Accelerating Integration for a...

Problem

A prominent logistics company based in the Midwest recognized the need to integrate rapidly with new trading partners to offer efficient freight forwarding services. The company faced challenges in swiftly onboarding end customers, enabling purchase order communication via a web portal, and sending invoices back to partners. The existing approach of using SOAP-based web services and WSDL contracts was time-consuming, hindering quick integration. The company sought a more streamlined and effective solution.

Solution

The logistics company embarked on a transformation journey, shifting its infrastructure to the Azure platform. This transition included adopting Azure API Management, a pivotal decision in their Platform-as-a-Service strategy. Azure API Management offered scalability, security, and resilience, all while delivering capabilities to the market. A crucial element was the Developer Portal, which empowered developers and integrators to access functionality effectively.

The Developer Portal featured various integration possibilities using languages like Python, Java, or C#. It provided sample codes generated by Azure API Management for quick experimentation. By integrating this solution into their existing Azure environment, the logistics company simplified their market approach, benefiting not only their speed to market but also the ease of integration for customers and trading partners.

The solution also addressed response time and reliability concerns, ensuring quick response times and minimal downtime. As the company expanded geographically, the use of Azure API Management facilitated high availability across regions, without needing to establish physical resources.

Using Azure DevOps and Azure Rest APIs, the company automated API publication and security policy updates, allowing seamless feature enhancements and releases with zero downtime. Azure API Management easily accommodated the company’s growth from serving a few APIs to handling over a thousand API calls daily. The ability to set policies, prioritize customers, and manage throttling ensured optimal performance and customer experience.

Benefits

Focus on Business Value: By leveraging Azure API Management, the company directed their efforts towards creating valuable APIs rather than maintaining on-premises infrastructure.

Enhanced Customer Satisfaction: The transition to Azure API Management led to no degradation of service, ensuring high customer satisfaction due to consistently reliable performance.

Improved Developer Portal: With the integration of AngularJS and custom coding, the Developer Portal’s user experience was enhanced, providing smoother interactions and greater value for end users.

Scalable Growth: The company’s use of Azure API Management allowed them to seamlessly scale their operations and handle significant growth in API calls without major operational changes.

Rapid Onboarding: The ability to offer sample codes and documentation via the Developer Portal significantly expedited the onboarding process for new customers and trading partners.

Future-Ready: Building atop Azure’s robust tech stack, the company gained the ability to continue adding functionality and features to their APIs, ensuring a dynamic and competitive offering.

By embracing Azure API Management, the logistics company successfully addressed integration challenges, enhanced its developer and customer experiences, and positioned itself for continued innovation and growth in the logistics industry.