API 2.0 Radically Reshapes Software Value Chain

June 29, 2011

API 2.0: Potential to Radically Reshape Value Chains for Business Development in the Cloud

API 2.0 offers rapid market entry via the cloud and enables fast ubiquity for monetizing digital assets and mobile apps.

By Mark Cheshire, 3scale

API 2.0 management and the creation of new Internet distribution channels are at the heart of today's rapidly exploding digital mashup economy. For fast-growing innovators such as PeekYou, Pingar and Mesagraph as well as enterprises such as Wine.com and Skype, "opening an API" today means creating new business models that were not possible without an API. Serving as the "glue" between different software programs, APIs are gateways that allow businesses to transfer, track and monetize valuable calls to their data, (think of the potential of billions of tracked and monetized calls) while connecting with partners and expanding distribution.

While it's fairly easy for an engineer to create an API to share data or services, building the business strategy ahead of time requires strategic insight and expertise. In order to maximize the returns to your organization from the API revolution, it is essential that business leaders learn why their impact is increasing so dramatically. Rather than rely on poorly focused technology push, only well-informed executives can drive the right sense of urgency and priority to guide their API initiatives.

12 Essential KPIs

How strong is your support renewal program? ServiceSource believes the real yardstick of renewals performance lies in a comprehensive set of key performance indicators (KPIs) that can tell a much broader story including (a) performance over time and across teams, product lines, and geographies, (b) trends and information about customers’ buying habits, and (c) key levers for driving future performance. Read more >>

SaaS Design Principle #3: Don’t Just Port

Paul Giurata of Catalyst Resources continues his series of SaaS design principles with this article, explaining how porting an existing on-premise software application to SaaS can be a recipe for disaster in this post to the SandHill.com blog, Voice of the Customer. Be sure to also read the prior posts on SaaS design principles #1 and #2 if you missed them.

Think Monetization Before Enforcement with Subscription Software Licensing Models

Cris Wendt of Flexera Software discusses software vendors’ reluctance toward the subscription software license model in this post to SandHill.com blog, Software Monetization Best Practices.

The INR-USD Exchange Rate: Will the Rupee Depreciate?

In this article, Ashutosh Gupta and Surbhee Sirohi of EvalueServe present their research findings on the potentiality of the Rupee depreciating. The report discusses aspects including inflation, the changing landscape of investment inflows to India, India’s “crisis of confidence” due to scandals, remittances from Indians abroad, and more. Read more >>

Is Social Media ROI Achievable?

Tom Pisello of Alinean discusses the metrics used to measure the success of marketing through social media in this post to the Sandhill.com blog, Best Practices: Software Marketing.

POLL: API 2.0

Which of the following best describes your company’s current situation regarding API 2.0?
Take our Pulse Poll >>

The Latest Software Business News on SandHill.com

News Summaries: Full Throttle – A world’s first, Big Blue Socializes, software Exec of the Year and other recent software news.

VC Activity: Virtualization and Cloud Security Startup Bromium Raises $9.2M (TechCrunch).

M&A Deals: Oracle to Acquire Web Management Company FatWire (PCWorld).

Executive Moves: New executives announced at Egenera, Extreme Networks, Navicure and other software companies.

Quote of the Week

“The reality is ideas are not worth very much, a start-up needs to have a great team. To put that team together, you need to be able to tell a great story and social media enables you to do that.”

- Bill Liao, European venture partner with SOSventures

This Week's Sponsor

Flexera Software is the leading provider of strategic solutions for Application Usage Management; solutions delivering continuous compliance, optimized usage and maximized value to application producers and their customers. Flexera Software is trusted by more than 80,000 customers that depend on our comprehensive solutions - from installation and licensing, entitlement and compliance management to application readiness and enterprise license optimization.

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