its App Factory and API Manager solutions in shared public cloud deployments.

So WSO2 is embracing the cloud in all its incarnations, and this is the reasonable thing to do as application development is gradually migrating to the cloud too. Even though the competition is fierce, WSO2’s main asset – its integrated platform – make it a player to keep an eye on as this space develops, with more cloud services to come.

Join the Orchestrate all the Things Newsletter

Stories about how Technology, Data, AI and Media flow into each other shaping our lives. Analysis, Essays, Interviews, News. Mid-to-long form, 1-3 times/month.

 
 

Write a Reply or Comment

Your email address will not be published.