Understanding Cloud APIs, and Why They Matter

Grazed from DataCenterKnowledge. Author: Bill Kleyman.

As cloud computing continues to gain momentum, system administrators are looking for more ways to integrate with their cloud model. There are now more direct use cases for cloud computing, which require greater levels of customization. The ability to enhance the cloud experience and have cross-cloud compatibility has helped form the Cloud API (Application Programming Interface) environment. Now, administrators can integrate applications and other workloads into the cloud using these APIs.

But which model is the right one, and how can you incorporate an API into your cloud?…

Understanding the cloud API model isn’t always easy. There are many ways to integrate into an infrastructure, and each methodology has its own underlying components. To get a better understanding of cloud computing and how APIs fit into the process, it’s important to break down the conversation at a high level. There are four major areas where cloud computing will need to integrate with another platform (or even another cloud provider).

• PaaS APIs (Service-level): Also known as Platform-as-a-Service, these service APIs are designed to provide access and functionality for a cloud environment. This means integration with databases, messaging systems, portals, and even storage components.
• SaaS APIs (Application-level): These APIs are also referred to as Software-as-a-Service APIs. Their goal is to help connect the application-layer with the cloud and underlying IT infrastructure. So, CRM and ERP applications are examples of where application APIs can be used to create a cloud application extension for your environment…

Read more from the source @ http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2012/10/16/understanding-cloud-integration-a-look-at-apis/