Press release
F5 Identifies API Sprawl as Significant Threat to Business and the Economy
Report finds APIs are a primary economic driver, points to better API governance as a critical success factor for business SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- F5
About this update from F5, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"\nReport finds APIs are a primary economic driver, points to better API governance as a critical success factor for business\n\n SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--\nF5 (NASDAQ: FFIV) today announced the publication of “Continuous API Sprawl: Challenges and Opportunities in an API-Driven Economy,” a report analyzing the serious threat to business and the economy posed by the global proliferation of APIs.\n\nWhen APIs gained widespread adoption in the early 2000s, they were primarily viewed as a technical solution enabling applications to connect and exchange data. Today, by contrast, APIs are increasingly recognized as a major driver of innovation, value creation, and revenue. From digital marketplaces and entertainment apps to the Internet of Things (IoT) and IT microservices, APIs are at the heart of how the world conducts business.\n\n“We estimate that the number of public and private APIs today is approaching 200 million, and by 2031 that number could be in the billions,” said Rajesh Narayanan, senior director and distinguished technologist at F5. “And we’ve merely scratched the surface in terms of the anticipated global economic impact of APIs.”\n\nAPIs come in many shapes and sizes, and serve a range of functions. There are public APIs, accessible by the general public—like those used by Google Maps or the Lyft app. There are private APIs, which are part of internal systems, as in the case of microservices APIs, or for use by internal teams only. There are partner APIs that enable data sharing and the creation of innovative offerings. Roku’s service, for example, would not be possible without the ability to access data from Netflix, HBO, and other content providers using APIs. Managing and controlling all these different kinds of APIs can be a significant challenge for enterprises.\n\n“As APIs of all kinds proliferate, it will become common for organizations to reach a point where they’re unable to effectively manage and control them,” said Narayanan. “This is API sprawl, the condition of having too many APIs of too many different kinds in too many different locations to get a handle on.”\n\nA number of factors contribute to API sprawl:\n\n\nA lack of global standards results in interoperability issues, driving the creation of multiple APIs to serve the same function.\n\n\nMost enterprises are evolving toward microservices architec...