IoT will drive a middleware boom

Spending in middleware is expected to exceed $16.3bn in 2015, driven by a shift towards agile mobile application integration.

Analyst Ovum has estimated that enterprises will spend US$16.3bn on middleware software next year, an increase of 9.3% year-on-year.

Ovum’s 2015 Trends to Watch: Integration and Middleware report also stated that integration platform as a service (iPaaS) and application programming interface (API) management will move up the agenda for key integration initiatives. 

"A significant share of the budget for integration projects will be spent on infrastructure modernisation, including the adoption of new mobile and internet of things (IoT) middleware, B2B integration solutions and cloud-based integration platforms," said Saurabh Sharma, senior analyst for infrastructure solutions at Ovum, and author of the report.

Ovum has identified four key trends in integration and middleware that will have the biggest effect on businesses in 2015.

Collaboration will be another area where IT departments are expected to spend on middleware. According to the report, B2B integration will gain importance with the ever-increasing need for rapid onboarding of trading partners and customers, effective management of partner communities and better customer engagement. 

"2015 will see a significant rise in the adoption of cloud-based B2B integration services, and the complex interplay of data security, governance and compliance requirements will drive uptake of comprehensive managed file transfer (MFT) systems," the report stated.

"Enterprises need to undertake integration infrastructure modernisation to effectively exploit digitalisation, mobility, cloud and IoT for driving business growth," said Sharma. "There will be less inertia to a shift towards agile approaches to integration and/or cloud-based integration services, and this will translate into a growing market opportunity for both established and specialised integration suppliers."