Data integration sounds like an expensive and risky business. No wonder many hesitate before starting off with a new vendor on new integration projects. For decades, integration projects have been daunting for organizations.
However, it is time to change our mindset and be realistic about the true costs and benefits of utilizing modern cloud integration technologies and vendors.
Time is money
Who didn’t hear this phrase before – and in the case of integration projects, it’s true also. The other day I read a short article from an integration specialist claiming that large-scale implementation can take anywhere between 500-1800 man hours, which equals with 62-225 workdays.
Traditionally, enterprise-wide integration projects indeed lasted for months. Doing the math, it could cost hundreds of thousands of euros and counting as there is always the risk of succeeding and whether there needs to be further modifications and adjustments in the code.
Today, by utilizing iPaaS, an integration project does not need to stretch between 2-8 months.
Creating connectivity with iPaaS between systems, services, applications, B2B, data sources, or IoT endpoints is not only agiler than traditional solutions, but it is also speedier. Speed is maybe one of the most important features of iPaaS. The delivery time is anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months, depending on the scale of the projects, of course.
In the digital economy, an organization cannot afford to lag due to slow-moving integration projects.
Are data integration projects expensive?
ETLs and first-generation data integration platforms were expensive – at that time, it made sense to develop solutions in-house. Organizations still tend to use a hard coding approach, open APIs, or Enterprise Service BUS (ESB) solutions for integrating data and services.
However, integrations can get extremely complex the more stakeholders you work with, especially when you need to connect with external ones while ensuring data integrity, validating data, and transforming formats.
Modern data integration platforms have matured. They are robust, fast, and user-friendly, as well as maintained by the vendor. Additionally, these solutions are priced attractively considering all aspects of the solution.
Your business goals dictate that you need to manage your costs better, and cutting the cost of data integration can be a good starting point by minimizing total costs, both short and long-term.
When deciding on the integration solution you are about to use, you need to consider the cost of implementation, as well as the cost of maintenance as well in case your needs change and the complexity and volume of the data and service integrations rise.
First, if you are doing in-house development or have a traditional data integration provider, consider the following five aspects:
- What will be the price of switching to a new vendor?
- What is the cost of implementation, and how long is the time to production?
- What are the costs of support?
- How flexible is the solution?
- In terms of scalability, how well the platform supports my needs?
Most probably, previously, you spent a vast amount of money on updating the solution, making fixes and changes to accommodate your changing needs.
Whether you are a small company or a large enterprise, Youredi’s affordable pricing models ensure that you can save on data integration costs and get the best rate for your specific needs.
Lack of integration takes time and trust
Saving money is, of course, an important factor – decreasing overheads and becoming more profitable is a good indicator of success.
However, with data and service integration, you can connect better with your partners, customers, and vendors and provide all relevant stakeholders with real-time visibility into the data and processes. The trust that you build within your value chain is invaluable.
By utilizing an iPaaS, you’ll be able to integrate faster, as mapping data is easy, your integration provider handles errors, support, and maintenance. The solution is always up-to-date, and you can update your requirements as your needs are growing.
Currently, this is the most reasonable approach for system and data integrations. Oh, and the prices are low, too.
