It’s important to note that for a HIP (Hybrid Integration Platform), the word Hybrid hinges on multiple dynamics. You will see this in the Gartner definition of HIP. Hybrid in HIP in terms of personas served, hybrid in terms of integration patterns served, hybrid in terms of types of endpoints integrated (mobile, apps, things, partners, etc.). And lastly, hybrid in terms of architectures (cloud, on-premises or a combination).
It’s a common pitfall to think first and only of integration architectures when talking HIP—cloud and on-premises in a blender. I was there myself. So, the Hybrid part is multi-dimensional—there is a lot in the blender.
More important though with this behind us becomes the fact that HIP is really defining a different approach for IT-related to integration. IT is transitioning from an integration factory to that of an integration enabler. The ultimate value of the HIP is allowing IT to scale integration by empowering the business and LOB integrators to move faster to achieve business outcomes (while IT is maintaining corporate governance of data). It’s no longer a bottleneck. Business outcomes are achieved faster.
A few quotes from the most recent Gartner report:
“The HIP focuses on supporting a wide range of integration use cases based on a do-it-yourself approach. This implies an active involvement of multiple constituencies and organizational entities, proactively supported by an Integration Strategy Empowerment Team (ISET).” ¹
Key aspects
“A key aspect of Gartner’s definition of a HIP is that it is managed as a whole, with responsibility for it being well-defined and typically assigned to an ISET. Therefore, the ultimate goal of the ISET is to make available to the organization an “integration business utility” shared service, including a HIP implementation and associated support services (for example, training, mentoring, consulting and help desk), also delivered by the ISET, which different integration personas can consume in a self-service fashion.” ¹
Gartner definition of HIP
“The hybrid integration platform (HIP) is a framework of on-premises and cloud-based integration and governance capabilities that enables differently skilled personas (integration specialists and nonspecialists) to support a wide range of integration use cases. An organization’s HIP is usually implemented by assembling a variety of technology building blocks, from one or more providers, which are managed as a cohesive, federated and integrated whole. A central team (typically an ISET, among its other responsibilities) is usually in charge of the HIP design, implementation and ongoing management.” ¹
Hybrid in HIP
How are you addressing the emerging demands of integration? And, how are you dealing with the various persona’s getting involved with integration? How are you transitioning from an integration factory to that of an integration enabler?
Read more about HIP here.
¹Source: Gartner, Innovation Insight for Hybrid Integration Platforms, Massimo Pezzini, 15 October 2018