API Governance In the Enterprise: Framework & Tools

Akana offers the most profound way to accelerate digital transformation at scale – without compromising governance. How? Conceptually speaking, we separate consumer-facing API products from code. Then we automate the API product development process. Finally, we make it easy for stakeholders to weigh in and approve products at various stages. This simplifies the API lifecycle governance process.

Additionally, we automatically add comprehensive security policies to your API products, based on metadata configured by responsible stakeholders. These metadata can also determine the deployment zones in which the product will be available. Next, automated product promotion allows for stakeholder approval when and where needed. Simple visual dashboards provide stakeholders with all essential details.

Planning Governance

Build the Right APIs

Planning governance is all about balancing long and short-term API needs. The best planning identifies potential services in a managed community ahead of time. With the Akana portal, you can simplify your planning governance processes. This includes using taxonomies for classifying APIs to improve with search functions and overall categorization. Planning governance with Akana means you never need to build single-use services in a reactive fashion.

Lifecycle Governance

Build APIs Right

Different stages of the API lifecycle come with different governance challenges. Effective lifecycle governance safely marshals your APIs through the development process. These stages include design, development, testing, and staging. Akana includes an easy-to-use workflow mechanism. You can use it to verify compliance and approve promotion. In other words, enforce quality gates between lifecycle stages. This includes:

• RBAC-based access
• Reuse of critical configuration elements like policies and schemas
• OAS (Open API specification) validation applied out-of-the-box to any API created within Akana
• Smart versioning to introduce API changes without affecting current consumers

Curious how this works in practice? We recently partnered with a large bank to develop a digital payments platform that met a variety of governance and oversight requirements. You can read this case study to learn exactly how Akana streamlines lifecycle governance at scale.

Read Case Study

Operational Governance

Run APIs & Analytics Right

Operational governance is a central aspect to the healthy functioning of your API management program. It’s the proof of the pudding. This is how all API governance and oversight measures should come to fruition and function. But solid operational governance depends on additional factors. These include stable infrastructure and efficient API development processes.

Another essential part of operational governance is verifying whether APIs provide business value. Are they accessible to those who need them? Are they consumed by the intended user? Are they meeting SLAs? In short, operational governance ensures all operational API metrics and associated business outcomes are being met.

Curious how Akana improves operational governance outcomes? We recently partnered with a multinational retailer to develop real-time systems monitoring via APIs. We also helped them significantly enhance security and regulatory compliance.

Read Case Study