When it comes to the hybrid cloud implementation for API Connect, you will find it difficult to find another API Management product that deploys to as many cloud platforms as IBM API Connect. In this section, you will be provided with information regarding how API Connect is packaged to run on-premises and on cloud platforms using various methods of deployment.
So, how is it that API Connect can be deployed to so many different destinations? Well, it all has to do with how the product was developed. Since version v2018, API Connect has to be built from the ground up as microservices running in containers. To manage these containers, IBM utilizes Kubernetes and, now, Red Hat OpenShift.
You’ll start learning about the models, beginning with the most prominent one – the on-premises model.
The on-premises implementation
You have three choices when you want to implement API Connect on-premises within your data center:
- VMware ESX
- Bare-metal Kubernetes
- OpenShift Container Platform (OCP)
While the implementation using VMware utilizes an OVA file to install each of the components, beneath the covers, it is still Kubernetes managing the API Connect microservices. This model of implementation is suited for customers who are in the initial stages of modernization and would rather use platforms their teams are familiar with. Since prior versions of API Connect were based on VMware installations, many customers are already familiar with the VMWare and OVA installations. Learning a new API platform along with Kubernetes can be a challenge for many companies, and the VMware option is preferred in such cases.
Installing your own master and worker nodes on bare metal or VMware and implementing Kubernetes requires more skill for the administrator. This requires a good understanding of how Kubernetes is configured and all of its dependencies, just to get started. The installation has been made easier with the addition of Kubernetes operators. In this scenario, operators install the API Connect components. However, administrators still need to have experience of Kubernetes commands, load balancers, ingress controllers, and how to troubleshoot Kubernetes issues.
The third option is to use OCP. So, what is the benefit of OCP? First, OCP has a browser-based interface that makes managing Kubernetes easier. It enables DevOps and corporate-wide collaborations, making deployments easier. Additionally, OCP provides a CLI, providing multiple ways to interface with the platform.
Setting up an OCP platform has similar requirements to getting the cluster configured. You still have master and worker nodes that need to be configured. You will install OCP using the User Provisioned Infrastructure (UPI). To learn about OpenShift and UPI, please visit the Red Hat website at https://docs.openshift.com/container-platform/4.1/installing/installing_bare_metal/installing-bare-metal.html.
As you have learned, you have multiple options in which to deploy API Connect on-premises. Each has its pros and cons based on your skillset and budget. Cloud deployments are another deployment model. Let’s learn about those options next.
Cloud implementations
Choices, choices, and more choices. The draw toward cloud computing with multiple vendors providing Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS) is compelling.
The discussion regarding installing on-premises is very similar to when installing using IaaS. The differences will be in each cloud vendor’s implementation of setting up the environment. For instance, each of the major cloud vendors has its own implementation and setup for networking, LDAP, DNS, and storage. Of course, cost is also important, as all vendors have different cost models. Another slight difference between the vendors is that each might have slightly different versions of Kubernetes.
Despite all the differences, API Connect can be installed on major cloud providers such as Azure, GCP, AWS, and IBM Cloud. All of these implementations allow you to install API Connect; however, only IBM Cloud offers a SaaS implementation of API Connect. The API Connect for IBM Cloud provides an instance of API Connect to allow you to build products and APIs. This implementation provides you with access to API Manager to carry out development and other Provider organization activities. What you do not have access to is Cloud Manager:
Figure 2.15 – API Connect on IBM Cloud
Important Note
API Connect for IBM Cloud is expected to be migrated to API Connect version 10. At present, API Connect may not be at the latest fix pack.
Earlier, you learned that each cloud vendor has slight differences when it comes to installing and supporting Kubernetes. One option is to mitigate, that is, to implement API Connect on OCP. OpenShift is supported on Azure, GCP, and AWS. Azure and AWS each provide self-service managed implementations of OpenShift. Now you can merely choose to stand up OpenShift on one of these platforms and deploy API Connect using operators in order to have an API Connect environment up and running in no time.