Data becomes every organisation’s core and a solution managing data is high priority for C-level. Data management solutions are evaluated from a strategic perspective in this blog because of the decisive role they will play for any organisation’s future success.
First the similarities are explored and subsequent their key differences: simplicity, reuse of standard functionality, collaboration options and data security. Finally, the iPaaS and the BaaS solutions are positioned in a matrix, using the strategic differentiators on the axis.
Note
The majority of iPaaS solutions reviewed by Forrester or Gartner use hard code technology. They are compared with the Chills Backend solution using low code technology. More details on low & no code solutions.
iPaaS and BaaS similarities
Both solutions solve data management issues for customers, irrespective of their industry, offer an application like interface and are cloud based. Focus is on standardisation of repetitive programming tasks and centralisation of integration, automation and data management jobs. Reuse of functionality on the same platform tenant is possible.
All solutions focus on education through webinars, seminars, white-papers, tutorials, documentation and support. Blogs are an additional information source about solution development and functionality.
IPaaS and BaaS users share knowledge about technical challenges and queries using a community managed by the Provider.
iPaaS and BaaS differences
Solution simplicity
Customers want to manage and monitor data in an easy to implement and use solution.
iPaaS solutions have created a structured approach to create integrations and automations. Complex and extensive hard coding programming has been structured using various tools in a develop & deploy sequence. Learning how these platforms work is a time-consuming job as well as the operation.
BaaS build on low code technology shows integration and automation in a graphical user interface without using other tools. Visualisation of data flows simplifies the job and makes the solutions very user friendly. This guarantees a steep learning curve leading to “failing fast & learning fast”. Complex data processing tasks are still possible using the Backends access to hard coding.
Technical collaboration & sharing
iPaaS solutions are stand alone. Only registered employees or hired consultants obtain platform access. An iPaaS is dedicated to one individual customer. Connecting individual platforms technically or sharing the tailor-made integrations/automations is not possible.
The Chills Backends connect using the LinkUP option to share resources, knowledge and to support each other. A customer can LinkUP each subsidiary Chills tenant to one master tenant. Our vision is to develop this collaboration into an ecosystem. Read the article “Ecosystems impacting business and society?”
Chills has developed several types of marketplaces to enable exchange of low code integrations and automations with other backends. Read “Manage your low code Intellectual Property & enable collaboration” for details.
Business IT collaboration
None of the iPaaS Solutions speaks about Business IT collaboration, its importance or how their platform supports this. Collaboration is a focus area for Chills since it is decisive for customers to embark on a digital transformation.
Chills provides collaboration between citizen developers and experts dividing data creation and management tasks between them. The Business is engaged by data flow visualisation, allowing a constructive dialogue with IT. This results in two effects; more programmers work with data management simultaneously, and the business participates actively in building the digital organisation.
Data security and storage
Little is mentioned about data treatment or security by iPaaS providers, some speak of data retention policies. All iPaaS solutions retrieve data, store it on databases and execute data management. This means another copy of data including the associated risks.
The Chills backend accesses data from a source, processes & delivers it directly to the destination database, without additional storage.
Wider technology thought leadership
All iPaaS providers present a vision on how their platform contributes to customers’ digitalisation.
Dynamic Integrations as Backend provider, stands out by promoting itself as thought leader, writing articles about business & society disruptions caused by technology in general.
Research and publications started in 2016 and has been acknowledged by CBS News resulting in a Global Thought Leader documentary. Watch it here!
Conclusions
A BaaS delivers a more technical advanced solution and contributes to many forms of collaboration, compared with an iPaaS. This leads to a shorter develop & release time of integration and automation, saving costs and increasing the organisations agility.
A scorecard with technology and collaboration on the axis, compares a low code BaaS with hard coded iPaaS. The axis choice is based on Dynamic Integrations evaluation of what is critical for fast and reliable data management now and in the future. Chills BaaS contributes to a successful execution of your digitalisation strategy.
Bård Øvrebø CTO & Fredrik the Frisian CEO
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